Many small business people are bewildered by new technology coming into the business world.

Data FX Online’s Steve Cannard said businesses were taking advantage of developing technologies to increase the quality, functionality and security of their networks.

“Increasingly they are moving from traditional broadband internet connections,” he said.

“The main concept is the use of ‘private IP’ networks that do not route information over the internet.

“This method is inherently more secure, but also allows for higher quality networks that mean businesses can deliver services that were not feasible before.

“It includes voice-over IP, tele-conferencing and data services that allow the use of centralised service in a reliable and function manner.

“The ability to converge network and voice communications into a singe ‘data network’ is an undeniable trend in business and is what the private IP WAN is all about.”

Winner of this year’s overall Excellence Award for the Gold Coast’s best emerging business was an accounting system known as B-free.

General Manager Lisa Fletcher said B-free was developed for people with limited computer and accounting knowledge.

“B-free turns traditional accounting on its head with web-based technology and automated accounting processes,” she said.

“A new system has just been released that provides a revolutionary new way to prepare your personal income tax return and budget so that you can manager your finances from anywhere in the world via the Internet.”

Amanda Bozina, from the Xerox Business Centre at Bundall, said upgrading a telephone system kept business up to date with the latest technologies such as ISDN digital phone lines, voice mail, call accounting and VOIP.

“Missed and uncollected messages can be a thing of the past with integrated digital voice mail, allowing your business processes to improve and with it, your productivity and service levels as well,” she said.

“Missed and uncollected messages can be a thing of the past with integrated digital voice mail, allowing your business processes to improve and with it, your productively and service levels as well,” she said.

Tim Tocco, from eh Telstra shop at Westfield Helensvale, has advise on business savings.

“Recent change in business mobile tariffs offered by Telstra and some other carriers has added a new dimension to the communications mix and is having a huge impact on business,” he said.

“The change invoices free calls between intra-account mobiles. We have already seen major changes in industries as diverse as boat manufacturing, factory production and radio stations in which staff walkie-talkies are being replace with mobiles.

“There is now the opportunity to include an add-on hardware component, which is effectively a box with mile SIM cards in it.

“The mobile cards act as normal phone lines and are arranged in a hunt group.

“then the phone system is configured in such a way that when calls are made to staff on mobiles, they route free of charge via the box and when staff on mobiles phone the office, they are received via the mobile hunt group and are again free of charge.”

Deborah Barclay, from Barclays Business Systems, said that for anyone starting a new retail business, the Microsoft Retail Management System was great value and easy to use.

“It has features which actually help increase sales, as well as reduce cost and losses, and is a great system for retailers with multiple branches, she said.

“For the hospitality industry, our store has an amazing new touch screen system which is easy to use and has features that help solve many problems that restaurants and bars frequently have.”

Source: Gold Coast Bulletin, 16/12/2005