| Small and medium businesses tend to use information | | | | businesses will benefit greatly from haveing an |
| technnology for what they percieve as being | | | | accounting package. Quickbooks is the old standard |
| absolute necessities. That's not a bad approach but it | | | | and still one of the best around. Your accountant will |
| can cause you to miss opportunities to grow your | | | | appreciate it too.5. Computers less than three years |
| business and save money Without a budget that will | | | | old.I know it may be running just fine but with the |
| support a chief technology office or experienced | | | | cost of new computers well below $1000 and the |
| director of I.T. how do you know what you really | | | | speed increases over the last few years you can't |
| need? We're here to help!1. A reliable backup of your | | | | cost justify keeping around an old computer.6. A |
| dataWhile it may seem obvious to most of the small | | | | document management processThis doesn't have to |
| and medium businesses we visit this is just not the | | | | be a software application that costs thousands of |
| case. Just having a tape drive and backup software | | | | dollars. But you should have a standard process for |
| is not enough. You should test your backup on at | | | | keeping critical or often used company documents in |
| least a monthly basis. It doesn't need to be a | | | | any easy to access location on your computer or |
| complete restore all of the time, just pick out a few | | | | preferably file server. It's one of the easiest ways |
| files and see if your I.T. staff can restore them. If | | | | there is to boost productivity and the bottom line. |
| you use outside consultants it's worth the money to | | | | How many times have you spend searching for that |
| have them come in and test your backup on a | | | | old proposal to use as a template?7. ERP |
| quarterly basis. It shouldn't take more than two or | | | | SoftwareERP is an acronym for Enterprise Resource |
| three hours and you'll sleep better.2. Sales automation | | | | Planning. What that really means is anybodies guess. |
| softwareNot only does it allow your sales people to | | | | For our purposes we're going to define it as |
| stay on top of potential leads, it helps you to stay | | | | software that is specific to your business and helps |
| on top of your sales people. For the SMB market | | | | you to create and deliver your product or service. |
| there are dozens of applications that you can run | | | | The reality of the situation is that it can be inventory |
| locally on your network or you can use one of the | | | | management software, or a spreadsheet that shows |
| on-line providers like 3. A decent web siteIt really | | | | the number of units shipped, or lawns cut. Be |
| doesn't matter if your business cuts grass or makes | | | | prepared to customize anything you buy off the |
| transmissions for tractors you should have a website. | | | | shelf because it can be an aggravating process. But |
| And don't let the secatary's sixteen year old son do | | | | when you have it the amount of data available to |
| it, get it done right. It doesn't have to be expensive. | | | | you makes planning for the future a whole lot |
| Sites like have hundreds of templates specific to just | | | | easier.Eric Gurr |
| about any business. They look great and they're | | | | Senior Editor SMBresource |
| easy to use.4. Accouting softwareOk this is pretty | | | | |
| much a no-brainer for any medium sized business and | | | | To reach Mr. |
| most small busineses. But even the really small | | | | |