Cruzio Newsletter - Number 109, October 17, 2007
1. Cruzio's 9th Annual Small Business Fair
2. Take Our Survey -- Help Change Cruzio's Web Site
3. Three Great Hands-on Classes This Month:
"One Night Web Site"
"Set Up Your Online Store"
"One Night Web Site -- Advanced"
4. Behind the Scenes at Cruzio: The Spanish Team
5. Gizmo of the Month: iTrip
6. Intro to the Internet Class in Watsonville this Month
7. Myanmar Government Cuts Off Internet Access
8. Class Schedule Through November
9. Watsonville Store Opening a Blast
10. Buddy Bucks
11. Moving
12. Feed the Hungry, We'll Waive Your Late Fees
13. About This Newsletter
14. How to Reach Cruzio (Dial-in or Tech Support)
1. Cruzio's 9th Annual Small Business Fair:
"Succeeding on the Web Today & Tomorrow"
When making decisions we often look for examples of what
others have done so we can learn from their experiences, the bad and the
good. This year's Small Business Fair allows you to do just that
when it comes to building or remodeling your business' Web site.
Join us Wednesday, November 7 at The Museum of Art & History
where we've invited some top notch speakers to tell you how they're
using Web 2.0 to power their Web sites, drive traffic and find new audiences.
You'll also enjoy a tasty dinner from Alfresco Catering,
wine tasting from Silver Mountain Vineyards, our always
exciting raffle, and the opportunity to mix and mingle with
other local business owners.
Visit http://smallbusiness.cruzio.com to learn more and sign up.
This event has sold out the past 3 years. Register early
to get your seat!
2. Take Our Survey -- Help Change Cruzio's Web Site
http://www.cruzio.com is one of the most popular sites in
Santa Cruz County (28 *million* hits since 1997). We've had a lot
of fun with our Web pages over the years, using them to reflect
and serve the community we're a part of.
Every so often we assess the latest and greatest Web technology
and upgrade our site. A change to our home page is in the planning
stages right now, and we'd love to get your opinions: What do
you like? What don't you like? What would make it more useful?
Let us know.
Take the survey, it's only 5 questions
http://tinyurl.com/2pqcvh
Thanks for your help.
3. Three Great Hands-on Classes This Month:
One Night Web Site
Set Up Your Online Store
One Night Web Site -- Advanced
We've set up lots of classes this month, anticipating that
families and small businesses will want to get their Web sites ready
for the holidays. Just think of saving time (and trees) by putting your
holiday newsletter online, or making extra money by selling your
products in your very own online store.
If you'd like to create a Web site for your business, hobby or family
with the latest tools, try "One Night Web Site," where talented
instructors Mike and Chris will guide you through the process of
organizing and actually building your site -- you set it up right there,
while they advise and help.
One Night Web Site, Thurs Oct 18th, 5:00 - 8:00 pm, $199
Only one seat left! Register today.
Add a shopping cart to your site with our next class and start
earning money over the Internet. The instructors (Bruce and Jessi)
will help you install a shopping cart on your actual pages -- either a
Web site you already have, or one you set up right there in class.
Set Up Your Online Store, Tues Oct 23rd, 9:00 - 11:00 am, $149
Seats still available. Register today!
You're welcome to repeat hands-on classes: the cost is reasonable
and there's always more to learn. But if you don't want to go over the
initial instructions again, try our One Night Web Site Advanced class
for the next steps. In the advanced class you'll continue working with
our great instructors to move your site further forward, add more
features, and work out any problems you've run into.
One Night Web Site Advanced, Thurs Oct 30th, 5:00 - 8:00 pm, $149
Seats still available. Register today!
All the above classes will take place at our downtown Santa Cruz
classroom, at 903 Pacific Avenue, across from the Metro bus station.
We'll be using cutting-edge software (Joomla!) which comes free with
a Cruzio Website Plus or Premium account, and ShopSite, which can
be added on.
Check our class schedule in item 8 below, and for more information
and registration please visit
http://classes.cruzio.com
See you in class!
4. Behind the Scenes at Cruzio: The Spanish Team
We live in an area where many people speak Spanish to their families
and friends. In some parts of Santa Cruz County, Cruzio often finds
that people are more comfortable working with us in Spanish than
in English. So we've offered Spanish customer service for over 10 years.
Cruzio's Spanish team members -- Jessi, Gershom, Jaime, Diana, Juana and
Loren -- work in every department at Cruzio. They are an extraordinarily
talented bunch who work at the high standards we expect at Cruzio
-- except in two languages. (Reminds us of Ginger Rogers, dancing
partner of the famous Fred Astaire, who they say did every step Fred did --
only backwards and in high heels).
If you're a language person or a writer it is quite interesting
to watch them work. Since the vocabulary of the Internet is brand new,
you can see the words developing in Spanish as well as English. When are
the terms multi-national? When do both English and Spanish use the same
metaphors? And what Web sites have other people put up in Spanish? The
choices are often different and sometimes better.
Web Hosting
Translation: Hospedaje Web, or "Web lodging"
Junkmail
Translation: Correo No Deseado, or "Undesired Mail"
Surf the Web
Translation: Navegar la Web, or "Navigate the Web"
Our Spanish Web site is http://www.micruzio.com and if you'd like to
speak to a Spanish tech support or salesperson just call us at 831 459-6301
and choose Option 1. And please join us in applauding the
sometimes difficult and always dedicated job the Spanish team at Cruzio
does. We are lucky to work with them and we believe our customers are
lucky, too.
5. Gizmo of the Month: iTrip
Heading out on the highway, looking for adventure? These days, you'll
want an iPod with you. It used to be the passenger's job to balance
music player, holder, and speakers on his or her lap so that the driver
could enjoy some tunes. Or you'd be forever fiddling with the radio dial
trying to get the thing to work. But now the iTrip dock lets you play the
iPod through your car radio with a lot more grace and -- dare we say it?
-- aplomb.
Unlike earlier docks, the iTrip makes it easy to find and permanently
set a broadcast frequency so that you need only pop in the iPod to set
your system into sonic motion.
Does Cruzio sell the iTrip? Yes, we do. In fact, our Sales Manager James
insists we tell you about the iTrip right now because it is such a great
deal. It's on the Web for $49.99 but we're selling it for $19.99.
It is a cool-looking, sleek piece of equipment. Why, it might even
make a nice gift.
6. Intro to the Internet Class in Watsonville This Month
If you're reading this newsletter, you're probably able to
navigate the Internet pretty well. But you may have a friend
or relative who's having trouble getting started. Cruzio
offers easy, low-pressure classes with Gershom, our Watsonville
store manager. He'll show students the basics: how to connect
and use a mouse, how to set up email and what to do if something
doesn't seem to work.
Admission to this class is free! Let us know you're coming by
calling 831-722-6200.
October 22: Intro to the Internet in English, Watsonville
Class will be held at
25 E. Beach Street, Plaza Vigil, Downtown Watsonville
7. Myanmar Government Cuts Off Internet Access
In a demonstration of the power of the Internet, the government
in Myanmar chose to fight rebellious monks by cutting off public
Internet access.
Until they did so, a few weeks ago, photographs, descriptions
and even films of street demonstrations and the ensuing crackdown
could be seen around the world. Their (now restored) communication was
silenced, and we could only guess at what was happening. News reports
say that it was easy to cut off access because there are only two
Internet providers in the whole country.
8. Class Schedule Through November
October
October 18: "One Night Web Site" Hands-on class, Santa Cruz
October 22: "Intro to the Internet" in English, Watsonville
October 23: "Set Up Your Online Store" Hands-on class, Santa Cruz
October 30: "One Night Web Site Advanced" Hands-on class, Santa Cruz
November
November 7: 9th Annual Small Business Fair, The MAH, Santa Cruz
November 8: "Free Software Alternatives" Brown Bag, Santa Cruz
November 13: "Introduction to the Internet" Hands-on class, Santa Cruz
November 15: "One Day Web Site" Hands-on class, Santa Cruz
Check http://classes.cruzio.com for the latest information
and to sign up. Dates or topics occasionally change.
9. Watsonville Store Opening a Blast
Last month we celebrated our new Watsonville location with a big
party. Customers and passersby dropped in to enjoy free pizza, cake
and beautiful fruit -- the bounty of our downtown Watsonville neighbors.
We ate delicious food, gave away big raffle prizes, and enjoyed
the sunny Sunday. The most fun for us, though, was watching people get
on the computers and start surfing, especially the kids. Our rental
computers are brand new and extremely fast.
If you're in the neighborhood and want to check email, pay a bill,
or say hello, please stop in. We're in the heart of downtown
Watsonville (we like old-fashioned downtowns) at 25 East Beach Street,
across from City Plaza Park in the Plaza Vigil.
10. Buddy Bucks
Do you know someone who'd enjoy using Cruzio's fine services?
Recommend us to friends, family, colleagues: if a new customer
gives us your email address, registration number, or full name when
they sign up you'll get $10 credit to your account. If two friends
sign up, $20. Three friends, $30. It just goes on and on.
11. Moving?
If you are moving your home or office, please contact Cruzio.
We're here to help the Internet portion of your move go smoothly.
It's best to let us know several weeks ahead of time, especially
if you have DSL or if you're cancelling a phone line. We can often
save you from an interruption in Internet service and prevent
costly fees -- but you've got to let us know. For more information,
please see
http://www.cruzio.com/services/highspeed_access/move_dsl.html
12. About This Newsletter
Cruzio doesn't like to waste bandwidth with extra email, but we sometimes
have events and announcements that users need to know about. This seems
like the most efficient way to let people know what's happening. Hope
it's helpful. Please email support@cruzio.com with any comments or questions.
By the way, we would love to have a regular, predictable schedule
for this newsletter...but we simply do not send it unless there is real
news enclosed. Thus the haphazard datelines.
13. How to Reach Cruzio (dial-in or tech support)
To reach the Cruzio Information Center, for online technical and
sales information:
http://www.cruzio.com/support
To dial in to Cruzio, set your software to dial one of the numbers
below (note: we've expanded and joined modem pools, so you may be
using another number. If so, don't worry, it still works just fine).
Dialup (in Santa Cruz County): 459-9408
Nationwide Dialup: Look up local number on our Web page:
http://www.cruzio.com/support/dialup_isdn/nationwide_numbers.html
or call Cruzio toll free, 1.800.303.3302
To call Cruzio:
459-6301............Use this number to check Cruzio's system status,
pay your Cruzio bill, find out more about our hours and location,
or to reach someone in customer service and technical support.
722-6200 .......... Cruzio's number in Watsonville.
To send email to Cruzio, use one of these addresses:
support@cruzio.com ......for technical support
office@cruzio.com .......for billing and ordering information
Cruzio's locations:
Santa Cruz: 903 Pacific Avenue, Suite 101, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Watsonville: Plaza Vigil, 25 E. Beach Street, Watsonville, CA 95076
Cruzio's hours:
Sales hours: 10am-6pm, Monday through Friday; 10 am - 2 pm Saturday
Technical support: 8am to 6pm, Mon to Fri, 10am - 2pm Saturday
System monitoring, including customer-alerted emergencies, 24 hours
per day, 365 days per year (leap years, 366 days)
Thanks very much from Cruzio:
Chris, Peggy, Julianne, Mark, Paul, Gershom, Jessi, James,
Juana, Nikkie, Mike, Don, Bruce, Brian, Westi, Andrew,
Jaime, another Chris, yet another Chris, Diana, Jake, Tommy,
Loren, Shawn and Zachary;
our awesome interns, Melinda and Anna
Jake, Annika, and Carly (the kids)
"Her moods are changeable, but they're adorable." Carly, age 10, talking
about her cat.
