Tech means Business

This podcast is produced in conjunction with DocuSign.

Many companies today are worried about the environmental impact their activities are having on the well-being of the planet. And every business cares about costs, too! So how come, years after the concept was first mooted, we're still not at a place where we all work in so-called paperless offices. Such a concept is clearly a win on both counts?

In this episode of the Tech Means Business podcast, we talk to DocuSign and one of the company's clients, BoardRoom, about the practicalities of moving from a paper-based workflow to one that's all-digital. Such an approach saves huge amounts of environmental costs (some of the statistics mentioned are truly alarming) but also speeds up the time taken to get complex agreements over the finishing line.

In addition to Iesha Berry and Andrea Dixon of DocuSign, we also host Tina Thomas of BoardRoom in this round table discussion that touches on every organisation's carbon footprint, and how it can and should be shrunk. From changing mindsets to implementing solutions, you'll hear how even small businesses can make big differences to the fate of Planet Earth, save valuable resources, and drive efficiencies with a truly paperless agreement workflow,

Start taking steps on this important journey by visiting here:
https://www.docusign.com.au

The BoardRoom ecologically-sound service is here:
https://www.boardroomlimited.com/

Iesha Berry, Chief Diversity and Engagement Officer and Head of People Experience at DocuSign is here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/iesha-o-deneal-berry-22a36a2/

Andrea Dixon, Senior Director of Marketing for APJ at DocuSign is here on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreacdixon/

Tina Thomas, Head of ESG at BoardRoom is here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinasarathomas

Your host for the round table is Joe Green, who's found here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephedwardgreen/

From a background in software programming, today's guest Sydney-based Leon Friend specialised in cyber security, landing at ConnectWise a few years ago. Keen listeners will know the company from a previous episode of the Tech Means Business podcast: ConnectWise’s local remit is to help ANZ's MSPs (managed service providers) protect their many clients from the dangers that lurk on the internet in the form of hackers, bots and malware like ransomware.

We talk about whether MSPs are best-placed to be the cybersecurity experts the market needs (after all, they get plenty of experience working in multiple verticals) and what the differences are between cybersecurity tools designed for MSPs and most others conceived with only one organisation in mind.

"The biggest challenge is education," Leon says, and it's a challenge managed service providers have to take head-on, taking their clients on the journey to better working practices. One of ConnectWise's capabilities is to give MSPs the tools and the materials they'll need to pass on – after all, most companies haven't grown up as cybersecurity experts. Most are, Leon says, "mom & pop shops that have grown from being good at fixing people's computers."

With the numbers of ransomware cases on the steep increase (not just in Australia and New Zealand) alongside similar rises in the costs of those attacks, getting cybersecurity right is absolutely paramount, whether or not you run, work in, or are a client of an MSP.

The State of SMB Cybersecurity Report 2022 is available here:
https://www.connectwise.com/resources/smb-research-2022

More information at ConnectWise's website here:
https://www.connectwise.com/

Leon Friend on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonfriend/

Joe Green's LinkedIn profile is here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephedwardgreen/

This podcast is produced in conjunction with AppDynamics.

The full IT stack has become highly complex in recent years, and parsing logfiles and relying on the nmaps of this world just don't cut it any more. Getting full visibility into everything that's going on everywhere (including use of cloud services) is a tall order, especially when finding sys admins and cybersecurity pros with the required skills is getting…expensive.

Our guest on the Tech Means Business podcast, Abhilash Purushothaman talks about how the AppDynamics platform not only gives 100% visibility down to the packet level, but also quantifies what it sees with reference to expected performance. That's the sort of insight that helps companies see where their customers' experiences are less than perfect.

We discuss prioritizing those findings in terms of what the business needs, rather than forcing overworked IT staff to jump at every red flag. That puts the IT team's focus on maintaining the quality of service that end-users demand, and, as Abhi puts it, stops a slow system being today's equivalent of a down system.

The platform also pulls metrics from an organization's competitors' offerings, so any application or service can be judged against those alternatives to your offerings that are – unfortunately, perhaps – just a screen tap away.

Full stack obervability just got its business mojo!

Check out the options from AppDynamics, including the new AppDynamics Cloud:
https://www.appdynamics.com/
https://www.appdynamics.com/product/infrastructure-monitoring/cloud-monitoring

Abhi Purushothaman on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhivp

Your host, Joe Green is here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephedwardgreen/

This podcast is produced in conjunction with OutSystems.

The big talk in enterprise software development circles is around low-code taking some of the hard work out of the development process. But there are solutions out there that are for both "citizen" and "traditional" developers. OutSystems has evolved that paradigm with high-performance low-code.

Our Tech Means Business podcast guest is Richard Davies, the Director of Digital Transformation for the APAC region. Richard is a stalwart of enterprise-scale software development and someone whose experience informs his role, advising and helping multinational companies craft production-ready apps in record time.

We talk about partnerships between development functions and other stakeholders and how high-performance low-code is the obvious evolution of Agile methodology, where producing an MVP (minimum viable product) takes a fraction of the time, thanks to (relatively) simple application development tools.

While “Harry from Accounts” may not yet be able to create an ERP in a week, those days may not be too far off. But for now, Richard throws down the gauntlet: attend one of OutSystems' one-day boot camps where you can "build an app in a day" or, try the platform for free in your own time. Put your battered O'Reilly volumes back on the shelf!

Try out OutSystems from here:
https://www.outsystems.com/Platform/Signup

Enterprise-grade app in a day? Go for it!
https://www.outsystems.com/training/classroom-training/developing-outsystems-web-applications-boot-camp/

Richard Davies is here on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/richdavies1/

Joe Green can be dragged and dropped here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephedwardgreen/

This podcast is produced in conjunction with ConnectWise.

Many businesses today use the services of an MSP (managed service provider) to handle all the day-to-day IT needs of the company: provisioning email accounts, ensuring connectivity, setting up new clients, and so on. Many MSPs are also responsible for their clients' cybersecurity – an increasingly important role given the rise in the prevalence of cyber attacks in the last few years.

But most cybersecurity measures are designed to protect a single business, not dozens, if not hundreds, of companies. Security tools specifically written for MSPs are thin on the ground, but fortunately, they do exist – including from our guest on this edition of the Tech Means Business podcast, ConnectWise.

Raffael Marty is the company's General Manager for Cybersecurity, and we discuss how MSPs have unique experience in the cybersecurity field, working as they do with all manner of company types and sizes. We touch on the need for consolidated security reporting, the ability to apply specific protections for each client individually and how this can be done at scale.

ConnectWise is rapidly becoming the go-to place for MSP software across the board (billing, support ticket management, and so on), and with cybersecurity tools built for this type of one-to-many business, MSPs can ply their trade more safely.

To learn more about ConnectWise, follow this link:
https://connectwise.com/

Raffy of ConnectWise is here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/raffy/

And your host's social media page is here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephedwardgreen/

This podcast is produced in conjunction with Euronet.

Financial institutions with any history at all are renowned for being slow to offer the types of digital banking services that many of us demand. After all, in 2022, should it be quite so challenging to take and send FOREX payments on an e-commerce site?

It's here that the REN service from Euronet can help out by offering modern, digitally-native financial services to banks and finance houses that are struggling to modernize thanks to legacy infrastructure and technical debt.

In this podcast with Himanshu Pujara, the Managing Director, Asia-Pacific for Euronet, we talk about how the company is fulfilling consumer and business demand for services that, today, we expect just to be a screen tap away and active in seconds.

And at the same time, Euronet is leveraging its technology to leapfrog the traditional evolution of banking in un-banked or under-banked parts of the world. It's enabling service providers to offer under-served populations immediate access to financial services, like digital wallets and electronic payments.

Built from the ground up with cloud-native technologies, the REN platform is, like microservices themselves, highly modular, extensible, and scalable. The company invested in developing containerized software from its beginnings, so the platform is not only modern but mature, too.

You can learn more about the Euronet REN platform here:
https://www.euronetworldwide.com/products-and-solutions/ren

Himanshu Pujara is on LinkedIn here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/himanshu-pujara-3999374/

And your host, Joe Green, can be found here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephedwardgreen/

Welcome back to part two of this podcast series, in which we're talking all things automation for supply chain, logistics, warehousing and distribution distribution companies.

In a double-bill of podcasts, the Tech Means Business podcast talks to a company specializing in automating digital and physical systems in this sector. Dematic provides the type of 360-degree examination and refinement of systems that can make the difference between capitalizing on potential growth and struggling to compete with more efficient companies.

The Nordic team at Dematic knows their market inside out and brings their experience and ability to bear on the specific challenges faced by supply chain companies in the region and further afield. Whether robotizing the warehouse floor or re-assessing digital systems that underpin operations, the Dematic experts can craft bespoke solutions for large and small companies. The difference between their approach and others vying for the attention of operations managers is a business focus – where strategy, methodology, and opportunity are all considered before any suggestion for improvement is made.

Our guests are Anders Poulson and Finn Biller from Dematic, who are the Nordic Sales Manager and Brand Ambassador for the company, respectively.

And don't forget to comb your podcast feed for the first part of this conversation if you missed it.

Find out more from Dematic here:
https://www.dematic.com/

Anders Poulson is on LinkedIn:
https://dk.linkedin.com/in/anderspoulsendk1

Finn Biller's here:
https://dk.linkedin.com/in/finn-biller-4716597

And your host, Joe Green, is here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephedwardgreen/

Pressures on the supply chain and logistics have been growing strongly since the advent of online shopping. Today everyone expects the type of customer experience provided by the tech giants: on tap, and it is (or should be) on its way. But operational issues like limited real estate and a squeeze on employment have made finding efficiencies and cost savings a do-or-die exercise for many in distribution, warehousing, wholesale, and logistics.

In a double-bill of podcasts, the Tech Means Business podcast talks to a company specializing in automating digital and physical systems in this sector. Dematic provides the type of 360-degree examination and refinement of systems that can make the difference between capitalizing on potential growth and struggling to compete with more efficient companies.

The Nordic team at Dematic knows their market inside out and brings their experience and ability to bear on the specific challenges faced by supply chain companies in the region and further afield. Whether robotizing the warehouse floor or re-assessing digital systems that underpin operations, the Dematic experts can craft bespoke solutions for large and small companies. The difference between their approach and others vying for the attention of operations managers is a business focus – where strategy, methodology, and opportunity are all considered before any suggestion for improvement is made.

Our guests are Anders Poulson and Finn Biller from Dematic, who are the Nordic Sales Manager and Brand Ambassador for the company, respectively.

And don't forget to watch your podcast feed for the second part of this conversation, which develops the themes we begin to explore here.

Find out more from Dematic here:
https://www.dematic.com/

Anders Poulson is on LinkedIn:
https://dk.linkedin.com/in/anderspoulsendk1

Finn Biller's here:
https://dk.linkedin.com/in/finn-biller-4716597

And your host, Joe Green, is here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephedwardgreen/

This podcast is produced in conjunction with Dematic.

When supply chain and distribution companies decide to digitise and robotise their systems to any degree, it's wise for them to partner with a company that knows its stuff. In this second part of a two-parter with Dematic UK, the Tech Means Business podcast looks at the best ways and places to approach modernisation & automation projects.

Back-end automation might be a wise first step for some; for others, it will be a trial, followed by a roll-out of warehouse robots that reduce picking times by 40% (and mistakes by 99%).

Every company's needs will be different depending on aims, budget, and available resources. But Dematic – a long-time player in this space – will have "been there, done that" before. Who better to turn to for advice and practical implementation of automated systems designed specifically for this competitive sector?

If you've not yet listened to episode one, check back here, or continue your listening journey with Dematic UK and the Tech Means Business podcast, hosted by Tech HQ's very own Joe Green.

Learn more about what Dematic does and what it can do for your company here: https://www.dematic.com/en-gb/

Guest Gunter van Deun can be found here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gunter-van-deun-1b70234/

His colleague, Ian "software" Abbott, is here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-abbott-4841aa17/

The host of the podcast, Joe Green, is here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephedwardgreen/

This podcast is produced in conjunction with Dematic.

Rising costs are making margins tighter in all manner of supply chain companies, especially in distribution and warehousing. Huge demand for services has also driven prices down, and companies are trying to out-compete one another in a market where alternative services are a mouse click (or screen tap) away. It's here that automation technologies can help companies offer better CX to clients at lower price points.

But what do we mean by automation? The term can cover solutions that affect all types of business processes, from the warehouse floor to the financial back office and every point in between. Robotised systems can move goods inwards and outwards more efficiently, make better use of warehouse space and help companies build upwards rather than outwards. Alternatively, automating data flows between software point products (like payroll and time management software platforms, for instance) can also save costs by reducing repetitive, expensive processes.

Today's guests on this episode of the Tech Means Business podcasts are experts in this particular space. Dematic operates globally but helps companies find solutions to their automation problems that are always pertinent to the locale. The UK distribution and warehousing sectors have very specific challenges that take an expert partner to help solve, and Dematic has relevant personnel, systems and technology.

We're joined in this, the first of a two-parter, by Ian Abbott and Gunter van Deun, both long-term industry veterans. They bring deep knowledge of robotised and automated hardware & software to companies. Whether you're looking for a wholesale modernisation programme or just a few "quick wins" to shave precious percentage points off operational costs, Dematic should be your first port of call.

You can learn more about the Dematic consultative and action methods here:
https://www.dematic.com/en-gb/

Ian Abbott is on LinkedIn here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-abbott-4841aa17/

Find Gunter van Deun here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gunter-van-deun-1b70234/

And in Aisle J, Bin G, your host Joe Green:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephedwardgreen/