Questions & Answers:

Do you want to put your shop, or business, on the Web?

• You want to get a new Website online quickly?

  Options:
  - Cloud Computing Services (e.g. www.SalesForce.com) offer a FREE Website Option.
  - Use a FREE CMS like Wordpress or Drupal (i.e. CMS = Content Management System).
  - Use a low-cost Interactive Web Service like Intuits Site
  - Cost Minimal : Domain Name Registration, and Hosting Fee.
  - Useful Web Directories :
  ==> NiceOne Internet Directory
  ==> Free UK Small Business Web Directory & Website Guide
  - Want help? Contact me.
  

• You need to explore the Web options available - before you make a decision?

  Options :
  CREATE YOUR OWN WEBSITE :
  - Cloud Computing Services (e.g. www.SalesForce.com) offer a FREE Website Option.
  - Use a FREE CMS like Wordpress or Drupal (i.e. CMS = Content Management System).
  - Cost Minimal : Domain Name Registration, and Hosting Fee.
  WEB SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE (SAAS) :
  - Find a Web Software Service, which meets your requirements, and reduces Costs.
  I would be happy to discuss the pros and cons of the various options.
  

• You are unsure about the time, effort and steps required to commission a new site?

  Options :
  The time and effort involved depends on;
  - The particular Site design you have in mind?
  - Are prepared to use a standard design, template or theme?
  - What kind of services you need on the site? (e.g. Payment Methods etc)
  - What type of Product or Service Catalogue you may need?
  Send me an outline of your requirements, and I will provide a brief assessment.

• You need to find a Web Application which matches your business requirements?

  Options :
  Web "Software as a Service" is becoming more common;
  - Google Searches will turn up various candidates. (Look for "SAAS".)
  - Look for well known Brands or Products, such as QuickBooks or eTapestry.
  - When you have a list of potential products, you need to evaluate them carefully.
  - Look for flexibility, customisation options and a sliding scale Fee Structure.
  - See my example.

Do you need help with your existing Web Site?

• You need to make changes easily to your own site?

  Options :
  CMS or Content Management System = "You make the changes required!"
  - You may want to consider moving your site onto a CMS like WORDPRESS or DRUPAL.
  - Alternatively, you may want a CMS function tailored to your needs.
  - The effort involved would depend on how your existing site has been built.
  - REMOTE WORKING OPTION : YES. (= Less Cost)
  

• You need to add a payment method to your Internet Shop Site?

  Options :
  A variety of payment methods are now available.
  - Paypal enables payment using a Credit Card or a Paypal Account.
  - Credit Card Payments are offered by various service providers. (e.g. Realex and Elavon)
  - Laser Card & Credit Card Payments are now been offered by some providers.
  - SEPA : Single Euro Payments Area; enables EFT Debits and Credits across Europe.
  - "Use My Bank" is a NEW provider, enabling payments from a Bank Account.
  - Various FEE Structure are available.
  - Find the one that suits your stage of development, and can grow with your business.
  (See Web Payments Blog)
  

• You need to reduce the cost of the payment methods you are using?

  Options :
  Monitor the new offerings via an appropriate News Feed; (e.g. See Web Payments Blog)
  - Laser Card Payments are offered by a new low-cost Irish provider.
  

• You need to improve the quality of your customer data?

  Options :
  - Address Data may "be cleaned up" by reference to a good Database, with intelligent tools.
  - Address validation may be built-in to your Web page, using a Database, or a Web Service.
  - Similar approaches are possible for telephone numbers, and email addresses.
  

• You want to collect & analyse data about the visitors to your site?

  Options;
  - Most good Web Hosting Services automatically collect such data.
  - This data may be automatically extracted, to use for analysis in Excel etc.
  - Add "Google Analytics" to your Web pages, to take advantage of the Google Analysis Suite.
  - Your website may be customised to gather your own statistics.
  

• You need to reduce the time you spend maintaining your catalogue of products?

  Options;
  - There are good Product Catalogues available, to automate this process.
  - Usually there a License Fee is charged for such a catalogue.
  - ICECat has a FREE "Introductory Offer" - See Demo Page
  - There are also good Tools available, if you need to build your catalogue from scratch.
  - I can help you make sense of the various options available.
  

• You need to re-design your layout?

  Options;
  - If your Site has made good use of CSS and HTML, this will be a minor task.
  - If NOT, appropriate use of CSS and HTML, should be applied to your site.
  - If you are already using a CMS, libraries of layouts are usually available.
  - Google "THEMES" for Drupal or Wordpress. (Or your CMS.)

• You want to add some interesting graphics or animation - perhaps a movie clip?

  Options :
  - A minor task, suitable for remote work.
  - Such work may be done without Adobe Flash, or Dreamweaver.
  - Let me know what you have in mind.
  

• You want your site to provide news about your products, interests or industry?

  Options :
  - News is provided automatically, from a variety of sources.
  - Often it is provided in the form of an RSS Feed (XML Format).
  - A relevant NEWS Feed may boost the Sales of your products.
  - These feeds may be easily included in an existing web page.
  - I would use some simple PHP routines, to enable this functionality.
  - See Irish Independent Demo page.

Do you need help integrating your Website with the rest of your business?

• You want your Web Site sales to automatically update your Accounts Receivable?

  Options :
  - As an example "QuickBooks" provides a variety of interface & integration options.
  - Large entreprise solutions are provided using software like iBolt.
  - I can help you build these interfaces and integrate your Accounts package with your site.
  

• You want to spend less time collating sales into orders for your Suppliers?

  Options :
  - When a Customer buys a product online, you need to contact your Supplier?
  - With increasing Sales, this can mean alot of work for you.
  - Integration could reduce the effort (=Cost) required.
  - Automation :
  - All your sales are automatically collated into Orders for your Suppliers.
  - The Orders are automatically emailed, and, or interfaced to your Suppliers. (e.g. HP)
  - Automation & Integration can save you time and money.

• You want to spend less time arranging shipping of your products to your customers?

  Options :
  - When a Customer buys a product online, you need to contact your Shipping Agents?
  - With increasing Sales, this can mean alot of work for you.
  - Integration could reduce the effort (=Cost) required.
  - Automation :
  - All your sales are automatically collated into Shipping Requests for your Agent.
  - The Requests are automatically emailed, and, or interfaced to your Agent.
  - Automation & Integration can save you time and money. (e.g. Fedex)

• You want to integrate your Stock Control system, with your orders, sales and deliveries?

  Options :
  - As an example "QuickBooks" provides a variety of interface & integration options.
  - Large entreprise solutions are provided using software like iBolt.
  - I can help you build these interfaces and integrate your Stock Control with your site.
  

Do you need to increase your systems capacity, without increasing your costs?

• You need a more responsive database with no limits?

  Options :
  
  - MySQL : An Oracle equivalent Database Engine is available to you Free of Charge!!
  - Most Hosting Services include MySQL as a standard.
  - MySQL may be used to Serve your Web Site, and your internal Business/Office Applications.
  - I can help you harness the benefits of this amazing FREE resource.

• You need a more reliable Web server?

  Options :
  
  - Apache is a FREE Open Source Web Server.
  - Apache powers the majority of the World's Web Sites.
  - Apache may be used to Serve your private Intranet, or public Sites.
  - I can help you harness the benefits of this amazing FREE resource.

• You need quicker response times for your staff and customers?

  Options :
  - I would recommend use of resources like Apache and MySQL.
  - Avoid unnecessary Hardware upgrades - Use these resources.
  - These resources are FREE Open Source products.
  - However, depending on your Load, your hardware may need to be upgraded.
  - I can help you harness the benefits of these amazing FREE resources.

Do you need to select new software for a business process?

• You need help making sense of the many options available?

  Options :
  - I have alot of experience of Software Package Evaluation.
  - My objective would be to find the most Cost Effective Solution.
  

• You cannot find a system to meet your needs?

  Options :
  - You need to make use of Software directories such as the one linked here.
  - I have alot of experience of Software Package Evaluation.
  - My objective would be to find the most Cost Effective Solution.
  

• You need help managing the implementation of a system you have selected?

  Options :
  - I have alot of experience of Software Package Implementations.
  - I have alot of experience of Project Management.
  

• You feel the only solution is to develop a new system for your business process?

  Options :
  - You should be very sure before you start down this path..!!
  - Maintaining your own Software can be more costly over time..!!
  - Challenge yourself with arguments like this one?
  - Consider adapting your requirements around a Software Package.
  - I can help with this kind of review.
  - But, I would be delighted to design & develop a new system for you.

Do you need to streamline your business processes?

• You need to review your business to identify bottlenecks?

  Options :
  - I have alot of experience of business process analysis..
  - I can help with this kind of review.
  

• You need to eliminate duplication of effort because existing systems do not share data?

  Options :
  - As an example "QuickBooks" provides a variety of interface & integration options.
  - Large entreprise solutions are provided using software like iBolt.
  - I can help you build these interfaces and integrate your Systems.
  

• You need one system to replace a complex mixture of systems which has evolved?

  Options :
  - There are many Entreprise type solutions, which integrate multiple business processes.
  - You should find one which can easily scale-up with your business growth.
  - A good example would be SAP.
  - At PJ Carrolls & Co, I managed a migration from a legacy IBM solution, to SAP R/3.

Please Contact me to discuss any of these issues.