Internet-Changing the Way We Do Business Today most of everything has been replaced by some form of technology. Many people have lost their jobs due to a change in technology. When will these technological advances stop? Will everyone have to be replaced by robots or computers? How far will a company have to downsize before the company realizes there are not any employees left except for the ones operating the computers. As for the business field these days they conduct most of their work via the Internet. The Internet is changing the way business is being done. If used properly and efficiently then a business may be able to prosper of it.
I am going to be discussing how the Internet is useful and helpful for businesses, and some of the draw backs to the Internet. The Internet has several uses. Some uses include buying and selling products, visual aides, communication, ect.. The Internet has many uses in which to help businesses.
The biggest plus of the Internet is that businesses can look for possible new clientele, or entrepreneurs can surf the web on how they can start a business of their own. The web has many sites that offer help and advice to those interested in starting their own business. The Federal Small Business Administration website offers helpful tips on getting your business off the ground. “The Federal Small Business Administration has areas on its website on how to start your own business, financing your business, expanding your business, and commonly asked questions about businesses.”(Sreenivasan D2) Business also found that on the Internet they can buy and sell products.
This is an example of where technology replaces humans. Being able to buy products on the Internet means that the person who use to answer the telephone and turn in orders has lost his or her job. Why should a business pay him or her when they can sell products and services on the Internet. Thus resulting in less overhead costs and reduces in salaries. There are many reasons why one might consider ignoring the Internet. This all falls on the kind of person you are, you either accept technology or you are intimidated by it.
Technology is nothing to be afraid of but it might take a little time to get use to. Besides who ever said, “you can not teach an old dog new tricks!” One reason why people avoid the Internet is the fact that they are waiting for better technology. This is true, but most computers today are the best they have been in years. I believe that this is true, every computer product I have bought in the past couple of years is out of date.
“A computer is a like a car you would not have waited to buy a car twenty years ago because it did not have airbags or anti-lock brakes.”(Lousig-Nont 58). Same goes for a computer, when it gets out of date you just simply upgrade it to modern technology. Although the draw back to that is the high cost of upgrading a computer.
Secondly, very few people actually use the Internet. If you were going to sell a product or service you would rather market in a high traffic area like a mall than in a off the road strip center. The Internet is a high traffic area like a mall. The Internet has more than five million users and that is growing by two million a month. People think that buying products on the Internet can have a high potential for fraud.
This is a possibility but computer software companies are devising better security and safety measures to protect you from fraud. I can not trust the security measures on the Internet well enough to give out my credit card number. Another reason why one should ignore the Internet, people think that very few people actually own a computer. You may not own a computer but many people do. Therefore if you advertise on the Internet but you do not own a computer, a person can still get a hold of you via telephone, fax, or mail. If you add your address, telephone number, and fax number on your website then people can get a hold of you whether or not you own a computer.
You can make it easier for people to find your web address if you place it on anything ranging from television to business cards. It needs to be posted where ever your company name, address, and phone number are located. Besides if you do not know the web address then you can use a search engine which is a website used to help you browse the Internet. The last and top reason why people choose to ignore the Internet is they prefer to do things the old fashion way. In today’s business world one must keep up with the changing times.
If you do not then you have a good chance of not making it. I still prefer to do things the old fashion way, even though I beginning to use the Internet more and more. Something new for Internet users is the usage of cable lines instead of telephone lines. “A new high-speed Internet connection that has just arrived..
out paces phone access like a fire hose overwhelms a cocktail straw.”(“Internet Goes Cable”) With the use of cable lines the signal moves three hundred and fifty times faster than phone lines. I think that this is a wise move to go to cable lines since all the telephone lines are crowded. Thus causing your modem to connect at slower speeds and long download time. Images and video clips will appear instantly with out any download time. Before much longer you will be able to download CD’s and movies, that can be rented from cyberspace video stores.
As of right now the fees and equipment to run the cable Internet are costly, meaning that mainly businesses and computer buffs can afford it. These fees however are expected to go down as technological advances on cable modems, which take the Internet signal from the cable line and transfers it into computer signals. A problem that arises with cable lines is that there are several different cable companies. Where as telephone lines are controlled by few companies, and cable companies are in ever city and some cities have more than one provider. Nationwide there are only thirty-five thousand homes with cable Internet, that is only about one percent of people with access to the Internet. It is predicted that by 2002, three point two million people will be using cable Internet.
That is only six percent of all people with access to the Internet. Now it is all left in the hands of the people. They can choose whether they want to jump on the technology bandwagon or be an outsider to technology. Technology will continue to improve as the years go by. It is anybody’s guess on when all these technological advances will come to a halt. As for right now, jump on the information superhighway, the Internet that is!! Works Cited Claassen, Jeff.
“Internet Goes Cable.” Ventura County Star 18 Aug 1997 Lousig-Nont, Gregory M. “Top 10 Excuses for Ignoring the Internet.” USAToday Jan 1997: 58-9. Sreenivasan, Sreenath.
“Small Businesses Use the Web to Prospect For Customers.” New York Times 9 Sept. 1996: D2. Word Count: 1230
