Yes! Hotels include:

SEMIRAMIS, TWENTYONE, KEFALARI SUITES, PERISCOPE

All hotels are constantly awarded for their distinguished character and quality of services.

Share This

The Intranet, as mentioned by the owners …”a very valuable tool for the management and employees of the hotel…”, includes services and applications under one interface (with restricted access) in order to reduce costs of procedures and increase the way the management monitors the sales procedures.

This was achieved by developing new web services and implementing existing and 3rd party ones, under “one roof”.

Share This

This is another client located in the Leisure/Conference Sector, where ChannelDoubler has already a very valuable client portfolio.

Share This

Both Web sites are under construction and will be up and running in the next month.

Share This

Among them:

Greek Ministry of Transportation & Communication - SatForum08

International FlowerShop B2C/B2B

B2B/B2C Luxury Decoration e-Commerce site, (New York, USA)

GAMA - Gourmet Series

Share This

Some issues encountered, or general advices.

A blog site, also enriched with additional services like video, podcasts, etc has POWER. It influences and directs through the personal opinion of the blogger or the blog team. It must not simply reproduce press releases because there is no use on this. Bloggers ought to write with the hand on their heart. In time and after information cross checking visitors will discover the truth and they will probably comment alike in your blog. You loose.

Do not start a blog if you are not able or willing to sacrifice more of your (free) time for research and presentation of your content. Unfortunately I see many sites in WWW that are moving in this direction.

IMPORTANT: We see successful blogs with 2-4 posts per day and others write 10-15 per day. Who ever knows what effort is required to write a post will laugh. The last one is only achieved if you don’t sleep. Ever. Unless of course there is a team and not a single person. Otherwise is just space-filling in order to get higher in Alexa or exploit more Adsense. Many serious journalists can explain why and why not. Posting is not about simply writing but give also evidence for what you write.

We see examples in one-person blogs with 10 mobile phone reviews in 10 days (!!!). Hey, did you use all of them? In one day per device you managed to validate each one? How can someone be objective about any subjects written like this?

Same happens for car reviews? Hey, blogger-not-car-journalist friend, a non professional can say about a car or bike after he has some experience with it. And I mean after some months. Not on a simple test-drive for 2 hours! And all pros? No cons? Hey!

How to make money from blogging? Commitment, sacrifice, love, time, research, deep knowledge for the subject, market knowledge, research (again), study, research (and again), long tail tactics, etc

Do you have a good quantity and quality of visitors? Meaning over 60.000 unique per month? Then blog channels and advertising companies start to listen…

The time needed is usually 1-2 years. For now.

Being a good developer doesn’t make someone a good article writer or marketer.

Somewhere (it is good to be at the beginning) the blogger must determine why he is doing such a thing. What is the goal and purpose. How he will cope with success.

See other blogs and bloggers as associates not competition. Link, use and learn from them. This requires a change on life and business philosophy.

Cooperation’s, cooperation’s, cooperation’s. Increase your visitors number. This is your strength. Plus their profile.

Do not use link farms.

CLOSING…: You will try, sweat and cry for your blog. Before that choose for what is worth blogging if you can serve this and cash it after.

I applause all those who do it for fun

Share This

ChannelDoubler produced the new web site in three languages giving the hotel a new and fresh look and feel. Also ChannelDoubler performed as a consultant on general production services (as photography). Extended services also include SEO/SEM in the next months.

The web site can be seen at www.hotelstanley.gr

Share This

Fenix is a member of the world known Best Western Group.

ChannelDoubler produced the new web site in 2 languages by re-developing the theme of Best Western and implementing navigation logic and content that serves information in the best possible way.

The web site can be seen at www.fenix.gr.

Share This

The complete event title is: “Social software and web 2: a challenge to the future of schooling”

Participants are asked to give a position paper on this issue.

You can read the content of the paper here:

PLE’s and Social Networking

Overview

What I encounter around is the lack of basics. I mean what is the WWW about. Many see it as a communication tool – where mobile devices serve better this need – and not a knowledge share and revamp tool.

Remote learning and collaboration is something not familiar as a concept for students and educators. They both need training and effort from the Ministry of National Education to see the forest and not only the tree.

I also think that forming students mind and teaching is something that must be conducted by expert educators and highly responsible people with respective education. These need to be educated first.

Major Issues and Drawback’s

• Percentage of student PC owners is very low.
• Percent of PC ownership by schools is also very low or/and includes “out-of-date” technology.
• High costs for Internet Access without the related bandwidth.
• Not enough bandwidth in schools.
• Percentage of educators’ familiarity or in depth knowledge of WWW and related capabilities and concept is also very low.
• Lack of knowledge on what WWW is about (which includes Social Networking concepts) and what are it’s capabilities besides gaming, messaging.

What can be done?

• Well. Educate all the above for start.
• Give low-cost or free Internet Access for all and PC’s to Education Institutions.
• Involve companies and other profit oriented organizations in the concept of learning. All these students are tomorrow’s scientists, executives, co-workers. These organizations will provide the means to expand familiarity with web and social networking concepts. After all donations are deductible!
• Prepare simple and complex projects to involve students of all levels to participate through writing, commenting, sharing, remixing and forwarding different types of content plus to add their perspective in lessons they were taught about.
• Makie learning process an experience, with a project oriented procedure, and not a “sit-and-listen” process. Participation is the key to learn both to act in the offline world and the online one. If students and teachers are comfortable to discuss the lesson instead of just “deliver/receive” it, mentality will change from inside. This is possible a major drawback in the learning process and also responsible for the concept “they=educators” and “us=students/knowledge receivers”. This concept only “transforms” knowledge process as a burden. Of course this is something that must come as a directive from the top authority: the government and Ministry of National Education. So change needs to start from the head.
• Provision of tools for all involved to be able to compare information from different channels and sources. This way all involved are not adrift to misunderstandings and misguidance. This way cooperation with different cultures will be easy and will lead to open-minded people.

Recommendations

I would recommend:

• The Creation of collaborative environments Easy to use and Easy to understand.
• Extensive publicity of all Social Networking concepts (Blogs and Blogging, RSS, Social Networking sites for students only, etc)
• Creation of projects and adopt of motivation techniques to make collaboration a fun experience.
• Training, training, training for all involved.

References

• History of personal learning environments:

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_Learning_Environment

• The Personal Learning Environments Blog:

http://www.cetis.ac.uk/members/ple/

• Flock – The social web browser: http://www.flock.com/
• KnowNet : http://www.knownet.com

Share This

I have redesigned and redeveloped the web site for HMA (www.hma.com.cy) for Thorough Interactive

HMA is a non profit naval insurance association absolutely conformed to the needs and safe prerequisites needed for the evolvement of Greek-Cyprus Marine industry.

The new web site was builded with the concept to get frequently updated with information targeting all the vendors and members of the naval insurance industry (especially around HMA)

In parallel RSS syndicated content is provided through w/site tools and more are about to be implemented. Plus, there will be privileged and protected content areas for registered members.

More can be seen thorough www.hma.com.cy . Please notice that the English version is under construction.

Share This