The sensible use of technology is illustrated by the following examples:
- Telecommuting with links fast enough to work well. One of the reasons companies are backing off from telecommuting is that they often didn't invest in fast enough links to make the proposition viable. It would be a shame if the whole concept of giving employees some freedom to work from home gets a black eye because of some highly publicized and ill-planned implementations, but I see that danger.
- Network security. You would not believe how many small companies still don't have viable, sound data backup strategies in place, or effective antivirus measures. Some attention to basic data management, boring though it may be, is a key component of a technology implementation strategy. One fire or flood or earthquake won't put a big company out of business, but it surely could put many small firms out of business if they lose all their operating data.
6. Increase and improve your online presence.
Jay Conrad Levinson, chairman, Guerrilla Marketing International.
The most important trend is still the opportunity to market online, and I believe that's going to be the case for the next decade. I'd position my company as ultra-customer-oriented, quick to respond, able to get personal, and then I'd market my site all over the place. I'd make sure that contacting me is as easy as pie -- with e-mail, cell phones, pagers, and a toll-free number.
Tom West, publisher, Business Brokerage Press.
The Internet is, and will continue to change, small business. The small business, if it hasn't already, should be developing a Web site. If it has one, it should be continuously improving it. If it hasn't yet improved your business, it will.
To think that a small business can now reach customers all over the world -- and at very little cost -- is mind-boggling. To think that small business can contact a customer almost instantaneously is awesome. The World Wide Web allows the small business to be part of the global economy, to give excellent personal customer or client service, and it provides the tools to compete in today's business climate, in which businesses seem to just be getting bigger and bigger.
Jakob Nielsen, Web usability consultant.
The Internet provides great potential for niche businesses: if you specialize at being very good at something very specific, the Internet expands your reach so that you can connect with customers worldwide. Globalization is an important element of this trend, especially for small businesses that provide virtual products and services (i.e., those that can be delivered over the Net). For example, in my own case, I publish a series of reports on Web usability at www.nngroup.com/reports and the distribution of sales for the last three months is as follows:
USA 40%
Canada 4%
Latin America 2%
U.K. 16%
Rest of Europe 25%
Asia 8%
Australia/NZ 4%
Africa 1%
More than half my sales are outside North America. This proves two things:First, it really is true that a targeted business can have substantial sales overseas. Second, since my topic happens to be how you should design your Web site, the huge demand from overseas shows that they are getting into the act. With the Web, business is international. Deal with it.
Barbara Weltman, attorney, author and lecturer.
The most important trend I see affecting small business is the increased use of the Internet to simplify tax obligations. Small business can now pay taxes online, file quarterly employment taxes online and obtain vital tax information online. The IRS, the Department of Labor, the Small Business Administration and some states are working to develop one-stop filing for employment taxes (called the Simplified Tax and Wage Reporting System or STWRS) -- one quarterly return for both federal and state employment tax purposes.
For small business owners who handle their taxes, this trend means spending less time on taxes -- time available to run the core of the business -- as well as greater certainty that tax obligations are being satisfied -- avoiding costly penalties and interest. For small businesses that use accountants or other tax experts to handle tax matters, this simplification can translate into fee reductions.
Small business owners can learn about e-file opportunities at www.irs.gov/smallbiz/index.htm and STWRS information at www.employers.gov.
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