The Common Business Applications With Involving Internet

The Internet is a powerful tool that can make your business more productive and profitable. Business Link states that when the Internet and email are used effectively, they help you streamline business activities, communicate more efficiently with customers and even generate new customers or clients—all while helping to reduce business expenses.

Email

Email – electronic mail is a powerful feature of internet which can utilized for business communication. It’s very fast and reliable moreover this service is freely available from many email service providers. The Internet makes it easy to stay in contact with your customers via email and online networking tools such as discussion boards, chat room.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)

Like what it is named after, VoIP is a communication service available for free as long as you have an Internet connection. This is a great saving way for both micro and macro businesses. But you have to remember that only VoIP-to-VoIP calls are free of charges. For VOIP calls to any regular phone line, you may need to make a subscription or you simply need to pay a fee for the call.

Virtual Private Network (VPN)

VPN can be setup even if you are subscribing to the cheapest broadband package. Basically, user can access into a remote network through a secure tunnel when they are on the same connection called the Local Area Network (LAN). This can be really convenient especially when you are not in your office or are on a meeting with a client because you can access into your company's server, mail and files whenever you need it. Reach a worldwide audience The Internet is a worldwide network allowing you to reach people even very expensive advertising could not.

Provide product information

Give customers direct access to information about your products. Some people prefer to learn about products on their own. The Internet has an unsurpassed ability to make information about your company's products or services available to potential customers. It also provides the information when the customer wants it (now).

Save on literature costs

Providing the information online reduces the need to print and mail product literature, thereby resulting in significant cost reductions.

Level your customer service load 

How many customers are turned away unsatisfied when your customer service lines are busy? How often do you have slack times when customer support personnel are not handling calls but still cost your business money? E-mail provides "asynchronous communication" that can help level the load. Customers with problems that do not require immediate attention can send an e-mail message through your Web site which can be handled when support people are not busy. Telephone-tag is eliminated for your customers, and you.

Inexpensively create/augment your corporate image 

It is easy and inexpensive to define your image on the Internet, whether you are a one-person-company or a large corporation. If your company information changes rapidly due to market forces, there is no easier way to change your image than electronically.

Recruit new employees

Many companies (now nearly all), provide current information about job openings online and attract talented people from places they could not reach otherwise.

Provide your service on-line

Many products and services can be delivered over the Internet. Online services will become an even brighter option for many businesses. Since the transaction is electronic, billing and inventory control can be automated, increasing accuracy and reducing your accounting and product storage costs.

Give customers access to searchable information

Computers on the Internet allow companies to post information in the form of static Web pages. But, with some of the latest software (or some clever programming) , these computers can also help your customers find the information you are providing quickly. Federal Express created an award winning Web site that allows customers to track their packages. In doing this, Fed- Ex is providing a useful customer service while also promoting their product (service).

Help customers understand why they need you

Another thing computers do well is provide artificial intelligence, expertise, or analysis. The Internet allows you to deliver custom software applications and extend your expertise virtually. Suppose you manufacture thermopane windows. A spreadsheet application could allow potential customers to determine how much money they would save in energy costs if they installed your windows. A financial services company could allow potential customers to analyze their investments in light of a financial service the company offers.

Let customers try a sample of your product or service

Many new Web tools are becoming available that will allow consumers to try out a sample of what you have to offer before they buy. Gain a competitive advantage by offering a "test drive" of your product or service.

Eliminate the middleman

Middlemen exist in some industries where there are barriers to direct contact between producers and consumers. The Internet is a vehicle for removing these barriers. This lowers prices for consumers and increases profits for producers.

E-Commerce 

E-Commerce is the exchange of goods and services involving financial transactions over an electronic medium by utilizing information and communication technologies. As the development of technology electronic devices and connectivity are getting cheaper, and more and more people are using internet so e-commerce is gaining widespread popularity.

Online shopping 

Online shopping or e-shopping is a form of electronic commerce which allows consumers to directly buy goods or services from a seller over the Internet using a web browser. An online shop evokes the physical analogy of buying products or services at a bricks-and-mortar retailer or shopping centre; the process is called business-to-consumer (B2C) online shopping. In the case where a business buys from another business, the process is called business-to-business (B2B) online shopping. The largest of these online retailing corporations are Alibaba, Amazon.com,and eBay.Retail success is no longer all about physical stores. This is evident because of the increase in retailers now offering online store interfaces for consumers. With the growth of online shopping, comes a wealth of new market footprint coverage opportunities for stores that can appropriately cater to offshore market demands and service requirements.

Online Banking

Nowadays banks provide almost all the services available from branch through their online banking portal such as fund transfer, opening a fixed deposit, requesting for cheque book, payment of loans, etc... Online banking service is beneficiary for both customer and the bank. For a customer through online banking facility get the chance to use the baking facility 24hrs despite the bank’s working hours. Customers don’t have to travel to the branch to avail banking services. For banks through online banking they can largely save on staffing and infrastructure cost. In online banking the customer themselves does the clerical job with the help of a well designed website. For online banking there is no infrastructure cost, cost is only for the website which is comparatively less