Use Common Business Tools and

Technology
D1.HGE.CL7.12
D1.HGA.CL6.12
D2.TCC.CL1.13

Slide 1
Business Tool
 Anything that helps the business meet it’s aims
 Emphasis on smaller, mobile tools.

Slide 2
Tools Considerations
 Portable – easily moved and lost
 Require training
 Use involves a cost for the organization
 Require maintenance
 Possible repair issues
 Software is a business tool
 Websites.

Slide 3
Which tools?

 Which tools should be considered a business tool?

 Criteria is needed to classify a tool that needs control.

Slide 4
A tool register

The tool register:

 Is a list of all tools that are to be controlled
 Certain information is required for every tool
 Need to store data to solve future problems
 Need to be able to distinguish one
tool from another.

Slide 5
Which tool is Which?
The following should be recorded in the register:
 Brand
 Model
 Purchase date
 Supplier
 Warranty Expiry Date

(continued)

Slide 6
Which tool is Which?
 Depreciation
 Department
 Physical location
 Serial number
 Asset number
 Barcodes
 Associated equipment
 Storage location.

Slide 7
Associated Equipment
These are the other items that help the asset function.
For example:
 Power cables
 Lens for cameras
 Memory cards
 Mice
 Carry bags
 Cleaning cloths.

Slide 8
Where will it be stored?

As the device is portable:

 The standard storage location should be in the
register
 Extra location details makes the device
easier to find.

Slide 9
Usage

What is acceptable business usage?

 Establish rules or policies on tool use
 Have controls that restrict use to business purposes
 Inform staff of usage rules
 Consider out of hours use of the tool.

Slide 10
The Business Web Site
Must establish rules on:
 Who can update the site
 Who will check that the material
is correct?

Slide 11
Software
Presents unique challenges:
 Often required in an emergency
 Serial numbers may also be required
and stored separately
 Storage material may not suit a new
computer
 Very attractive for theft.

Slide 12
Wiki
 Means fast – easily updateable
 Great for internal information
 Must have access rules
 Must have content rules.

Slide 13
Landline
 Need to set access rules where calls can be made to
 Also set rules on how long for personal access
 Some systems may require training
 Answering the telephone to external
people will impact on the business.

Slide 14
Email

Very similar rules to telephone:

 Rules on private use
 Rules on content
 May have rules about the
presentation of emails.

Slide 15
Allocation
Who has the tool?
 Tools can be given to staff for business use
 Need to record who has the tool
 Need to record that it has been returned
 Include check out and check in procedure
 What to check for when the tool is returned

 What should be explained when the tool is given

out.

Slide 16
 Rosters
 This determines who can have the tool
 Ensures the tool is available
 Resolves conflict should this arise due to more than
one person requiring the tool on the same day.

Slide 17
Damage
 Any damage to the tool must be recorded
 Action to be taken to repair damaged tool
 May be some urgency if the damage
is significant
 Consideration as to cause of
damage and cost.

Slide 18
Storage
 Must be some level of security in the storage location
 Conflict between easy access and flexibility compared
with control and security
 Cost of security and the cost of the tools
 Should consider if the tool has special
storage requirements.

Slide 19
Access Controls

 Locks
 Swipe card access
 Passwords
 Security cameras
 Police checks.

Slide 20
Employment Contracts
 Can specify special considerations regarding
employment before they commence work
 Ensure that staff understand importance of issues
 Identify and advise staff of consequences of breaking
the rules.

Slide 21
Privacy
 Some data is usually confidential and should not be
available to everyone
 Must have a legitimate need to read the data
 The data may be company knowledge such as:
 Recipes

 Customer details

 Management practices.

Slide 22
Internet
 Same rules apply to the internet as email
 Downloads consume bandwidth and time
 Some sites may be objectionable
 Rules are required relating to how much time can be
spent on the internet for private purposes
 Software may be used to limit the
sites that can be visited.

Slide 23
Lockable Storage
Locks limit access. They can be:
 Standard keys
 Cables with locks for laptops
 For high security control
 Retina Scans

 Voice Prints

 Facial Recognition

 Cost of security measures versus the control required.

Slide 24
Lockable Storage
 Name three tools that may have become obsolete in
recent times
 Explain how the usage history may affect the future
of the tool
 How would you approach the previous user of a tool
that had unrecorded damage?
 Of the tools listed at the beginning of this book,
which could be stored with lockable access?
 What type of locks would be most appropriate?
 What type of locks are used where you work?
 What are the problems associated with using
passwords as locks?

Slide 25
Audit
This is a check on the control procedures:
 Do the control procedures function correctly?
 Can they be improved?
 Are they reasonable?
 Should be conducted on a regular basis
 Is the tool still required?
 Should it be replaced?

Slide 26
Stocktakes
This is a procedure to check that the tool is there:
 Should be done on a regular basis
 Forms in stock take order
 Check each item to confirm that it is there.

Slide 27
Information
Information can change
 Does the data stored reflect the actual situation?
• Recipes can change and not be recorded
 Procedures can change and not be recorded
 Can new staff get up to speed on
procedures quickly?

Slide 28
Legal Implications
Is all the data within the company secure?
 New and changed legislation can have an impact on
the data that can be made available
 Need to monitor legislation to plan for the impact of
any change.

Slide 29
Which Tool is Required?
It is important to select the best tool for the job:
 What will the tool be required to do?
 What consumables are required?
 Detail is important to be able to select
the correct tool.

e.g. There is a big difference between

a movie camera and a still camera.

Slide 30
All Tools require training

All tools require a training program:

 May be brief when collecting the tool
 May actually require a training course
 Each tool will have some details that users need to
made aware of.

Slide 31
Consumable
A consumable is an item that the tools require to be able
to function:
 A sufficient supply of consumables is important
 Sources, stock levels, and order levels need to be
recorded
 Who has access to consumables?
 Who does the ordering?
 What has to be ordered?

Slide 32
Training
There are two levels to training:
 Minimum level to be able to use the tool
 Advanced knowledge:
 How do you put staples in the copier?

 Where is the documentation?

Slide 33
Ordering
 From whom do we order?
 What is the lag time between order and receiving?

Slide 34
Maintenance
Most tools require maintenance:
 In-house done on a regular basis
• Something as simple as cleaning
 Regular maintenance that must be done by an expert
 Some maintenance requires a higher
level of skill than simply using the tool.

Slide 35
Repairs
 Repairs are often required to keep the tool functioning
 Who authorises the repairs?
 Should maintain records of how the damage occurred
 Did the damage occur as a result of normal use?
 If not, who pays?

Slide 36
Common Skills
 These are skills that are required to use the tool:
 Clear paper jams

 Change batteries in the camera

 Replace consumables:
 Change paper in the copier.

Slide 37
Faults
Faults need to be reported so that corrective action can
be taken:
 What is the reporting process?
 Have a register of faults.

Slide 38