New Jersey Enterpreneur - Small Business, Entrepreneurs and Venture Capital

Today, technology is a vital part of small business success. Taking advantage of the full breadth of the technology available to you can be very beneficial but also very daunting. Here we present a Small Business Technology overview that will help you to visualize and embrace the many resources and tools available to you.

This article intends to give you some food for thought and make you aware of the many options that are available.

Understanding your technology adoption style, from aggressive to conservative, and taking the time to learn a little about the many new tools that are available can be very rewarding.

We have written articles on some of these topics and plan to discuss the others in the coming months.

One important consideration in choosing hardware is how mobile you want to be. Many people are just opting for a notebook computer, PC or Mac. To this you can add a docking station with external monitor, keyboard and mouse and have the best of both worlds mobile and deskbound.

If you have an office with staff you may chose desktops because they are less expensive, but spend a few extra bucks and get a nice flat screen LCD monitor at least 19". It will improve morale and productivity.

To connect these computers you may want to invest in a server. But there are other options like shared storage devices, network printer servers, or hosted solutions such as Sage Peachtree Web Accounting, NetSuite, Sage CRM or SalesForce.com. These can eliminate the need for an office based server.

When it comes to printing we are not big fans of All In One/Multi-Function Devices that scan, print and fax. We feel these devices should be separate. Buy a good printer and a scanner. Use Internet Faxing. But if you are on a tight budget go for an All In One/Multi-Function Unit. We like HP the best.

To be fully functional add to the mix a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) or PDA Enable Phone. Our favorite in this category are the products by Blackberry. Integrate it with Outlook on your computer.

Another essential option in our book is a Business Card Scanner by Card Scan. This is a great tool and a networking maven’s dream device.

Lastly are phone systems. A great new innovation is what is called Hosted PBX. I have used one called Ring Central. This lets you create a full function phone system that makes you look like a big company with out the expense of an internal phone system. VOIP (Voice over IP) like Vonage and Skype can save you money but still suffer when it comes to quality.

Desktops Computers

• Large LCD Monitors

Laptops/Notebooks Computer

• Docking Stations

Servers, Shared Storage Devices, Printer Servers, LAN (Local Area Networks)

Printers, Scanners, Internet Faxing

PDAs/ PDA Phones

Phone Systems

• Premise or Hosted
• Ring Central, Virtual PBX, Skype, Vonage Free Conference Call Etc.

Card Scanner by Card Scan

Many of us simply take our operating system for granted. We ignore or hope for the best when it comes to security and back up. We accept the operating system that comes with the computer and whichever security applications come built in. Backup is an afterthought and is often neglected. Look into these areas more. Consider the advantages of choosing Mac over PC. Be selective about your security applications and be willing to pay for them. We recommend off-site back up. There are many services available that do this. You make it automatic and not have to worry, knowing your data is secure.

Google Search Words

Microsoft Windows XP and Vista

Mac OS

Linux / Unix

Security

• Anti-Virus
• Spyware/Adware Etc..
• Back Up

                 Internal

                 Off Site/Web

Firewalls

The world of the Internet has grown exponentially. This will probably be the focus of next months article. There is so much to say here. You should know each of the terms listed below. Use www.webopedia to look them up or Google. Learn all the great solutions and tools that exist for your business.

Have you checked out GoToMyPC or LogMeIn? You should. Have you read a Blog or listened to a Podcast about your industry lately? You should. Tried a Web 2.0 application like Google Calendar, Zoho Office Suite, or Linkedin? Check them out.

Connections, WIFI, DSL, Cable

Blogs and Podcasts

Web 2.0

Remote Access

Google Calendar, Zoho Office Suite, Linkedin

With all the tools that are available today you can have a complete Virtual Office, with no real estate, which looks and sounds just like any other office to the outside world. All you needs is a notebook, PDA cell phone, web site, hosted applications and hosted PBX. You can lease or pay monthly for them all. Hey I can see that beach now.

Another vast area which we will tackle issue by issue in future articles. Have you read our articles CRM 101 or Small Office Home Office Technology?

The biggest news in this area is hosted software, called SaaS (Software as a Service). It is the latest way to use software without the upfront expense and be able to access your software from anywhere you have Internet access. Sage Peachtree Web Accounting, NetSuite, Sage CRM or SalesForce.com are some examples.

In considering software you should consider your business operations first. Are you in a service business that requires scheduling and recurring billing? Do you sell products and need an order processing and inventory system? Are you in a specialized business that needs special software to track your unique business activity?

Start with your business operations software, then select the financial management / accounting software and CRM (Customer Relations Management) software that integrates with your business operations software.

Integration is very important. It may be more expensive and difficult at first but much more beneficial and cost effective in the long run.

SaaS

Business Operations Software

Service

Product

Retail, Wholesale, Web

Project Management / Job Costing

Industry Specific – Software for (Your Business Type)

Financial Management Software

Integrated

Easy / Secure

Marketing / Sales

Sales Force Automation

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Productivity

Microsoft Office

Google Docs and Spreadsheets

Quick Base

When looking at new products take a moment to consider your personal technology adoption style. Are you out on the "bleeding edge?" Always buying the latest and greatest; you pay the higher price that comes with the newest technology and take the risk of encountering the problems that are inevitable in new products.

Are you aggressive? Not a bad place to be, keeping up, but always a few months behind the latest release.

Are you moderate? Do you play it safe; adopting technology a year or so after release? This is also not a bad place to be.

Or are you conservative, waiting years before embracing new technology? This we feel is not a safe place to be, you will miss out on technology that can really improve your business. Should you move back or move forward in your style?

Peter Conway is Vice President of Small Business Services at SWK Technologies Inc. A regional value added reseller of Sage Software and full service provider of business technology solutions. He has been involved in designing and implementing small business technology solutions for small business for over 24 years.

If you would like to discuss this article or have comments to share contact Peter Conway at 973-758-6117 or peter.conway@swktech.com