Lynette Palmen AM is the founder and managing director of Women’s Network Australia and is ConnectedWomen’s guest editor for this week’s edition. As Lynette claims to have “recession proofed” her business, she tell us how she used technology to get there. 

Our ConnectedWomen guest editor, Lynette Palmen.

Like most things in life getting your head around technology takes time and effort. Mind you, for most of us this major issue is having enough time rather than making an effort. As a single mum of two and heading up www.womensnetwork.com.au a national network for women in business I need all the help I can get. 

Applying technology has allowed me to expand and grow my business beyond what I ever thought possible when I launched 18 years ago. Over the last five years I have made a concerted effort to see how technology could play a role in not only the expansion of Women’s Network Australia but improve staff satisfaction, retention whilst also making our growth around the nation a reality. 

Balance is a priority
As an employer and mum I know how important it is to be able to balance work and family. Therefore as my staff near the age where having children is a priority, I am implementing technology systems to ensure they can all work from home wherever they need to be. It’s my goal within the next two years to ensure that (if they choose) all my staff can work from home remotely and I am tapping into the latest technology to make it happen. 

Save with VOIP

Lynette uses VOIP and a webam to stay in touch with her office while travelling around the country.

Lynette loves her purple Sony Ericsson mobile phone.

At my office I started out my “techno girl” journey by implementing some really simple and practical technology – like saving a fortune on our phones bills using VOIP. I didn’t have a clue how it all worked but I did know that our phone bills were out of control so I learnt about the technology and installed it. I very proudly marched into Harvey Norman, purchased my Panasonic hand set and linked it up to my computer. Now we can spend hours on the phone globally at a fraction of the cost we use to pay. 

Because I am always plane-hopping across the nation to host our business luncheons every month - yes that’s right I lunch all over Australia and my waistline tells the story. Anyway, the point is that I needed to be mobile and in a position to call the office when I wanted even if I didn’t have a phone socket. 

So I hooked my laptop up to VOIP using skype, threw a web cam up on my lap top and then fitted the same system to all the girls’ computers in head office. What a fabulous idea that turned out to be. Now they can see me first thing in the morning in whatever condition I wake up in (YIKES!). But, jokes aside this has been enormous benefit to my business.
 
The staff can not only let me view via the web cam projects they are working on physically in the office, better still they can show off their new shoes they have been out buying in their lunch break. More importantly it’s about communication and when they can see me they feel connected even if I am on the other side of the nation. 

Ready to print anywhere
Wanting to be totally portable, I have also purchased a mini HP printer which I just adore. It’s as cute as a button, does the job of its bigger sister in our head office and has a battery whose life seems to never end. So regardless wether I am doing meetings at Brunetti’s in Melbourne or the Bell House Cafe in Perth, I am ready to print. 

Naturally I needed to get my head around memory sticks, because I really need to access the internet even if I was on the moon and with those little widgets you’ve got a total office that fits into my purple Spencer and Rutherford carry on the plane case. Mind you this whole technology thing is addictive, the other day I was eyeing off a new laptop weighing under a kilo - what’s a girl to do but upgrade? 

As for the team at ConnectedWomen, well my tech girl phase is all their fault. I consider their weekly newsletter service like a spam filter for all my technology and electrical needs. And like most women reading it I am very appreciative of an all girl team filtering through the latest electronic gadgets to hit the market. Even better I love the fact that with them behind me I can boldly walk into any shop knowing exactly what features exist armed and ready for retail action with my Connected Woman Know How.

Forget a recipe book, Lynette gets cooking ConnectedWomen style with her Nintendo DS and Cooking Guide game.

Lynette’s Favourite Gadget Things:

• My mini key chain digital photo viewer – lets me show my fav photos to whomever I meet in my travels.
• My Canon digital camera – I take photos at WNA Luncheons all over Australia and then upload them to our website.
• My GHD hair straighter – Just because I visit Melbourne regularly and the weather is just so frizz friendly.
• My web cam – Means I can stay in touch with my team at head office whilst doing lunch nationally.
• My Apple iPod – So I can go to sleep listening to Sneaky Sound System – oh and listen to inspirational speakers.
• My Nintendo DS – For the lifesaving cooking game which provides helpful instructions for those like me who are challenged by even boiling water.
• My mini keyboard – It’s the most important part of my mobile office because built in laptop keyboards are just way to small for speed typing.
• My Sony Ericsson mobile phone – because it does a great job and more importantly it’s purple, my favourite colour.