News | January 25, 2008

Three Technologies That Help Small Businesses Take The Headache Out Of Holiday Rush Periods

A gift doesn't count unless it arrives on time, and popular holidays often strike panic in the small businesses that employ half of the U.S. workforce. Doing their part for Cupid or the Easter Bunny can overwhelm even the best-prepared small business owners as they try to keep customers happy and stay organized during their busiest times of the year. To keep one step ahead of the holiday rush, more and more small businesses are turning to technology.

For many small business owners, technology causes more problems than it solves. However, a new crop of technology has popped up that meets the three key requirements for widespread use by even the smallest companies: outstanding customer support, ease of use, and low cost.

Ridgely Evers, owner and operator of DaVero, a small producer of olive oil, wine, and artisan foods in Sonoma County, California, knows this better than most. In addition to being a small business owner, he is also the visionary behind the original QuickBooks, probably the most successful small business software of all time. His new venture, NetBooks, which provides a complete business management system for small companies, was designed with the three key requirements in mind.

Evers knows that when switching to a new product or system, the price to a small business owner is much more than a dollar amount; time, disruption of operation, dissatisfied customers, loss of revenue, and the frustration of having wasted time and money in a bad choice. Especially in the case of controlling holiday madness, technologies have to be road-tested and worth the investment. His top three recommended technologies:

  • First, a used laptop with Microsoft Office; a web browser (he likes Firefox better than Internet Explorer, so loads both); Adobe Acrobat; Anti-virus software; automatic backup (Backup for Workgroups is a great product) and Skype (for instant messaging and occasional outbound calling). Evers recommends a laptop over a desktop, because very few people in small businesses are tied to a desk, and even if they are, smaller is generally better. In particular, he likes the ThinkPad T-series laptop from IBM/Lenovo for its great keyboards and top-quality components. While the new generation T-60s can cost well over $2,000 plus tax and shipping, you can buy used T-40s in great condition for just $600. Even though they're a little older, they still have plenty of power for most small business users.
  • Second, because nearly all small businesses have broadband internet, Evers recommends seeking out the new generation of on-demand, or Software as a Service, products. Many powerful software products are now delivered this way, which means no installation is required. This also provides the benefit of continuous, incremental software improvements without the need for upgrades. This typically also means that sensitive customer data is protected in a hosting facility -- a much safer environment for business-critical information than on a local hard drive. In addition to NetBooks, there are several on-demand offerings that provide essential functions to business success, which can be crucial during peak times:
    • PayCycle is a dependable, affordable payroll service operated completely over the web. Trying to handle a rush of orders while also preparing for year-end or for tax season is a recipe for disaster. Having this all in order before a holiday rush saves a ton of stress.
    • VerticalResponse is an email marketing provider that lets businesses proactively sell for holidays or other peak seasons in advance. Not only does it help maximize sales, but it also helps set expectations for inventory and production requirements. It's also a great way to communicate with customers about deadlines for order placement, to guarantee timely shipping before major holidays.
  • Finally, a wireless internet card is great purchase because it not only makes anyone into a mobile worker, it also serves as a backup in case DSL fails right at the busiest time of the year.

So, if a combination of bookkeeping software, spreadsheets, notebooks and sticky notes is the current method of business operation and organization, taking advantage of technology can save not only time and money, but also stress and customer relationships. In the long run, that means greater business success.

Five Costly Shipping Errors and How to Avoid Them with NetBooks

  1. Transcription Errors
    • Even an address valid and verified by UPS can be for the incorrect recipient (i.e. Apt. 12 vs. Apt. 21 in the same building). With NetBooks' recent integration with UPS, data for web orders is entered directly into UPS order forms, and for wholesale orders, it's the same data set as customer data housed by the sales team.
    • The result is a package to the proper customer, on time.
  2. Expensive Reshipment and Loss of Revenue
    • If a shipment goes to the wrong address, a replacement has to go out often overnight erasing the profit margin.
    • Shipping a second batch assumes the first will be returned, and even if it is, it has often suffered wear and tear.
    • In the case of perishables, this error can be ruinous.
  3. Ship without Payment
    • Especially during the holiday season, customers might spend beyond their limits, risking nonpayment if a credit card is declined after a package is shipped NetBooks pre-approves credit cards, ensuring payment.
    • Because invoicing, shipping, inventory, etc. are now synchronized within NetBooks, business owners never face shipping product for which they don't get paid.
  4. Computer Failure
    • Because NetBooks is web-based, customers' shipping data is stored online, making it accessible from any computer that is connected to the internet – any time, not matter what happens to your machine.
  5. Tracking Troubles
    • When a package is shipped, NetBooks automatically emails the UPS tracking number to the customer, and generates a packing slip.

About NetBooks
NetBooks is an integrated system that manages sales, email marketing, customer and vendor relations, production and inventory, fulfillment and shipping, bookkeeping and reporting – all in one convenient place online, without breaking the bank. The company launched September 5, 2007. To learn more about NetBooks, go to www.netbooks.com.

SOURCE: NetBooks