Archive for August, 2008

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Good ebusiness practices for vendors

Thursday, August 14th, 2008

Looking for a growing niche in the economy to grow an online business? Look no further than your neighborhood. Many small businesses are looking to examine the opportunities presented by the Internet and e-commerce; however, they do not have thousands of dollars to spend on software and hosting plans. That is where the small business entrepreneur enters the picture.

The sole proprietorship offers the small business person the opportunity to explore e-commerce without the higher costs of larger organizations. There are some basics to remember when dealing with the small business person:

  • The small business person does not understand the Internet and e-commerce. This is a very important concept to remember, because many small businesses will create requirements that conflict with the purpose of a web page. Flashy ads should be kept for print advertising and not constitute the entire page.
  • Do not make promises you cannot keep. Take for instance the small business person wants to place a short video clip on his or her web site. Do not promise to perform the service only to find out they want you to create, edit and present the video. Up-front pricing is another good method for avoiding conflicts.
  • Validate all materials. Validation will ensure the web page is viewable in ALL browsers and not ostracize someone using an older version. Remember, viewers of a web site are customers.
  • Justify your expenditures. Do not supply the small business with tools they do not need or cannot work on their own. It is not fun to receive a call at 2 AM from a customer because he or she cannot figure out how to make a change on their site. (Remember: Many small business owners are going to expect you to support your work 24/7 and do not want to pay an hourly rate for you to make modifications.
  • Present the small business owner with ALL the materials. A problem with many information technology providers is insecurity. Holding back passwords and account information may result in a court case as the small business owner sues you to obtain the information he or she purchased from you. If you are worried about the small business person making a “mess” of their web page, then place in the “Rights and Responsibility” a clause that explains to them you will only restore the site to the way it was presented to them when first posted.

These are just a few of the more important aspects to remember when dealing with the small business person.

Thoughts?

Mike Kniaziewicz, MIS

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Posted in E-Business Sense | 1 Comment »

What is an ebusiness card?

Sunday, August 10th, 2008

When I was talking to a merchant the other day, I asked if he or she had an ebusiness card. The response was “yes, I have a business card.” Our ensuing conversation led me to believe there is some misconceptions of what constitutes and ebusiness card. The obvious is that a business card is a 2” x 3” card that needs to be physically distributed to your customers, while an e-business card is one page on a web site that customers and potential customers can go to find information on your business. The amount of information and the availability of that information is where business cards and e-business cards part.

A business card generally only contains the business name, contact name and information, and possibly a logo. The issuer is required to carry a supply with him or her, so in the event they meet up with someone interested in their service or product they can present them with the card. The recipient is then required to email or call the phone number on the card to request more information or business hours.

On the other hand an e-business card provides a complete overview of the business, leaving very little doubt in the consumers mind as to their desire for your product. E-business cards are also accessible from any place the customer has access to the Internet. The e-business card is one page, so the customer only needs to be able to scroll to find information about your organization.

I feel the most important aspect of an e-business card is expandability. With an e-business card you can expand your organization to a global status and provide web-based applications for your employees. Don’t think you need web-based applications, think again. Say you are on vacation and need to check your appointment schedule for when you return. A web-based calendar can be viewed from anywhere you have access to the Internet.

Just think, with an e-business card you could potentially never have to sit behind your desk. You could be at a work site and also take care of pressing matters at the office, like approving contracts or getting your next appointment. Try getting that from you business card!

E-Business Juncture LLC offers affordable e-business cards. We can get you started for as little as $49.99. Check out our offer at:E-Business Juncture .

Thoughts?
Mike Kniaziewicz, MIS

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Posted in E-Business Sense | Comments Off on What is an ebusiness card?

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