Tim Johnson’s Blog

Lets remember that SAFI Technologies Ltd is a company born and raised in New Zealand! However, in tribute to our staff based in Canada, our Vancouver office, and of course all of our Canadian clients - we say “Happy Canada Day”!!

If you’re on the West Coast today, you’ll know that the weather could not have possibly delivered a better celebratory gift! Further to that, the Vancouver Canucks delivered an even better gift of a new 5 year contract for the Sedin Twins! So enjoy the day O Canada, and from New Zealand we greet you!  It goes without saying that our Canadian office will be closed today, the 1st of July PST.

I’ll leave you with a press article that I found particularly amusing. Click Here.

Credit:   Full & Original Article by Simpson Grierson

I thought this article was clear, concise and helpful in terms of what website owners should consider for their website… legally speaking. Published by a leading New Zealand law firm, they talk about the top 10 points on the list according to them, and I’d have to say, I tend to agree! So a summary of the top 10 points are:

1. Register variations of your preferred domain name
2. Do you need a customer contract
3. Communicate trust - and back it up technically
4. Do you need a copyright notice?
5. Do you need a Privacy Statement?
6. Do you need a Disclaimer?
7. Define the legal jurisdiction you are operating within
8. Exlusion of liability?
9. Disputes procedure? Resolution process?
10. External linking protection

Have a look at the article, feel free to direct any questions you may have to our Support Team. Alternatively, I am sure that Simpson Grierson would be happy to provide a consultation.

(this post also found on our Jethost Website)

A little while ago I wrote an article on an email that was being distributed by some Asian Domain Name fraudsters. It invovled the fraudsters preying on unsuspecting victims, and attempted to get money from the victims by convincing them that their ‘brand’ or ‘company name’ was about to be “hijacked” by Asian companies using Asian domain names. That article I wrote and the research we did obviously became very useful for potential victims performing their own research. 

The article I refer to is located here:  http://tim.safitech.com/2008/07/asian-domain-name-fraud-warning/

The reason for a follow up article is that it would seem that the fraudsters have now moved on to the European (.eu) region! Little is known about the individuals behind these emails, though we do understand it to be a well networked group of people who are in fact from China or geographically close to China. They use real contact numbers (VoIP) and have real people follow with potential victims who respond to the original email.  We suspect that the people who follow up the original email are actually innocently involved and are most probably a hired telemarketing firm who believe the cause and reason for the call is genuine.  It is possible that the European version of this fraudulent campaign is a ‘copycat’ set up.

So, the latest email to surface is as follows:

Dear ***** Team,

Good day to you
We received a formal application from Netlon Company are applying to register ” *******” as their website and internet brand name in European, American and Asian area on Jun 18th 2009. During our auditing procedure we find out that the alleged Netlon Company has no trade mark nor patent even similar to that word. Hence we need you confirmation for two things,
First of all, whether this alleged Netlon Company is your business partner or distributor in business world.
Secondly, whether you are interested in registering these domains and internet keyword.
(.eu/.asia/.cn/.com.cn/.com etc)
This is a letter for confirmation. If we haven’t receive your reply. We will automatically confirm application from Netlon Company after this audit procedure.

Yours Faithfully,
Robin
Registration Commissioner
China Anti-Cybersquatting Organization
‘Tel: +00852 8135 9416
Web: www.mwwgroup.org
Confidentiality Statement:
The information in this email is confidential and may be legally privileged. It is intended solely for the addressee. Access to this email by anyone else is unauthorized. If you are not an intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution, or other action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it, is prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this message in error please be advised of your obligation to immediately notify sender of the error in transmission, and to destroy all associated documentation.

It would be helpful to hear other similar stories or other versions of the above email. Any questions or comments you may have are welcomed and encouraged - please take the time to register and post your comment here.

SAFI CONTINUES GROWTH WITH FOURTH ACQUISITION

SME focus proving the difference for SAFI Technologies

3 June 2009. Christchurch, New Zealand. Christchurch-based SAFI Technologies has successfully acquired local web hosting company 24/7 Hosting, its fourth such purchase in the last two years.

Adding 24/7 Hosting’s 200 mainly small to medium-sized customers means SAFI Technologies are now running over 2000 websites, says managing director Tim Johnson.

“This latest purchase was a natural fit for us – the profile of 24/7 Hosting’s client base matched ours, they were located in Christchurch and ran similar software and servers to our existing infrastructure.”

Mr Johnson said SAFI would continue to look for good acquisition opportunities, “It is a good growth strategy for SAFI, and we really know how to run these kinds of businesses efficiently while providing good service to the customer.”

“We have enjoyed considerable success with previous acquisitions, for example achieving significant increases in websites hosted and therefore revenue with US-based Host World Wide after purchasing them in mid-2007.”

“SAFI is actively looking for the right kind of companies to buy and invite interested parties to visit www.safitech.com and supply their details,” said Mr Johnson. SAFI Technologies are currently investing in upgrading 24/7 Hosting’s systems to the same standard as their other subsidiaries.

“This will allow us to offer 24/7 Hosting’s customers the high level of service and support our other clients enjoy, including live phone support which is a rarity in the hosting industry.”

“We also have some exciting products being prepared for launch within the next 12 months which will be a good fit for smaller businesses like those using the 24/7 Hosting service.”

The acquisition marks a busy two years for SAFI, which include the purchase of two Christchurch-based web hosting companies, a further hosting company in the USA, and the establishment of an office in Canada.

About SAFI Technologies

Established in 2003, SAFI Technologies provides a complete range of web services, from building back-end systems right through to hosting and the development of software applications. They have delivered online systems for a number of sectors including property, retail, technology and government agencies. Headquartered in Christchurch, the company has offices in North Carolina, USA and Vancouver, Canada.

For information contact:
Tim Johnson, Managing Director, SAFI Technologies
Tel:  +(1) 604-691-1757 (Canada)
Cell: +(1) 778-235-7293
E-mail tim(at)safitech.com
Web - www.safitech.com
Blog: tim.safitech.com

Reporter Tina Law from The Christchurch Press picked up on the following press release from SAFI Technologies:

NEW ZEALAND TECHNOLOGY COMPANY ADDS CANADIAN OFFICE

SAFI Technologies bullish about North America

 

21 January 2009. Vancouver, British Columbia. - Christchurch-based software company SAFI Technologies today announced the opening of an office in Vancouver, Canada, adding to its existing presence in the USA.

 

“We’re bullish about the prospects in North America for companies like ours,” says SAFI Technologies managing director Tim Johnson, who is spearheading the new Canadian office.

 

“The financial meltdown has actually opened up opportunities for smart, nimble companies that can deliver good quality software for a competitive price.”

 

Based in Oceanic Plaza in the heart of downtown Vancouver, BC; SAFI Technologies’ Canadian office has secured several contracts including work with leading law firm Farris, Vaughan, Wills & Murphy (“Farris”).

 

SAFI developed a custom software tool for Farris, one of British Columbia’s oldest and largest law firms, which allows the company to create customised DVDs for distribution to their clients.

 

“The software is easy to use, it’s fast, and most importantly the quality of how we deliver marketing materials to our clients is now first class. I look forward to working again with SAFI Technologies,” said Farris’ Director of Marketing, Blair Lill.

 

About SAFI Technologies

 

Established in 2003, SAFI Technologies provides a complete range of web services, from building back-end systems right through to hosting and the development of software applications. They have delivered online systems for a number of sectors including property, retail, technology and government agencies. Headquartered in Christchurch, the company has offices in North Carolina, USA and Vancouver, Canada.

 

Who’d have guessed it, part 3 has finally arrived. I know you’ve all been waiting for it.

Part 3 is definately the hardest to write about. In my first post in this 3 post series I referred to part 3 as “having a safi attitude”. SAFI as you know by now means “cool”, “fresh” or “fancy” in Swahili. So what does having a “safi attitude mean”?  As I say, this was always going to be the most difficult part to write about - because it is all about attitude, and it’s difficult to read and write attitude - attitude is body language, action, feelings, etc.  So when thinking about this post, I decided that it was best to write about the internal values and ethics that we have as a company. Luckily enough I had previously prepared a page of company values - I can’t think of a better way to demonstrate what our attitude is here at SAFI.

To see the full page of SAFI values, click here. Otherwise, here is a list of main points:

1. We act with integrity and show respect.
2. We consider others and the environment around us.
3. We are all accountable
4. We are passionate about our business
5. We have the humility and hunger to learn
6. We love success
7. We strive for simplicity

There you have it - seven simple points. Its certainly not rocket science, but in fact these values mean absolutely nothing unless they are at the very core of the company. I’m extremely confident that if you have ever dealt with SAFI that you too would know that these values are at the core of what we do and who we are - they’re not simply words on a page. THIS is what defines SAFI’s attitude.

Well today was the official “move in” day for the newest SAFI office. I’d say it was a bit of an anti-climax really, the pictures I’d had in my mind of a ribbon cutting ceremony, special VIP guests and press reporters, was completely off the mark. Instead our opening day consisted of me walking to the office on a dark and very cold Vancouver winter day, greeted by nobody or nothing - except for a freshly brewed pot of coffee - thank goodness for coffee!  Doesn’t quite meet the picture of my expectations, but then if you look at little harder at the situation, you’ll see a gritty kiwi company expanding into a city with a population the size of New Zealand, in a humble and quietly confident manner.

We’re here in Vancouver and we mean business. Kiwi’s do great in this part of the world, we have an excellent reputation and ability to put our hand to any problem or situation and use a bit of number 8 wire to come up with an exceptional solution. SAFI has already used some kiwi ingenuity with one of Vancouver’s most prominent law firms being the grateful recipient - read here for what they said about us. This is only the beginning, watch this space…

If you want to read more about our branch office in Vancouver, Canada, go to our homepage and click the “canada” link at the top right of the page.

So I’ve temporarily relocated to the great city of Vancouver while SAFI performs some market research here in Canada. Consequently, I have never spent so much time initiating contact with potential suppliers, clients, partners, etc via an online contact form on their website.  Right now, on an average daily basis I must be using a contact form around 5-10 times per day. As I said, I’ve never used contact forms so much.

Website contact forms are a great tool, they do appeal to a very specific type of user, but that type of user is fast becoming one of the largest user bases. The beauty of a contact form is that they are highly convenient and often narrow down your type of enquiry to ensure that the enquiry goes to the most appropriate person straight away. The user can simply answer a few questions, input their question and press submit. BANG. That’s it, set and forget. Now, just wait for the company to get back to you.

And wait.

Wait a little longer.

Hmmm, maybe my phone is off the hook? Maybe my spam filter has filtered out their response…

In a very simple and crude experiment I measured the speed of responses from contact forms and recorded how many contact forms actually worked correctly. I found that the average response time (ignoring the companies that did not get back to me at all) was 2 days. I also found that 40%, YES forty percent of the contact forms did not work – they either resulted in an error or I received a timeout message.

Let me tell you now, if I use a contact form on a website, I am using it because I expect a relatively speedy response and I expect my enquiry to be seen or heard. I don’t believe that I am that unique – surely my expectations would be “average”?  If you have a website contact form, here are some tips:

• Run weekly checks to ensure your contact form is working. Nothing fancy, just input a couple of test enquiries at the end of each week!
• Forward contact form enquiries to GROUPS (if you have the luxury of more than one staff member that is) rather than one individual – share the load and create some accountability.
• Consider asking more information from your website visitor, try to extract as much information as you can – this will help you supply a more relevant and informed response. (Don’t overload the user with 100s of fields though!)
• Consider directing your contact forms enquiries to cell phones (using simple email or SMS), a speedy response is one of the most important aspects of gaining new business.
• If you can’t regularly check the enquiries that are coming in via a contact form, perhaps you should remove it from your website.
• If you’re getting too much spam via your contact form, add a image validation field, or use some method to stop spam bots using your contact form.

If you you’re not sure how to handle the technical aspects of my above suggestions, contact your website developer or perhaps your hosting company, they should be able to assist you. Or, you could of course contact SAFI – we’d only be too happy to help – and of course you can use our contact form to ask us a question!

Ok, I could have thought of a more interesting title. I am open to suggestions.

So, as one of the 6 people who actually read my last blog titled “something quite safi”, you will  know that I was leading in to explain why I felt SAFI Technologies as a company had managed to become a successful business. You may remember that the reasons I alluded to were: “having the right people, the right culture and a darn good attitude” - or in other words, “having safi people, a safi culture and a darn safi attitude”.

So, what does it mean to have the “right” people? Well, in my mind there are a number of things. Though at this point, I’d just like to highlight that my business experience  has been me starting a business from scratch and growing it from 1 person to where it is now, which is 12 I think (I stopped counting at 10… sorry Joel, that doesn’t make you any less of an employee). So, if your business is roughly like what mine is or has been like, this blog may be of use,  if not, well… you still might like to read.

From the day you start your business, to the many years that follow, the chances are the business is going to be a reflection of you - you the individual, you the human, YOU in all your strengths and weaknesses. When it comes to staffing and recruitment I believe there are a few things to consider, and believe it or not, its just as much about YOU as it is the successful recruit.

• You need staff that will challenge you. One of the most common mistakes I believe is made in the recruitment process is the employer hiring “like” individuals. That is, replicas of themselves. Going down this track creates massive limitations for your company and will result in minimal personal growth for you as a boss, minimal growth for your staff, and a very narrow minded company. Get staff who will challenge YOU. A daunting thought perhaps, and perhaps not always the easiest road, but if you and the employee who challenges you are worth your weight in gold, you will learn from each other and respect each other.
• You need staff that you can work with. (I hear sniggering from the 3 people who will read this blog) Of course you say! Of course you need staff you can work with - that goes without saying. Well, yes, I agree - it far too often goes without saying, which is why I am saying it. My advice here is to KNOW yourself, and, know your staff. Know what they like, how they work, in what circumstances they excel, where they struggle etc. Knowing yourself and your staff in this way will enable to you consciously seek employees who will compliment your team. Note, this does not conflict with my previous point - you still need staff who will challenge you - you just need to ensure there is a balance.
• You need to be able to have fun with your staff. At SAFI we have a very diverse team, both in culture and personality - and we all have great fun at work! Our diversity does not stop fun, neither do the timber partitions between us. Having fun in the workplace is one of the most important ingredients to a productive company. Fun of course comes in many shapes and sizes, and will vary in interpretation from employee to employee, BUT, fun in whatever form it takes is CRUCIAL. At SAFI fun generally takes the form of mockery (not sure if that is politically correct) of one another (aren’t we weird creations) but is normally at Toby’s expense. Know your staff, and get to know your new recruit, know who considers what fun, then encourage it and turn it into productivity.
• You need staff who can do the job. The key to this point is knowing what “the job” is.  Don’t rely on qualifications, don’t rely on letters after names and don’t rely on which university it was they went to. Those things may be important, but don’t rely on them, those things are not insurance policies. The employee character is the most important aspect of the prospective employee. Granted, this is not easy to see in a 3 stage interview process, and some people are better at “picking winners” than others, but, look at their experience, talk with their references, know what questions to ask, etc, etc. Joel Spolsky would probably summarise this point as someone who is “smart and gets things done“.

I could list bullet point after bullet point, but I won’t. So don’t shoot me for missing your favourite recruitment tip! The ones above are the ones that I have repeatedly seen are ingredients for building a successful team - within our own company and within some notable other ones. Notice how many of the points relate directly to you as the employer?

Ok, enough from me, feel free to send comments and feedback (makes me look popular). Look for part 3 in the coming weeks/years/century.

We have had a number of emails forwarded to us from our customers regarding an email that they have received from an apparent Asian domain name registrar.  The email is very polite and sounds official and professional. It starts out informing the recipient that the Asian registrar has received a request from another company asking to register a list of domain names that include the company name of the recipient. They claim that they are protecting the recipient from having another company register these domain names and that they are offering the recipient an opportunity to register the domains.

The email is a fraud.  If you want to see a sample of one of these emails, check the footer of this blog post.

We had so many of our customer complain about this, we decided to do some investigations ourselves, along with our US and NZ based lawyers. As a test, we opened the lines of communication with the sender of the email to see what would happen next. When we initiated contact with them, they proceeded to quote us on how much it would cost to have the domain names registered. They then provided us with the necessary order forms to complete the transaction - and it wasn’t cheap! Our lawyers performed some investigations and spoke with ICANN and NZs DNC- neither recognised the “registrar” as valid.

When we informed the “registrar” that SAFI Technologies would be taking action against them, the registrar responded as though we had hurt their feelings!  The “registrar” also kept in contact via phone with us, which makes it seem more valid since they are willing to make voice contact - don’t be fooled.

The “registrar” ceased contact with us once they realised lawyers were chasing them from the US and from NZ.

So, if you have been contacted by these people, I suggest you simply don’t respond to them. Though it might be a good idea to check whether some of the domain names are worth registering! Just don’t register them through this fraudulent “registrar”, because you’ll never get them!

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. A sample of the email is as follows:

Dear CEO,
We are Asia Domain Name Registration Limited, which mainly deal with domain name registration and dispute
internationally. We have something important need to confirm with your company.

On the Jan 31, 2008, we received an application formally. One company named ” Creation International Holdings Ltd ” wanted to register following Domain names:
yourcompany.com.cn
yourcompany.net.cn
yourcompany.org.cn
yourcompany.com.hk
yourcompany.hk
yourcompany.tw
yourcompany.com.tw
yourcompany.asia

Internet brand keyword: yourcompany
through our body.

After our initial examination, we found that the keywords and domain names applied for registration are as same as your company’s name and trademark. These days we are dealing with it. If you do not know this company, we doubt that they have other aims to buy these domain names. Now we have not finished the registration of Creation International Holdings Ltd company yet, in order to deal with this issue better, Please contact us by telephone or email as soon as possible

Best Regards,
Tony Liang
________________________________________

Asia Domain Name Registration Limited
Tel:00852-3059-3057
Fax:00852-3059-3080
Email: tony.liang@ytym.org
Web: http://www.asiadnr.org