Delta Blog

Computer and Cell Phone Recycling

Mid-MO Recycling is a State of Missouri, DNR Level 1 Recycling Center.

The launch of the site precedes the February 2009 cutover to digital television. As Randy Wright commented in Media Matters, Mid-MO Recycling can help properly dispose of old televisions.

Delta’s relationship with Mid-MO Recycling goes beyond this simple website. Delta comes across a lot of outdated and replacement computers, servers, and network hardware while performing their duties as the outsourced IT department for several dozen companies in Mid-Missouri. Delta chooses to recycle that equipment through the services at Mid-MO Recycling.

The website, designed by MayeCreate and hosted by Socket in Columbia, can be seen at http://www.midmorecycling.com/

Read Inc Magazine's 11 ways to improve your website

Inc. Magazine came out with a list of 11 Ways to Improve Your Website that we tripped across recently. So we thought we’d give our thoughts on the list. Please note that we like Inc. Magazine and we applaud their effort in creating this list. However, they are not a web-based company and that should be kept in mind when reading the list. Also, this list may be a bit dated already – but some of the advice is proving to stand the test of time.

Once you read their article, come back here and read our responses:

1. Analytics
   1. AKA Know who is visiting your website and how they are getting there. This info is gold. Did you know that Google uses over 200
2. Know your competitors
   1. Mentioning or linking to competitors sites can help your search ranking when someone does a search for their company name.  Sidle up and reap the rewards.
3. Be in charge
   1. Relegating your website updates, layout, design, and message to the intern is a very bad idea.
4. Recognize your best customers
   1. This slide makes no sense, but does seem to refer back to the Analytics. A better slide would have been: Feature Client Listings are a good idea and help new customers relate.
5. Small changes may net big results
   1. A good idea, but who has the time to tweak stuff? We recommend adding relevant and timely content. If you want to mess around with buttons sizes and colors – go for it, if you are an eCommerce site and are trying to get people converted from shoppers to buyers. Otherwise, keep adding content.
6. Boost your search ranking
   1. Duh.
7. Setup a customer forum
   1. This is one we don’t agree with. Unless you have a product that people need to discuss, the overhead and nightmare of managing users and keeping list spammers out is not worth the trouble. Sites like this only work ‘at scale’ meaning if you aren’t THE destination then chances are no one will find your site or discuss your products. Example: If you sell plumbing supplies, do not setup a customer forum. However, if you’re hellbent to do so, go to ning.com and get your feet wet.
8. Keep it simple
   1. I’ve met Craig Newmark. The fact that his site is popular has nothing to do with the lack of graphics. The key point to remember here is to make sure your website loads fast and is easy to get around. The best advice we have is to remember people don’t “read” webpages, they scan links and images. Google “reads” the website and indexes accordingly. In other words, humans want bullet points and few words. Search engines want lots of related words. Find the balance between the two.
9. Create an avatar
   1. Again, one we don’t agree with. A better recommendation here would have been to create a video about your company that is less than 2 minutes long.
10. Offer Amazon-style recommendations
    1. This is great even if you don’t sell products on your website. The idea is to give people other options when they are done with a task. For instance, after they complete a Contact Form, you can put “thanks for submitting your information. We’ll get back with you soon. In the mean time, would you like to sign up for our company newsletter or read about our company history or perhaps download a demo of our blah blah blah. All those phrases are links to other areas of your website. They’re called “calls to action” and they are the key to keeping people on your site for one more screen.
11. Build a widget
    1. What? um, no.

Watch the full slideshow on Inc. Magazine’s website.

http://www.inc.com/multimedia/slideshows/content/11-ways-to-improve-your-website.html

The Welcome Home Greeting Program is a way for businesses to specifically target people who have recently moved into a new home. This company has a bright future as it grows a national sales force.

See more at directwelcomehome.com (hosted by Delta Systems)

Delta Systems is also building the online advertising sales and commission tracking system to allow sales representatives from around the country to quickly and easily submit graphics and information about ads they have sold to businesses in their area. These ads will end up in a printed mailer and online.

Site design was done by MayeCreate Design

It really has been a pleasure to work with you through the Food Bank. I have sincerely appreciated your support and will keep Delta Systems in mind for my future adventures.

Jessica Spanglehour
Director of Development
Central Missouri Food Bank

Delta Systems has been providing a myriad of software development and network support services to the Central Missouri Food Bank for over 15 years.

The all new University of Missouri MU Area Health Education Center website went live this week at http://muahec.com/  The new site allows a more visual representation of how the program works and provides detailed information about all the different programs offered.

The AHEC (Area Health Education Centers) program was developed by Congress in 1971 to recruit, train and retain a health professions workforce committed to underserved populations.

The Columbia Daily Tribune recently featured Delta Systems in the cover story of their Saturday Business section. We’re thrilled with how the story came out and have received many compliments. The article details Delta’s history, current projects, and some thoughts on the future. It is a “must read” for anyone wanting to know more about Delta Systems.

Delta Force Story Lead on Tribune Front Page

Our favorite quotes. . .

Delta Systems Group started in the mid-‘80s as a company that helped businesses learn the ins and outs of computers. Today, it is one of Mid-Missouri’s foremost Web design and tech support firms, with a satellite office in Colorado and ventures that extend to music distribution and not-for-profit giving.

Need a company to handle your tech support? Delta does that for about 50 local businesses. Need a company to build you a slick new Web site? Delta hosts about 70 sites, many of which it also built. Need a company to design a secure online system that lets your employees enter data over the Web? Delta does that, too.

We’re not sure why they chose “Delta Force” as the title of the article but we’d like to think its because:

1. we are a force to be reckoned with
2. we are as powerful as a force of nature
3. we are an extremely versatile group capable of assuming many missions
4. it sounds cool

D. Roe’s has a back room that anyone can use for gatherings of probably up to 40 people I would guess.

We enjoy the food at D. Roe’s restaurant on the south side of Columbia, MO at the corner of Forum and Nifong.

They have a projector and a screen for presentations. Delta Systems was giving a demo of a new system to some folks and we learned that D. Roe’s didn’t have wireless Internet. They already have DSL, but not to that room and there is no wireless option – CenturyTel is cheap . Shame on us for not asking. There are 15 wireless access points we detected and all but one was secured (yeah, we were surprised too).

Anyhoo, the insecure one is Hoss’s Market, but the signal is too weak to keep a connection. So Steve talked with David Roe and Delta agreed to donate installation services if David would pay for the wireless access point hardware. So he agreed, and we installed it and now we can be online at our next presentation. It seemed fair since he doesn’t charge to use the back room and the capabilities now help both of us and anyone that follows us. You’re welcome, Columbia. Enjoy.

We’re pleased to announce that four more websites are now being hosted by Delta Systems.

• ColumbiaMOChamber.com
  The Columbia Chamber of Commerce website is now hosted by Delta Systems. This site’s availability instantly rocketed from 80% to 100%. Soon we’ll be improving some usability, printing, and design/layout issues as well.
• SABEW.org
  The Society of American Business Editors and Writers website (SABEW) is now also on our servers. This site will now enjoy greater editing and content management capabilities.
• IYNAUS.org
  The Iyengar Yoga National Association website was built and is hosted by Delta Systems. IYNAUS is now able to do online membership management and invoicing as well as provide online product sales through a custom built eCommerce solution.
• DirectWelcomeHome.com
  The Welcome Home Greeting Program is a way for businesses to specifically target people who have recently moved into a new home. This company has a bright future as it grows a national sales force. Look for a future Delta blog post for more information.

Also, one of our hosting resellers added two more sites to our hosting servers.

About Delta Systems Hosting

Typically website hosting packages include 300MB of drive space, unlimited email accounts, unlimited databases, your choice of a Windows or Linux server, Plesk Control Panel access, site backup on a separate network in another State, and more. Prices start at $25/month.