Africabiz: Trading and Investing in Africa: Vol: 1; Issue: 3

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CONTINUATION OF AFRICABIZ VOL: 1; ISSUE: 3
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With the year 2000 almost upon us, and the dreaded Millennium Bug about to follow the Dodo into extinction, perhaps now is the ideal time to consider the huge advances made in Information Technology and how these advances can benefit your business in the 21st century.

Not all managers, even those at the top, can view the future through the eyes of an oracle. The words of Thomas Watson (Chairman of IBM, 1943) - "I think there is a world market for maybe five computers. " Is a far cry from today's claims of "All businesses use, or will use computers" - predictions echoed constantly by IT Specialists, Government Ministers and futurologists everywhere.

Are you taking these predictions seriously? You should! In whatever form they evolve, computers are the way of the foreseeable future; they are coming anyway so you should welcome them. Businesses that do so and willingly embrace the power of today's technology will enjoy enormous advantage over their more 'traditional' contemporaries.

Your first step in joining the 'age of technology' should begin with a question: How can I make technology work for me - accounting, marketing, administration, production, development? The answers are manifest and lead swiftly to step two, which is of course, buy your computer. Although swamped by variety, managers will experience few pains when buying the actual 'box'. Today's market leaders offer reliable, easy-to-use and staggeringly powerful machines at prices no one could have envisaged only a few short years ago. The final step is the procurement of software and computer services. These are the dangerous fields buyers must tread carefully: here today and gone tomorrow outfits; pirates that sell everything but expertise and support, and of course the friend that 'knows computers' - they are all there, veiling the real skills that success demands. Locating the software package or computer service that is 'right' for your business can be a nigphpare and many managers, exhausted or unhappy at the cost of such searches, succumb to the pressure of time and accept products that... 'will do'. Yet there is no need for anyone to settle for second best; there is a truly amazing array of solutions available. Off-the-shelf products, modular packages (easily adapted to client requirements), bespoke solutions, Consultants, Internet developers, systems designers, IT training, disaster recovery, authoring - literally thousands of proven products and services - and there are a number of ways open for companies to find them:

* Consultants - IT Consultants offer expertise. From location and testing of products or services to design, provision, installation and support of complex company specific applications they provide comprehensive and accurate advice and information. The downside to engaging such expertise is of course the cost. Charges, usually daily rate per consultant, can run from £400 to £2000 and above - and one must bear in mind that the consultant's role is very often that of the 'middle man', and the 'provider's' costs must also be taken into account. Added to that, is the problem of locating the consultant that can actually offer the expertise you require - in many cases this exercise can prove every bit as difficult as locating the product or service you require in the first place.

* Internet Search Engines - Wonderful tools without which the WWW (World Wide Web) would be rendered practically useless. All of them, 'Alta Vista(tm)', 'Yahoo', 'Infoseek' and the rest do a great job... unless your ISP is handling large volumes of traffic - at such times the WWW is best referred to as the 'World Wide Wait'. That said, the information you want is probably there waiting to be found and search engines are more then capable of finding it. The task can be daunting though... e.g., ask 'Infoseek' for a listing of 'software' sites - at the time of writing this article, the response was a discouraging 17,353,519 sites. Of course, with practice, and more specific requests, one can whittle this figure down to more manageable proportions. However, the searcher can still find him/herself faced with hundreds, if not thousands, of sites to browse through in search of the required product or service. Perhaps the most annoying factor one has to contend with when using search engines is the overuse of 'forms' in place of detailed contact information. It is infuriating when, after spending hours (sometimes many) locating the ideal product and completing the obligatory form, one receives a reply informing you that, that particular provider is located in some obscure part of the world and that the product you so painstakingly selected is not available at your location. Search engines, although relatively inexpensive to use, can take a large lump of time out of a manager's working week!

* CD-ROM - The Computer Software & Services 2000 CD-ROM, available from Learned Information is a comprehensive guide to the UK IT industry. Listing over 5,000 companies and 12,000 products it is an extremely useful reference tool for the industry's heavy user, i.e., Solution Providers, Resellers and Consultants. However, at £470.00 including online updating services for one year, this excellent tool is probably too expensive for occasional use by companies seeking a single software product or a particular computer service. Product and service profiles are somewhat heavily weighted in favour of technical information.

* Computer Megastores - In today's marketplace Computer Megastores are to be found in most major towns and cities - doing to the local computer shop what the supermarket chains have done to the local grocer. It is the way of today's world, and when one looks at what these giants, such as 'PC World' and 'Time', have to offer it is difficult to argue against them. With pre-configured machines, shelves piled high with peripherals and add-ons, thousands of 'shrink-wrapped' software packages, plus networking and support services the Megastores seem to offer everything the SoHo (small office/home office) and leisure market could ask for. Companies seeking industry specific software, technical applications or specialist services will probably not find what they want in the Megastore. Also, quality of support services and technical advice depends on the availability and ability of staff at a particular location and can vary. Too often the customer is faced with hours of waiting whilst the instore 'experts' wander around in apparent bewilderment.

* Direct Sales - Like the Computer Megastores, Direct Sales outlets such as 'DIRECT focus', 'SMC direct', 'Insight', and 'Software Warehouse', supply both a huge variety of hardware and peripheral products, and the full range of 'shrink-wrapped' software. Pricing is very competitive and next day delivery is fast becoming the norm. Sales and management are usually helpful and for the most part offer good advice on the products that they sell. The disadvantages of buying from a direct sales company can be, insufficient technical support (buyers may find themselves 'referred to the manufacturer' when problems occur), lengthy phone calls when seeking support (one rarely has the problem with sales, but when asking for support it seems that the caller is always placed in a queue), and the inevitable delays incurred when faulty goods have to be repaired or replaced.

* Provider's Solution - An increasing number of software product and computer service providers are adding their expertise to a new online service: the 'Virtual Community of Software Providers' (VcSP):

A growing community, with members around the world, the VcSP provides a unique link to today's IT solutions by offering detailed profiles of all member's products and services at one address on the Internet: http:// www.vcsp.com

A specially written, in house facility helps the user to search the database and all product/service profiles give access to full provider details. A powerful back-up service is also provided for users who cannot locate the product/service that matches their requirements. In such instances 'VcSP User Services' will carry out an advanced search on the users behalf .

To take advantage of this service one has to complete the 'Requirements' form on the VcSP web site http:// www.vcsp.com (or alternatively, supply details of requirement via email: michael@vcsp.com or fax: +44 (0)870 055 8884 ). Optional registration is an additional feature for users, but it is worth consideration.

Responding to managers and owners, who have stated that "it is good practice to stay 'up-to-date' and maintain an awareness of what the marketplace has to offer", VcSP will 'e-mail' details of new software products that have a particular relevance to all registered businesses. Perhaps the most unusual aspect of 'VcSP User Services' : http:// www.vcsp.com is that they are provided without charge!

As we depart the 20th Century one thing is certain; the business arena will become even more competitive. The advent of the 'open all hours' Internet and the rapid growth in online buying will allow more and more businesses to select their suppliers from an ever-widening global marketplace.
Staying on top of your market, or even just keeping up, will be vital and information will play a major role in every business. Selection of software that meets the needs of your business could be the key that opens the door to future success!

Michael Boldy, Community Administrator, confirmed: "VcSP's FREE services are sponsored by the 'Virtual Community of Software Providers' to both protect the end-user and provide a swift and efficient gateway to software products and computer services."

Full details: http://www.vcsp.com
Email: michael@vcsp.com
Fax: +44 (0)870 055 8884

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