| Let's face it... when starting a new business | | | | more. There is no infrastructure needed as the |
| money needs to be spent judiciously. Often that | | | | service runs over the internet so there's nothing |
| means technology suffers. But technology is the | | | | to buy other than the service. |
| grease that makes your business run smoothly. It | | | | Of course, we must discuss PCs and servers. |
| makes sense, then, to spend your technology | | | | What business could run without them? Is there |
| dollars wisely. Here's how. | | | | an alternative? Of course. With today's technology |
| First rule... don't buy what you don't need. | | | | many providers are offering virtual desktops or |
| Do you really need the full blown edition of | | | | application hosting. The advantages of this are |
| Office? Or will the basic edition work for you? Do | | | | many. But first, let me explain how it works. |
| you even need to buy a productivity suite? | | | | All your data and applications are kept on servers |
| Today there are free or very affordable versions | | | | in a datacenter. You access them remotely thru |
| of productivity suites available for download and | | | | the internet. You can use a web browser, a |
| as web applications. Examples of these are | | | | remote desktop software client or use a dumb |
| OpenOffice (free download), Google Docs and | | | | terminal. They look and behave just as if you |
| Spreadsheets (free web app) and Office Live | | | | were running them on your desktop. Sounds |
| (monthly web subscription). | | | | good, but it gets better. |
| Second rule... don't buy it if you can rent it. | | | | Because they are accessed remotely you can |
| What about a phone system? By now everyone | | | | work from home, the road or the office. You can |
| has seen ads for Vonage. It's an excellent choice | | | | open an office or hire someone to work from |
| for new businesses. It's affordable and you can | | | | their home in another town, state or country and |
| even take your Vonage box with you when you | | | | not have to spend a fortune setting up the |
| travel. Hook it up anywhere with a highspeed | | | | infrastructure. You can use your existing PC or |
| internet connection and your calls will be delivered | | | | you can buy a terminal which costs anywhere |
| just as if you were in your office. But there are | | | | from 40% to 60% less than a PC. You pay for |
| drawbacks. Specifically, Vonage doesn't work so | | | | this service monthly per user and you get your |
| well in a multi-user environment. Thankfully there | | | | software licensed, updated and managed. Support |
| are alternatives. | | | | is also included. You don't have to buy servers or |
| RingCentral is one. RingCentral is an online virtual | | | | server software. Your data is kept in a secured |
| PBX that can cost as little as $9.99 a month. For | | | | environment. And you get to write the expense |
| a small fee you can get either a toll-free or local | | | | off as an operating expense, not a capital |
| number anywhere in the US. When a call comes in | | | | expense. |
| the caller is greeted with either a canned or | | | | Great spiffs, but the real benefits are much, |
| custom greeting. What happens next is up to you. | | | | MUCH lower startup costs, knowing what your |
| You can create different mailboxes that will | | | | costs for computers, software and support are |
| reroute the call to your home, office or cell | | | | going to be each month, knowing your |
| phone, receive faxes, take messages only, etc. All | | | | infrastructure will be safe and professionally |
| done with customizable rules, you can have calls | | | | managed and being secure in the knowledge that |
| ring all your numbers at once or sequentially, ring | | | | your organization will be poised, technologically, to |
| a whole department or just about any imaginable | | | | compete with and be as flexible as your |
| combination or configuration. They even offer | | | | competitors. |
| VoIP (voice over IP) to help you save even | | | | |