Software Spotlight: Mediabox-PA

With Mediabox-PA, the entire product approval process, from completion of the approval form through concept and pre-production stages and beyond, is all in one centralized, online location. The application allows individuals to review artwork online and attach online comments with each artwork file, and manage the workflow order of projects and submissions between users. Users also use the system to log in, review comments, and submit new or next stage product designs.

FEATURES: 

• Communication- Automatic email notifications of project updates and multi-thread messaging
• Reporting- Real-time reporting across properties, Licensees, stages, categories and stages
• Creative Tools- Online previewing, commenting, zoom and markup of artwork (including post-its and drop pins)
• Security- Control of user access rights by property, project, Licensee, category, role and date range
• Configuration- Customizable approval form templates and private label splash page branding

MyMediabox Customer Referral Program

Happy and loyal MyMediabox Users are our greatest assets! Share your experience with your network of friends and colleagues, and if your referral receives a demo by March 31, 2014, we'll thank you by entering you in a drawing to win a new iPad Air!

Click here to enter! 

Email marketing@mymediabox.com or visit mymediabox.com/promo for more details.

Anatomy of a SaaS Vendor: Knowing the Technical Side

Businesses considering cloud computing frequently ask, “Is our data safe in the cloud?”  More than half of organizations – 62% of those surveyed – believe that storing data on servers outside of a business involves significant security risk.  The truth is that with the right provider, data is actually more secure in the cloud.

Determining which is the right vendor, however, involves finding answers to some tough questions about how well that vendor understands your business needs.  It's far better to make your decision with the full knowledge of where your data is going, where your brand management choices are being processed, and how your assets are being protected.

Greater understanding leads to more thoughtfully architected hardware/software, specifically built and optimized for consumer product licensing, how the data is managed and stored, and how safe that provider's infrastructure is.

When you're choosing your applications, evaluate your potential vendor carefully with questions like these:

• Does the company own its own hardware to provide the service?  
• Does this company outsource its software development to other companies, particularly those outside its own country?  Are the developers located in countries where hacking is rampant?  
• Are the upgrades to your systems conducted on the SaaS (Software as a Service) platform?
• Does this company undergo any regular security audits by certified third parties? What level of IT oversight is included with the SaaS?
• How is your team's data kept secure?  What methods are in place to protect those assets?  
• Does the potential vendor employ an ISO (information security officer)?
• Will this company keep your assets safe during occurrences like a stolen computer or natural disaster?

If the answers to all of these questions are satisfactory, your vital information can actually be safer in the virtual hands of a licensed digital asset management software than it would be if the data was held on site.

This early-on research allows you to determine whether the vendor you're considering is planning to take on their share of responsibility for the safety of your assets.

Getting reasonable answers to these and other questions early in the process will help shield your team from suddenly being negatively affected by another business's potential or actual financial and operational weaknesses in the future.

MyMediabox is a leading provider of SaaS hosted applications for digital asset management and style guide delivery (Mediabox-DAM), product approvals and other creative workflows (Mediabox-PA) and deal memo management (Mediabox-DM).  For more information visit us at www.mymediabox.com

Anatomy of a SaaS Vendor: Mapping Future Software Functionality and Technology

The story of the life cycle of software and technology today is a familiar one, to the point of being a cliché.  New technologies are constantly emerging that enable companies to improve performance and productivity, and the shelf life of older technologies (hardware and software) keeps getting shorter and shorter (24-36 months on average). This short lifespan is a key reason SaaS has become such a huge business driver, since it’s more cost-effective for most businesses to “rent” the solutions and hardware from a SaaS vendor and only consume what they need – without having to get on the “technology treadmill” themselves and bear the burden of rapidly depreciating technology.

This same logic used for software and hardware can be applied to the actual product road map.  All cloud-based business computing, and in particular, digital asset management and product approval applications should be dynamic systems.  The licensing business is ever-evolving, expanding and becoming more complex, so it stands to reason that the applications you choose should be robust enough to continually grow a few steps ahead of the industry and your particular needs.  

The only way that the perpetual improvement happens is if the vendor you select can demonstrate not only deep licensing industry knowledge (what makes the market run and where it’s going), but also an ability to stay two steps ahead of the technological curve. This translates into forward-thinking products and road maps, and simply probing for these qualities will help you sort out industry leaders from imitative followers.  

This is why, once you have confirmed that a potential SaaS (Software as a Service) vendor is financially and operationally sound, it's also imperative to look at that company's “big picture” development plans before making your final selection.

You'll want to critically evaluate the company's road map for future development.  Most software companies have their major software releases planned 6-12 months in advance at upgrades as well as new modules or applications that add value to their core applications.  

It’s also becoming more and more common with SaaS that software releases are done frequently, sometimes as often as quarterly or monthly, as new features are completed.  The vendor should be able to give you a high-level overview of how its applications will be evolving in the next twelve months, a drill down of what to expect in each month, and an explanation of how any new features add value to the ones they already have.  

The SaaS company that best suits your business should be one whose development plan makes it easy for you to find answers to all of these questions:

• How does this vendor plan to stay current with cutting-edge technology?

• Is the release schedule for updates frequent and consistent, indicating that new functionality is keeping up with market demand?

• Are clients involved and listened to in road map planning?

• Will upgrades be included in the fees you’ll be paying, or is that an additional cost to you?

Surprise costs, intended upgrades, and the process that the vendor will use to keep you up-to-date and prepared to lead the ever-changing market all provide vital information for choosing your SaaS cloud computing vendor.



MyMediabox is a leading provider of SaaS hosted applications for digital asset management and style guide delivery (Mediabox-DAM), product approvals and other creative workflows (Mediabox-PA) and deal memo management (Mediabox-DM).  For more information visit us at www.mymediabox.com.

MyMediabox is a leading provider of SaaS hosted applications for digital asset management and style guide delivery (Mediabox-DAM), product approvals and other creative workflows (Mediabox-PA) and deal memo management (Mediabox-DM).  For more information visit us at www.mymediabox.com

- See more at: http://mymediabox-online.blogspot.com/#sthash.W0OzIvlD.dpuf

Anatomy of a SaaS Vendor: Judging Financial and Operational Strengths

The financial and operational strength of a software vendor has far-reaching implications.  This is true for any provider of software applications you'll be using for business concerns, and especially true when the software you license  is delivered as SaaS (Software as a Service) and will be housing your business-critical, highly confidential guide assets, product approvals, and even contractual information.  The software vendor needs to be responsible for ensuring your data is protected and available to you at any time. 

Simply stated, it is essential that any vendor you select can demonstrate it has the financial and operational strength to warrant your trust as the custodian of your intellectual property (digital assets, product approvals and contractual terms).  

A financially and operationally stable SaaS vendor should demonstrate moderate to strong capability with most of the following:

• Ensure there are enough financial resources (cash) to pay third-party vendors such as co-location facilities, software license renewals, hardware upgrades, maintenance, payroll, office rental, and overhead costs even if customer payments are late to arrive.
• Recruit the best local software development talent, rather than outsource to lower-paid developers in questionable, high-risk countries, who will have access to your confidential data from abroad.
• Afford the optimal hardware and software needed to build a custom-build infrastructure and solution for the licensing process, rather than renting a generic, turnkey cloud solution from Amazon or the like, where your particular needs are not relevant.
• Invest in infrastructure and digital media specialists who have a deep understanding of digital media and the technologies needed to properly handle rich media assets.
• Invest capital toward evolving the applications to better meet the needs of your business over time and address bugs quickly and efficiently.

When a software provider's financial and operational position is precarious, where a few lost customers or one unforeseen major expense is all that stands between their ability to “keep the lights on” and an inability to pay the bills, you are taking a huge gamble by working with that technology vendor.  Can the vendor demonstrate its ability to weather the unexpected?

Here are examples of some revealing questions to ask any vendor – questions whose answers will help you objectively assess their financial and operational strengths:

• Is there a reasonable level of transparency about the vendor's level of financial strength and ability to pay bills on time?  
• Does the vendor have substantial Commercial and General Liability, Cyber Liability, E&O and Workers Compensation Insurance, and will they name you as additional insured?
• Does this vendor provide own their hardware and software in a private cloud, customized for licensing and with full control, or is it outsourced to a third party?
• Since developers are the single biggest cost for any software business, are their developers located in-house (locally) or is the work outsourced to third parties? Are their staff “offshored” and located in higher-risk, low-cost countries to fit the vendor’s financial limitations?  
• Where are the vendor’s offices located?  Can you visit their headquarters?  
• What is the vendor’s headcount and how is that headcount broken out across developers, infrastructure, support, sales, marketing, and corporate staff?
• How is their credit rating with Dunn & Bradstreet (DnB)? Do they have credit references?

Getting reasonable answers to these and other questions early in the process will help shield your team from suddenly being negatively affected by another business's potential or actual financial and operational weaknesses in the future.

MyMediabox is a leading provider of SaaS hosted applications for digital asset management and style guide delivery (Mediabox-DAM), product approvals and other creative workflows (Mediabox-PA) and deal memo management (Mediabox-DM).  For more information visit us at www.mymediabox.com

Anatomy of a SaaS Vendor: Identifying the Key Components and Choosing the Right Partner

Many companies have stepped into the new technological world of cloud-based applications, and this powerful tool is no longer relegated to the IT department.  More than 50% of all users are turning to this type of computing for brand management and other business priorities, and their numbers are growing rapidly – in fact, Business Wire reported in June 2013 that 75% of surveyed businesses use a cloud platform of some kind, and the usage increased dramatically in 2013, up from 67% in 2012.

When you're considering cloud-based software for your own company's product approvals and digital asset management needs, it's an exciting, paradigm-shifting process: you're changing the way your business does business for the better. Selecting the right product and vendor, though, can mean the difference between a successful transition and greater productivity -- or a daily exercise in frustration.

Over the next 10 weeks, we'll be digging deeper into the question of evaluating the most popular type of cloud computing programs, SaaS (Software as a Service), based on their reliability and fit to your business.  We'll explore a variety of best practices for identifying and leveraging the best-in-class vendors and applications, that, well-executed, can positively improve business performance.  Applying these tactics can help to avoid the significant financial, operational, technical, and legal risks which you might confront if you pick the wrong vendor.

A great deal of the initial information-gathering that makes your transition smoother is just a matter of asking tough questions of potential vendors early on.  Some of those are questions like these:

• Does the vendor have the financial strength to weather downturns or other unforeseen risks, or are they one lost customer away from being unable to pay their bills?
• Where are their offices located and can you visit them?
• Are their developers in-house or outsourced, domestic or in a high-risk country?
• How does this vendor address information security?  Do they have an Information Security Officer or other evidence to show you that security is a priority?
• Is the vendor a leader in the space?  Will they disclose their client list or other data to prove their market position?
• If things don't work out for any reason, what happens to your valuable data and assets?

How to find answers to those questions?  Let us help.  This blog series, “Anatomy of a SaaS Vendor,” is intended to offer experience, analysis, and advice on the thorough evaluation of cloud computing licensors in multiple categories.  Having found your own answers to each question, you and your team can come to the best possible decision for your business.

MyMediabox is a leading provider of SaaS hosted applications for digital asset management and style guide delivery (Mediabox-DAM), product approvals and other creative workflows (Mediabox-PA) and deal memo management (Mediabox-DM).  For more information visit us at www.mymediabox.com

SaaSy Humor!

Image courtesy of cloudproviderusa.com

MyMediabox is a leading provider of SaaS hosted applications for digital asset management and style guide delivery (Mediabox-DAM), product approvals and other creative workflows (Mediabox-PA) and deal memo management (Mediabox-DM). 

For more information visit us at www.mymediabox.com.

Questions to ask when choosing a Product Approval/Digital Asset Management Software Provider

When choosing a provider of PA and DAM applications, there are many questions you should ask in order to find the right one for you and your company. Here are a few of the top questions:

• Are your solutions Cloud Solutions?
• Are your data centers secure?
• Do you have an IDS (Intrusion Detection System) or IPS (Intrusion Prevention System)?
• What security do you offer for inside users?
• Do you have an Information Security Program?
• Are the Digital Assets I load backed up?
• Do you have anti-virus in the environment?
• Who are you co-location data center providers and where, specifically, are they located?
• Do you lease your hardware/software?

Email us at marketing@mymediabox.com to learn our answers to these questions in your search for Product Approval and Digital Asset management provider.

Visit www.mymediabox.com for more information or click here to schedule a demo.

Einstein Believed in the Cloud, Too!

Image Courtesy of CloudTweaks.com

Want to move your consumer products workflow to the cloud? MyMediabox offers hosted solutions for product approvals (Mediabox-PA) and style guide delivery (Mediabox-DAM). 

For information visit: www.mymediabox.com or email marketing@mymediabox.com.

Click here to schedule a demo.

Press Release: Jonas Software USA, Inc. Acquires MyMediabox, Leading Provider of SaaS Solutions for the Consumer Products Licensing Industry

In October 2012, MyMediabox, the leading provider of SaaS hosted solutions for product approvals (Mediabox-PA) and style guide delivery (Mediabox-DAM) for the consumer products licensing industry, was acquired by Jonas Software USA, Inc. Already considered the “industry standard” for product approvals, and boasting a clientele of more than 75 leading licensors, 33,000 licensee users and over 120 live sites worldwide, the recent acquisition is set to further propel MyMediabox to the next level within the industry.

Eric Rennagel, CEO and Founder of MyMediabox, states “We are thrilled to be a part of the Jonas Software family.   With access to Jonas’ deep technical, financial & operational resources, MyMediabox customers can expect to see more upgrades rolled out more frequently and the design and launch of new services to broaden our product suite as a true one-stop-shop of integrated, best-of-breed applications.”

With Mediabox-PA, the entire creative approvals process, from completion of the online approval form, to concept designs though final production sample submissions, online previewing and integrated commenting, automated email notices, role-based approvals workflows, flexible business rules and archiving, is in one easy-to-find online website.

Mediabox-DAM allows licensors and agents to easily organize, manage and deliver high-resolution artwork to licensees who have licensed the rights to properties and brands from the brand owners.

Interested in streamlining your product approvals or style guide delivery?

Schedule a demo with MyMediabox online or at any of the following shows:

Natpe (January 28-30, Miami, FL)

MAGIC (February 18-21, Las Vegas, NV)

MipTV (April 8-11, Cannes, France)

Licensing International Expo (June 18-20, Las Vegas, NV)

For more information about MyMediabox visit www.mymediabox.com or email marketing@mymediabox.com.

For more information about Jonas Software USA visit www.jonassoftware.com.

About MyMediabox and Jonas Software USA, Inc.

MyMediabox was founded by executives with prior direct experience in the Consumer Products Licensing and Media and Entertainment industries. The company is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with an additional office in Cincinnati, Ohio for Software Development and Customer/Tech Support. Today, MyMediabox applications are used daily by over 75 leading Licensors and 33,000+ Licensee Users in 120+ countries.

Jonas Software, a Constellation Software Company, is the leading provider of enterprise management software solutions to the Consumer Product Licensing, Club, Foodservice, Construction, Leisure Fitness & Sports, Attractions, Metal Service Centers, Moving & Storage, Education and Radiology/Laboratory Information Systems industries. Within these ten vertical markets, Jonas boasts 33 distinct brands, all of which are respected and longstanding leaders within their own domain.

Utilizing Real-Time Reporting for Product Approvals

When shopping for your product approvals software, make sure not to overlook a systems reporting features. MyMediabox's approval system, Mediabox-PA, offers a variety of reports that will help you manage your product approvals process.

MyMediabox software applications include real-time reporting to help you monitor and increase productivity, all in one convenient location. With pertinent information in Mediabox-PA linked to each project (product type, licensee, licensee company, agent, SKUs, talent, project status, etc.), you can easily create reports to monitor projects from concept to completion.

Key Reports Include:

• Daily Site Activity Report- Monitor the volume of projects entered in the system (i.e. Number of new projects, approved projects, declined projects, closed submissions, opened submissions and more.)
• Production Samples Due- View projects with samples due and received.
• Completed SKUs Report- Generate reports to show which projects have been completed.  

For more information on MyMediabox real-time reporting capabilities, visit www.mymediabox.com or email marketing@mymediabox.com.

Interested in scheduling a demo? Click here.

Cloud Aspirations...

Image Courtesy of CloudTweaks.com

MyMediabox offers hosted solutions for digital asset management and style guide delivery (Mediabox-DAM), product approvals and other creative workflows (Mediabox-PA) and deal memo management (Mediabox-DM). For more information visit us at www.mymediabox.com.

Click here to schedule your demo today!

Hosted vs. Installed Software

Understanding the differences between Hosted and Installed Software is important in deciding which is best for you. Read below for a comparison of the two applications and what they offer.

PRICE

• Hosted applications charge a continuous fee for the duration of the service.
• Installed software has a one-time purchase fee.

SECURITY

• Hosted applications provide their own security and data backup (often a higher level than you could implement yourself).
• Installed software does not come with built-in security or data backup, therefore, you are responsible for implementing and managing your own system(s).

ACCESS

• Hosted applications offer remote access. This means as long as you have an internet connection you will be able to access the software.
• Installed software is not typically remote. However, a dedicated IT professional could set up and maintain remote access.

UPDATES

• Hosted applications bundle updates, tech support and trouble-shooting into their monthly fee structure.
• Installed software does not include updates, tech support or trouble-shooting. Any after-sale support would be an extra cost.

CUSTOMIZATION

• Hosted applications will offer a certain amount of customizations, but they are limited by the system.
• Installed software does not offer limitless customization either, but you could hire a developer to update the software to your needs.

Interested in seeing a Hosted Solution at work? Click here to schedule a demo of our MyMediabox applications.

What Remote Access Does To Us...

Image Courtesy of CloudTweaks.com

Always on the go? MyMediabox's software suite offers 100% remote access. Login to Mediabox-PA (creative approvals workflow), Mediabox-DAM (digital asset management) or Mediabox-DM (deal memo management) from anywhere at anytime.

For more information, visit us at www.mymediabox.com. Click here to schedule a demo.

Now that we have the Cloud...

"The Lighter Side of the Cloud- Transformation" By David at www.cloudtweaks.com

... aliens can have earth.

Press Release: Conecture Technologies, LLC surpasses 100 active website milestone in May 2012

June 7, 2012- Atlanta, Ga-- By May of 2012, Conecture Technologies, LLC reached their milestone of 100 active MyMediabox websites under management. Now just one month later that number has grown to 107, giving Conecture Technologies a 300% increase in new business compared to the first five months of 2011. MyMediabox systems (Mediabox-PA, Mediabox-DAM and Mediabox-DM) are currently implemented by 76 leading Licensors and Agents and used by over 7,000 companies and 35,000 users globally.

New MyMediabox sites in 2012 include: Zinkia Entertainment, ASPCA, JD Sports Fashion, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Ubisoft, Sanrio, The National Wildlife Federation, Activision, Magic Light Pictures, American Greetings Properties, Exim Licensing, Dori Media Group, Stardoll and John Wayne Enterprises.

Continue reading here.

Want to see what has drawn MyMediabox clients to our hosted solutions? Click here to schedule a demo.

The Cloud!

Still confused about how to get your data into the cloud? Read more about cloud computing here or click here to schedule a MyMediabox demo.

The Licensing Company Selects My Mediabox Software Systems for Online Product Approvals and Style Guide Asset Management

The Licensing Company’s (TLC) New York office joined a group of over fifty-five leading Licensors and Agents from around the globe, when it licensed Mediabox-PA (product approvals) and Mediabox-DAM (digital asset management) software systems this past year. “The Licensing Company is recognized globally as a leader in the Licensing industry and we are honored to be working with them to help streamline their approvals workflow and the delivery of their style guide assets,” says Conecture Technologies CEO, Eric Rennagel. TLC’s customized Mediabox systems have been in use with their globally distributed licensees for the past six months.

"MediaBox has significantly streamlined our product approvals process; positively affecting our turnaround times and licensee/licensor satisfaction. We love this system!" says Senior Brand Manager, Ryan Dirk.

The Mediabox-PA system enables Licensees to submit all their product design artwork files to the Agent and then the Licensor through a centralized online system. Mediabox-PA also enables Agents and their Licensor clients and to review the submitted artwork online, link their comments with each artwork file, and manage the workflow order of projects and submissions between their Licensees and their own staff. Licensees also use the application to log in and review comments and submit new, revised product designs though a 100% paperless workflow. All traffic, milestones, and activity are tracked and reported in real-time enabling Mediabox customers to measure various performance metrics.

Through the Mediabox-DAM application TLC is able to grant licensees access to the high-resolution original artwork, logos, images, documents and other style guide materials for the properties they represent so that their licensees have immediate access all the visuals needed for product development and design work.

View the entire press release here.

Professional Football Clubs Score with Mediabox

Leading football clubs, including Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, have licensed Mediabox-PA software to help manage their online product approvals. They use Mediabox-PA to manage the entire licensed product approvals process online with their domestic and international Licensees.

Learn more about Mediabox-PA and our how our clients are using it to save time and money at: www.mymediabox.com

What is SaaS?

As companies grow and expand, much of the daily work-flow has been digitized to an online platform. Many new terms have emerged in all areas of business, including: “Remote Software Solutions”, “Cloud Computing” and “SaaS”.

So, what is “SaaS”? Webopedia and Wikipedia have provided descriptions to better explain and define Software as a Service (SaaS) such as Mediabox-PA and Mediabox-DAM:

SaaS - Software as a Service, Storage as a Service

"Short for Software as a Service, SaaS is a software delivery method that provides access to software and its functions remotely as a Web-based service. Software as a Service allows organizations to access business functionality at a cost typically less than paying for licensed applications since SaaS pricing is based on a monthly fee. Also, because the software is hosted remotely, users don't need to invest in additional hardware. Software as a Service removes the need for organizations to handle the installation, set-up and often daily upkeep and maintenance. Software as a Service may also be referred to as simply hosted applications."

Click Here to Learn More from Webopedia

_________________________________________________________

"Software as a service (SaaS, typically pronounced [sæs]), sometimes referred to as "on-demand software," is a software delivery model in which software and its associated data are hosted centrally (typically in the (Internet) cloud) and are typically accessed by users using a thin client, normally using a web browser over the Internet.

While practically every Internet service (such as Web search engine or web-based Email) is driven by some underlying software, the term Software as a Service (SaaS) is often used in the context of business applications, and in some cases even more narrowly as software in a category which has on-premises software; i.e., equivalent applications that are installed in businesses' computer networks or personal computers."

Click Here to Learn More from Wikipedia