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What "E" Can Do For Your Business
That one small letter, added to words like commerce and business
to indicate electronic activity when the World Wide Web first
emerged as a commercial limb of the Internet is still forcing
changes everywhere. Companies of all sizes are still struggling
with how, when, and where to adapt to the new business demands
and realities that little "e" imposes.
Confused? Think words like "force" "struggle" and "demand" are a
little extreme when talking about an "e"? It may just be a
letter, and a little one at that, but the impact it's had on the
world has been tremendous--and we've only seen the beginning.
When "e" was added to commerce, many companies blithely ignored
the addition and the Internet. Either they didn't sell products
"suitable" for sale online (how do you download a bulldozer?) or
their businesses were wholly local (how do you guarantee hot
pizza delivery halfway around the world?). So they thought they
were safe. No more. The official online dictionary of Internet
terminology, Webopedia, says that services are in fact, one of
the most suitable products for e-Commerce.
When "e" was added to business, it did more than redefine the
word. Instead of referring strictly to the "purchase or sale of
commodities", conducting business online now includes the sale
and delivery of services, enhanced customer service, improved
communication with clients and vendors and streamlined business
operations as a whole. The "e" in e-Business stands for more
than electronic, it also means efficiency.
When "e" was added to mail, email quickly proved itself to be
the "killer application" that currently brings more than 700
million people online regularly. In less than a year, that
number is expected to swell over one billion people worldwide.
Clearly more than a fad or frill, email has significantly
improved our ability to communicate. It allows businesses to
operate more efficiently, reach more customers and respond to
them faster than was ever possible before.
When "e" was added to learning, it sparked a revolution. Once
online, and after they have managed their share of the 30
billion emails sent each day, more of those 700 million people
stay online to dig for information than any other activity. They
access traditional training, or educational materials of many
kinds to help them do their jobs, but they also conduct primary
or secondary market research online.
Businesses the world over have adopted e-Learning to reduce
training costs, improve the timeliness and relevancy of their
training material and educate geographically dispersed
workforces and sales teams.
"...99.5% of small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) believe
having a website is very or somewhat important to their overall
business success in the coming year."
When the "e" was granted to consumers, the balance of trade
power shifted forever. It empowered buyers with--literally--a
world full of choices. Individual and commercial buyers have
been "e"-powered with several fast and easy ways to reach them
all. Today's e-powered buyer can order their pepperoni pizza
online from the pizza parlor around the corner, then order a
customized multi-ton construction vehicle from a manufacturing
trade partner's secure Intranet while they wait for their food
to be delivered.
Unfortunately, many of the businesses who stand to gain the most
by fully integrating an "e" of their own haven't done so. It's
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not that they still believe they can get by without--at
least--having a website, they know they need one. Surveys by
Harris Interactive and other research firms show 99.5% of small
to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) believe having a website is
very or somewhat important to their overall business success in
the coming year.
The real challenge for the business owner who has not yet added
the "e" to their business, or for one who has added an "e" that
isn't working well, is finding the right e-Solution provider.
Clearly the average SMB owner cannot be expected to select the
right technology tools to meet their business needs on their
own. Practically speaking, unless you're in the Internet
technology business yourself, there's no need for you to carry
those core skills in-house.
Working with a trained and dedicated Internet Consultant who
understands not only the technical jargon, but when and how to
use these applications can make all the difference to your
success. An Internet Consultant will help you uncover the "e"
activities that could have the biggest impact on your business'
bottom line. They're experts at analyzing a business,
implementing the right "e" strategy and maintaining the Internet
Solution to achieve measurable results.
That way you can focus on what's crucial to your business'
ongoing success, like attending to your customers' needs and
growing your new e-Business.
About the author:
Ricardy Banks is a Certified Internet Consultant with WSI and
has over 20 years of experience in the IT industry. WSI Internet
Consulting & Education rbanks@easywsiwebsol
utions.com
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