Leading executives, managers, and experts from small and midsize businesses and large enterprises share their insights and perspectives with bMighty on a host of IT issues, challenges, and opportunities that SMBs face.
As director of worldwide small and midsize business solutions at Microsoft, Glauco Ferrari has witnessed companies suffering because of the economic crisis. But he's also seen smaller businesses take it upon themselves to find new ways to rise above the recession. Ferrari describes the mood among small and midsize companies, explains how they can use technology to be competitive, and offers up why customer service is such an important practice.
bMighty: What are some non-Microsoft solutions you recommend to smaller companies?
Ferrari: It's important for smaller companies to understand what Internet portals and forums exist for their industry and in their market and be mindful of where and how they are represented. There are a growing number of tremendously impactful Web sites and networks targeted at a local level, such as Yelp.com or Angie's List, that customers use to find and compare everything from pet breeders and restaurants to accountants and health care providers. E-commerce sites such as Amazon are also making a concerted effort to provide a marketplace for a wide range of products and services. Many smaller businesses can have a positive impact on their image through nothing more than a Web browser. For the more ambitious companies, there are a wide range of solutions and services from hosting companies and developers who specialize in helping small and midsize companies create e-commerce strategies.
Search our database of 200,000 solution- provider locations by business activity, technology, vertical market, and customer size. Find a technology partner NOW.
