| Best regards | | | | ? E-commerce |
| Thomas Burns | | | | 2. Information (data) management. Access to |
| Small Business Productivity: How to Take Your | | | | informationis essential in any company. Employees |
| Company to the Next Level through Efficient | | | | require access tomarket analysis, product information, |
| Technology | | | | customer information,and corporate information. |
| Small businesses thrive when productivity is | | | | Technologies enable smallbusinesses to manage |
| maximized. | | | | information in critical ways: |
| The best way to maximize productivity is through | | | | ? Information gathering |
| efficienttechnology. Business success is based on | | | | ? Information storage |
| having the rightproduct or service at the right price | | | | ? Information integration |
| at the right time andin the right place. Efficient | | | | ? Product information, including production, |
| technology for smallbusinesses probably will not | | | | inventory,specifications |
| create the next great productor service, but it will | | | | ? Remote access to information |
| help you with everything else yourcompany must do | | | | ? Real-time information on inventory, etc. |
| to get that product or service to marketand to | | | | ? Information sharing |
| deliver it to the customer. | | | | ? Reporting |
| Many small businesses fail because they do not | | | | 3. Product sales and delivery data. The key to |
| utilizetechnology adequately or efficiently. Key | | | | financialviability is management of inventory and |
| elements ofbusiness technology must interface, | | | | money. Sales andproduct delivery are critical aspects |
| function properly andmake employees more efficient | | | | of the success of asmall business. Whether your |
| in serving customers. | | | | sales team is on the road orin the office, whether |
| Critical efficiency areas for any business are | | | | your inventory manager in meetingwith vendors or |
| incommunication, information (data) management, and | | | | discussing a large sale with a sales rep,or whether |
| productsales and delivery. When these critical | | | | you need to know what functions should be addedto |
| efficiencies aresupported by the right technologies, | | | | a new product, you need instant access to |
| moving a company tothe next level becomes easier. | | | | productinformation. This information might include: |
| How can efficient technology help you move your | | | | ? Product descriptions and specifications |
| company tothe next level? Let's consider the three | | | | ? Sales statistics |
| criticalefficiency areas. | | | | ? Inventory levels |
| 1. Communication. Communication is critical for | | | | ? Products in development |
| anybusiness. Every company must communicate | | | | ? Customer sales history |
| internally, withvendors and suppliers, with sales | | | | ? Customer relationship data |
| outlets, and withcustomers. In this age of instant | | | | ? Production schedules |
| communication, everybusiness must know that at | | | | ? Customer needs |
| least key employees and companyleaders are | | | | ? Shipping and delivery information |
| accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Theworld | | | | ? Customer satisfaction data |
| has become accustomed to instant responses | | | | Efficient use of technology to manage these issues |
| toquestions, instant access to information, and | | | | ofaccessibility and data integration will make your |
| instantsolutions to problems. Communication | | | | businessoperate more smoothly and effectively. |
| technologies include: | | | | Choosing the rightsystems, the right programs, the |
| ? Cell phones, hand-held communication devices | | | | right accessibilityoptions, and effecting optimal |
| ? Internet visibility | | | | system integration, willprovide the communication, |
| ? Remote access to data | | | | information, and salesinformation every small business |
| ? Customer service access | | | | needs to succeed and grow. |
| ? Vendor/supplier access | | | | Thomas Burns, founder and CEO of Intelligent |
| ? Access to market trends and other data | | | | Networks |
| ? Access to data for competitive analysis | | | | Services (INS) has been an industry expert in |
| ? Web and video conferencing | | | | computernetwork and technology for over 20 years. |
| ? Corporate intranet | | | | |