|
Thanks to all of you who commented on last week's
article '10 Elements of a Successful Web-Site'
I am specially grateful to our friends in Iran who
wrote ' In our company every employee waits for your e-mail to read
new things' (Mr. Taheri, AHTM Co)
Many of you have requested to discuss more fundamental
issues - home site, e-mail communication, accepting credit card
payment, how to find information from Internet etc. There are a
few who have asked more fundamental question like 'is Internet all
hype ?'
We shall do our best to answer all your questions
in future issues of this newsletter. Our aim is to discuss issues
that a manufacturer or exporter faces while using Internet for business
purpose, in a jargon free, simple language.
However, in this issue let's discuss the more fundamental
question - Is Internet useful for your business ? Should you spend
time and money on it which may prove to be a hype in near future
? After all, there was no Internet even 5 years back and everyone
happily did business. Then why such a fuss now ?
Let's put it this way - what happens if you do not
care about Internet ?
None - if you feel technology is not going to touch
your life in any way, like a monk in a remote Himalayan cave.
You ignore it at your own peril. For, what happens
if you do not use telephone, fax, photocopier ....? Well, you still
do things as your competitors do though in a vastly inefficient,
inferior way. Others in your field will be able to do much more
in far less time than you do, leading to significantly more productivity
(and profit !) than you.
To put things in proper perspective - it is not the
sheer number of computers that are connected through Internet or
technology involved. It is the power of millions of people who are
behind these computers that are creating not ripples but tidal waves
For, never before in the history of human civilization
so many people from so vastly different places and societies freely
interacted with each other. What we are witnessing today is a massive
transformation in our society and outlook. Thats the power of technology
that touches our everyday life no matter how much we may agree/disagree
or like/dislike it.
Such a fantastic societal force is bound to influence
many more areas of our life than we care to think about - entertainment,
media, jobs, trade, commerce are few of the areas that are set to
change irrevocably with advent of Internet and its associated technologies.
It is not just desirable but essential that you understand
the power of this latest societal force and make necessary changes
in whatever you do.
For, your refusal or reluctance to spend time, money
and resources in understanding and using this powerful force may
help your competitor leave you behind. Someone rightly commented
'Business is like riding a bicycle, you have to continuously move
ahead - for stopping on the way means falling on the road'
Related Links:
Source: FAIDA
- Newsletter on Business Opportunties from India and Abroad
Vol II, Issue 12; August 16' 2001
Author :
Dr. Amit K. Chatterjee
(Amit worked in blue-chip Indian and MNCs for 15 years in various
capacities like Research and Information Analysis, Market Development,
MIS, R&D Information Systems etc. before starting his e-commerce
venture in 1997. The views expressed in this columns are of
his own. He may be reached at amit@infobanc.com
) |
|
