Workgroup Computer Applications

Any business that has more than one workstation can benefit from a Workgroup Computer.  How these workstations are used determines the nature of the benefits and how significant they can be.  So, which business applications are ideally suited to Workgroup Computers?

• Point-of-Sale
• General Office
• Education
• Call Center
• Graphics and Engineering
• Tradeshow and Temporary Location
• Library and Internet Cafe
• Thin Client
• Mixed Application
• SOHO

Point-of-Sale

Your point-of-sale system only benefits employees if they have easy access to it.  A Workgroup Computer not only reduces the per workstation cost, but also reduces the physical space and electrical wiring requirements.  Less space required for computers means more space for merchandise.  Your workstations can be moved as you change your storefront layout and the esthetics of your store are not dictated by information technology.

General Office

Word processing, spreadsheets, and email are the applications that many office workers spend most of their day using.  A Workgroup Computer only requires one copy of these applications to be installed lessening your administrative effort for the initial install and subsequent upgrades.  As well, all users are guaranteed to be using the same version.  Many applications are licensed on a per system basis so you can realize further cost reductions by having to only purchase one copy of the application.  Be certain to check your end user license agreement to ensure that you do not violate its terms and conditions.

Education

Classrooms bring many people together in close proximity; an ideal situation for maximizing the number of users on each Workgroup Computer.  When the number of users exceeds five, simply network several Workgroup Computers together.  In a classroom with twenty students, upgrading software requires only four installs rather than twenty!  As well, the noise associated with computer systems is greatly reduced making it easier for students to hear the teacher.

Call Center

Add a telephone to the monitor, keyboard, and mouse and your workstation is ready to go!  As your business requirements change, the number of workstations can be changed by simply plugging in a few cables.  Setting up a Workgroup Computer is as simple as setting up a VCR so if you need to relocate some or all of your call takers, their Workgroup Computer is ready to move with them.

Graphics and Engineering

The time it takes to move large amounts of data between computer systems can seriously affect employees' productivity.  With a Workgroup Computer, there is no network in between users and the data they need to access so there is no time spent waiting.  Not only do they not have to wait to "get" the data, they do not have to wait to "put" the data back to a central location.  The Workgroup Computer is the central location for the workgroup so no one needs to go looking for the latest copy of the data; there is only one!

Tradeshow and Temporary Location

Whether you are providing computer access to customers at a tradeshow or employees at a temporary location, a Workgroup Computer is the way to go.  Using one system rather than five reduces what you have to ship, set up, and support.  You save time, money, and your back.

Library and Internet Cafe

By placing your Workgroup Computer away from the workstations, you can safeguard the system from user error.  There is no floppy drive from which viruses can enter your network and no wear-and-tear on CD-ROMs caused by improper use.

Thin Client

Net PCs, java-based network computers, and Windows based terminals continue to be used in more and more businesses.  Whether through Citrix's ICA or Microsoft's RDP, a Workgroup Computer provides five thin client sessions at a lower cost than stand-alone appliances.  As the Workgroup Computer is a full-fledged Windows system, other applications can be run locally extending the possibilities available to your business.

Mixed Application

Many businesses do not have a clear division between the various applications employed.  While a salesperson is using the point-of-sale application to assist a customer in the showroom, the sales manager is using a desktop publishing application to create a promotional flyer in her office, and the bookkeeper is using an accounting application to prepare tax remittances in his office.  While the tasks they are attending to are dissimilar and the users are physically separated, one Workgroup Computer is all that the business needs to allow them all to do their work.

SOHO

The SOHO environment is one place where more is definitely not better.  While big businesses talk about trying to "act" small, the SOHO business lives that reality every day.  Getting the most out of office tools is the only way to survive.  Space, time, and money are all at a premium for a SOHO business which is why a Workgroup Computer is ideally suited.