With today's technology, it is now easier than ever to run your small business virtually. I remember reading about a company on the Inc. 500 list that had $46 million in revenue and over 100 consultants, that did not have a physical office. How cool is that? The three founders conducted interviews in Starbucks. Most of us have seen the Starbucks interview in progress.
So below I share some thoughts on virtual small businesses and cover a few of th technologies that enable lean small companies to conduct business on a larger scale -- such as having employees/contractors that are located around the world and phone and Internet systems that allow them to be reached anywhere. A virtual business is the kind of business where it doesn't matter how big you are or where your office is or how many employees are under your roof.
Web-based email systems enable all company personnel to have the same email look and feel, regardless of where the individual is working from or whether the person is full-time or part-time. Other virtual Internet-based systems such as virtual merchant credit card transaction terminals can be set up to allow particular individuals to take credit card information but not allow them access to make changes or provide refunds, thus maintaining the integrity and security of your company's credit card processing. These virtual terminals also provide a built-in layer of extra protection now required by Visa and Mastercard, that many small companies don't have the systems or personnel to install and regulate themselves.
Internet based phone and conferencing systems are crucial to enabling a large-scale virtual business. A good system will assign various extensions while linking Individual offices, employees, or independent contractors' phone lines to one central number so the connection process seems seamless to an outside caller. With the conferencing system, company personnel can call in from around the country or world cheaply, allowing virtual team calls and promoting team cohesion.
For integrated sales and customer service, a web-based customer relationship management service is crucial. All sales representatives and designated customer service personnel can update and manage their leads/prospects/targets, current, and past customers, their interactions with them, and any marketing campaigns related to the targets. A web-based CRM system is typically purchased on a per user basis and enables all users, including management, to see who has responsibility for what customers, when these customers or prospects were contacted, and where they are in the sales process so there is no oversight or overlap.
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