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Thursday, January 15, 2004
Toral: Lovecats get business
By Janette Toral
Digital Filipino
MORE FOR LESS. For a lot of entrepreneurs today, the 2004 outlook is very conservative. As times are tough, customers are becoming cost sensitive and want more for less. This is the insight I got from Jan Alvin Pabellon, managing director of Ecommsite Solutions (http:/ www. ecommsite. com).
In 2001, along with friends, Jan put up Ecommsite Solutions handling Linux migration, CD-Rom based multimedia applications, website development, mobile, and custom software projects.
In the past, companies bought software licenses and even paid monthly retainer fees to consultants for maintaining their systems. Nowadays, businessmen ask, what is the tangible value of your offering? What is the business benefit and return on investment?
Jan believes IT is now treated as one of the many strategies in business rather than just an enabler. “It doesn’t mean that just because you have IT, you are already competitive.”
As companies want more for less, small software development shops are now giving more emphasis on quality, process improvement, and in moving up the value chain, by coming up with high-end services like back-end IT solutions management. For cost-conscious customers, open source based solutions are being looked into by service providers as well.
Jan believes this is the best time to start an IT business as there’s no other way to go but up. Looking into offshore markets is suggested.
CONNECTIONS. Nothing beats networking in catching up with old
clients and friends to explore potential business.
Internet communities today have evolved.
A Davao-based photographer and graphic designer friend, Chris Cubos, tells that through Friendster.com, he was able to get clients. For advanced community applications, try MySpace.com.
For networking with people seriously looking into doing business, Ryze.com and LinkedIn.com are recommended by peers in the industry.
With 2004 being an exciting and uncertain year, it is imperative to hold on to your network of contacts and make yourself as relevant as possible.
Tim Sanders, author of the book “Love is the Killer App,” shares that the secret to winning business and influencing friends is by becoming a lovecat: Offer your wisdom freely. Give your address book to everyone who wants it. And always be human.
He believes that knowledge, networks and compassion generate long-lasting value.
Of course, this needs to be done with smart business sense.
(Janette welcomes readers’ comments at janette@ digitalfilipino.com.)
(January 15, 2004 issue)
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