I have a blackberry, and it is great for e-mail. I have VitalTerm for my agency quote engine, and it works great on it. I have also used iPipeline on it as well.
I also travel with a small laptop with a 14" screen when I'm on the road, and have the tethering feature from the blackberry to the laptop for wireless access on the road. Also works great.
I am with Verizon Wireless, and Verizon is very strong up in New England. Near the metro cities, if Sprint is accessible, I have found that to work well also.
Sending attachments through email is just asking for the email to be eaten or popped in a spam filter. If you send more than one attachment to someone in AOL (or just a large one) it is often deleted or mungled such that it can't be opened.
Agents who understand how to use technology will store documents (brochures, quotes, articles, etc.) on their web server or on some other 3rd party file storage media and simply send the client the URL link.
I use MobileMe which makes it easy. You upload the document and then click the "share" option and it gives you a link to use when you want to share the document.
When I do quotes (and some of them are 1 MB or more) I don't send them through the mail, I just send the client a link like this:
Question... Say your are out and get a call and the prospect wants a health quote. Are you on your phone running the quote (using vendor quote tool or Norvax) then uploading it to MobileMe and then attaching the quote doc and sending on?
Say your are out and get a call and the prospect wants a health quote. Are you on your phone running the quote (using vendor quote tool or Norvax) then uploading it to MobileMe and then attaching the quote doc and sending on?
The iPhone will not let you attach a file to an email but it will forward an email that HAS an attachment.
If someone needs the quote NOW... like before I get back to my office, I call my virtual assistant and she runs the quote for me and sends it. This does not happen to me often... maybe once a month if that.
I normally don't run quotes during the sales day anyway as that is a poor use of time. I tell client they will get it later on. I do quotes in the evenings.
I start my day a 6:30 AM and work (or visit clients) until about 3:30. I then to go my club and workout and run, come home, have dinner and then spend an hour or so running quotes or doing paper work... unless NCIS is on!
I find all cell phones to be cumbersome to send long, detailed messages or to do a lot of key-boarding with. Several quote engines will store your quote on their servers and give you a link to it that you can send to the client, so that is how I would do it. Some will even email it to the client for you.
My iPhone comes in handy when I need some client info. I can get onto my SugarCRM database on my server. There is a way to access it using what is called "ThinClient" which just sends the text stuff and none of the graphics which take longer to download. So if someone calls and leaves a voice mail. When I hear it I can then go to my SugarCRM database, pull up the client and refresh my memory about his/her case. I do that at least once a day.
One nice thing about keeping files (quotes, brochures, UW guidelines, app forms, etc.) on the server is you don't clutter up your hard drive with them. I could keep stuff on my own server, but the Apple MobileMe server for $99 a year is secure and convenient as it has a nice web interface. For my server I have to use the cumbersome FTP program. MobileMe works great for me (and it is not Mac specific. It has a program to link with Outlook on the PC from what I understand.) There are probably similar services but $99 for 20 GB of disk space as well as syncing and storing all my contacts and my calendar and my photos... and making it easy to send or retrieve or share... has been the best purchase I've made in the past year (started in March.) They have a 60 day free trial. I signed up after 2 weeks of use... that's how impressed I was with this service. It is not perfect, (it can be slow at times) but they keep improving it and I've received a lot of productivity from it.
No one with a brain will open any attachment - even if it comes from a trust source. I, like Al, upload everything to a file sharing site and send the link. I use Box.net.
------------------------------------ Health Insurance Agents: Training, Support, Discounts, E&O for $440 www.ihiaa.com
No one with a brain will open any attachment - even if it comes from a trust source. I, like Al, upload everything to a file sharing site and send the link. I use Box.net.
Very true about attachments. Lots of companies simply strip attachments and put them through an analyzer and then re-attach them... often mungling them unreadable in the process. I write group health for law firms and they are the masters of crapping up an attachment!
The box.net looks good, but expensive (unless you use the free version, which I suppose opens you to ads or spam-mail). They want $10 a month. With MobileMe you pay less AND get syncing of your Outlook or Mac calendar and contacts as well as 4X the storage space. Better deal... unless the free version works for you.
If you use the free Box.net service the emailed link goes to a branded website to download the files. The FileToLink site directly downloads and opens the PDF files like the Mobileme service, but without the $95 price.
If you purchased an Iphone and you used it on Verizon, you would be the envy of every hacker alive. Let us know when you succeed on doing this!
verizon now operates on a GSM network as well. they also are getting on the sim card train finally. so if you have an unlocked Iphone (about $500 on ebay), you can use it with verizon from what im told. i actually had a verizon rep tell me that just the other day...
I am looking at upgrading from my blackberry pearl. I was thinking about the storm (new blackberry touchscreen), but I kept on hearing terrible things about it....turns out they seem to be true. The verizon websites customer reviews and ratings rate the storm at a 2 out of 5! I tried one out this morning and it was awful!! This was a brand new phone and it had all its software upgrades. It locked up on my twice in 5 minutes, the screen wouldnt turn when you turned the phone horizontal...or it would take over 30 seconds, the keyboard has a nice feel but its not very accurate and the words on the screen lag behind your typing...very annoying!! It did surf the web nicely, but that was one of the times it locked up on me.
Im a huge blackberry fan and like the idea of the touchscreen. I have used the iphone and it was very easy to use, I liked it a lot. Im going to get either the new blackberry tour (very nice, upgraded version of the curve or world), or im going to break off $500 for an unlocked iphone.
Im told that apple is coming out with an iphone like phone that will be for verizon...but his isnt supposed to happen until next year from what I hear...
Verizon does have GSM capabilities, but they are have an extra measures for verification of the phone on the network. The BB Storm uses GSM technology, but it is not a true 100% GSM; it doesn't work on a hot swap. That being said, rumors of Apple making a Verizon capable Iphone have been circulating for quite some time, and I have yet to see any real proof of this. I do agree that it will happen, and I suspect it is in Apple's best interest to get out of bed with AT&T, but I don't know when that is going to happen.
As it stands now, a SIM card from Verizon will not work on the Iphone because of the way the Verizon network does the imei verification of the phones on their network. Either verizon needs to relax their saftety precaution or Apple needs to work with Verizon to make their own phone.
Verizon does have GSM capabilities, but they are have an extra measures for verification of the phone on the network. The BB Storm uses GSM technology, but it is not a true 100% GSM; it doesn't work on a hot swap. That being said, rumors of Apple making a Verizon capable Iphone have been circulating for quite some time, and I have yet to see any real proof of this. I do agree that it will happen, and I suspect it is in Apple's best interest to get out of bed with AT&T, but I don't know when that is going to happen.
As it stands now, a SIM card from Verizon will not work on the Iphone because of the way the Verizon network does the imei verification of the phones on their network. Either verizon needs to relax their saftety precaution or Apple needs to work with Verizon to make their own phone.
even an unlocked iphone?? i was told by a verizon rep just yesterday that an unlocked one would work....not saying that I totally trust some 22 year old phone salesman, but he seemed to know his stuff. i was seriously considering buying an unlocked iphone, but if it wont work with verizon i would be supper pissed after spending $500!!
He also said that apples contract with at&t is up at the end of this year, so we can only hope that something will come about through verizon in the next year or two..
It's not as simple as their contract coming up. AT&T has been off-setting the cost of the Iphone and if the contract goes south you can plan on Iphone costs going up.
Why not alternatives like the HTC touch pro2 so you don't have to go with AT and T? Do we all have to be in bed with the IPhone and AT&T? Is the IPhone really that special, come on?!
Why not alternatives like the HTC touch pro2 so you don't have to go with AT and T? Do we all have to be in bed with the IPhone and AT&T? Is the IPhone really that special, come on?!
I had an HTC excalibur a few years back. Bought it in Chicago, flew to Fort Lauderdale for my mother's birthday. Rented a car, picked up the parents, had the phone in my pocket and by the time I finished driving to Miami the screen cracked in my pants. I didn't wear tight pants, it wasn't under my weight... I still have no idea how it happened.
Have you heard of any quality issues with the Touch family?
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Internet Marketing is the science of turning bytes into art and art into dollars... And I'm the artist.
Why not alternatives like the HTC touch pro2 so you don't have to go with AT and T? Do we all have to be in bed with the IPhone and AT&T? Is the IPhone really that special, come on?!
I tried the HTC TouchPro. Very disappointing.
I avoided the i-phone for a LONG time. I hate to jump on bandwagons. But I have to say it's pretty amazing.
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J Scott Burke
Funeral Preplanning
Life Insurance
Medicare Supplements
Long-Term Care Insurance
Annuities
Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee www.newburyfinancial.com
If you use the free Box.net service the emailed link goes to a branded website to download the files. The FileToLink site directly downloads and opens the PDF files like the Mobileme service, but without the $95 price.
The iPhone will not let you attach a file to an email but it will forward an email that HAS an attachment.
If someone needs the quote NOW... like before I get back to my office, I call my virtual assistant and she runs the quote for me and sends it. This does not happen to me often... maybe once a month if that.
I normally don't run quotes during the sales day anyway as that is a poor use of time. I tell client they will get it later on. I do quotes in the evenings.
I start my day a 6:30 AM and work (or visit clients) until about 3:30. I then to go my club and workout and run, come home, have dinner and then spend an hour or so running quotes or doing paper work... unless NCIS is on!
I find all cell phones to be cumbersome to send long, detailed messages or to do a lot of key-boarding with. Several quote engines will store your quote on their servers and give you a link to it that you can send to the client, so that is how I would do it. Some will even email it to the client for you.
My iPhone comes in handy when I need some client info. I can get onto my SugarCRM database on my server. There is a way to access it using what is called "ThinClient" which just sends the text stuff and none of the graphics which take longer to download. So if someone calls and leaves a voice mail. When I hear it I can then go to my SugarCRM database, pull up the client and refresh my memory about his/her case. I do that at least once a day.
One nice thing about keeping files (quotes, brochures, UW guidelines, app forms, etc.) on the server is you don't clutter up your hard drive with them. I could keep stuff on my own server, but the Apple MobileMe server for $99 a year is secure and convenient as it has a nice web interface. For my server I have to use the cumbersome FTP program. MobileMe works great for me (and it is not Mac specific. It has a program to link with Outlook on the PC from what I understand.) There are probably similar services but $99 for 20 GB of disk space as well as syncing and storing all my contacts and my calendar and my photos... and making it easy to send or retrieve or share... has been the best purchase I've made in the past year (started in March.) They have a 60 day free trial. I signed up after 2 weeks of use... that's how impressed I was with this service. It is not perfect, (it can be slow at times) but they keep improving it and I've received a lot of productivity from it.
What is YMMV
And how do I get a virtual assistant?
YMMV means "Your mileage may vary." It means that what works for me might not work for you. The reference is to car commercials in the 70s when there were gas milage wars after the 1973 oil embargo where the announcer would say "... And the new Chevy Nova gets 15 miles to the gallon... your mileage may vary."
There are tons of virtual assistants in just about every town in the country. And there is no need that your VA be in your town, state or time-zone. Most charge by the hour for tasks done. It's basically what we used to call a "gal-friday" that had good office skills and who will work as your personal "secretary." You simply contract with a VA to do certain chores. Just about every "admin assistant" who has been laid off in the past two years has opened her own (usually they are female) VA biz so just ask around... call your local Chamber of Commerce, etc., and you will find one. I find prices go between $20 and $50 an hour... sometimes more.
Diana Ennen wrote "the bible" on being a VA. I published her first book on starting a secretarial service about ten years ago. Since then she has gone on to fame publishing her own books... and I got mostly out of the book biz and into something where you can make some money!**
Re: Iphone Vs Blackberry
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