What Internet means for medium sized companies

Youth use Internet to operate their businesses. PHOTO BY RACHEL MABALA

What you need to know:

Today’s competitive business environment requires small and medium sized companies to use fast Internet, Progress Chisenga writes.

Internet speed, reliability and affordability are the first things that come to mind when a company owner thinks about contracting an internet service provider.
Imagine a situation where an urgent e-mail with a large attachment is coming through from a prospective customer. You should fill out the incoming document online, because the details are required as a condition for your small business getting the deal within the stipulated deadline.

It is a lucrative deal, worth several thousand dollars, on which you and your partner have spent months putting together. You watch the download bar as it crawls along and grind your teeth in anger. It is moments like these when you realise your company is using an insufficient Internet connection and in today’s competitive business environment, this can spell disaster.

Imagine the amount of money companies could save while using affordable and fast Internet to conduct their business. One of the constraints to using Internet by SMEs is the fact that many company owners are not aware of the benefits gained when their businesses are run with the support of Internet services. Some of these include delivering urgent company work on time, convenient and easy communication to clients, both near and far within the shortest time possible among others. To achieve these benefits, companies and their clients need to be sensitised about the above.

Internet service providers such as Vodafone Uganda have taken steps in this initiative through creating strategic partnerships with companies such as Nation Media and KPMG in the Top 100 Mid-sized companies’ survey. It is through avenues like these that the telecom gets a deeper understanding of what challenges medium sized companies are facing and offer tailor-made solutions that mitigate these risks. This initiative also provides an interactive platform where companies get to understand the role ICT plays in daily business operations.

Vodafone Uganda also offers Internet devices such as Dedicated Internet Access bundled with the Even Boost router and group pulled accounts which facilitate a nonstop high-quality internet experience. All these solutions aim at bridging the gap between customers, suppliers and partners.

So, ask yourself this; is doing business in the slow lane working out for me?
If not, then I suggest you log onto the fastest 4G network there is to boost your business. In short, you have the power to help increase your company’s productivity, collaboration and customer satisfaction.

Progress Chisenga is the marketing director, Vodafone Uganda.