Small Business and the Web: Disruptive Technologies
An exciting article describing some of the work Agentic was in the Globe and Mail on November 16th, 2006.Click here to read a copy (JPG)Here’s an excerpt:With fewer resources and less marketing heft, leveraging the new tools of technology can mean the difference between thriving and being left behind.ÊGranville Island in Vancouver is a unique confluence of art, tourism, community and commerce, and when they wanted to create a website that accurately reflected that essence, they sought the services of Djwa Communications (now Agentic Communications).ÊPhillip Djwa, Agentic’s founder and CEO, is a seasoned guide in the world of Web 2.0, the second-generation web defined by community, interactivity, and low-or-no-cost services; he’s helped to create online strategies for many organizations, including the Canadian Interactive Alliance (Ciaic.ca), a national group of new media industry organizations, and Tourism Burnaby (Tourismburnaby.com). And as befits a web leader, Mr. Djwa is always on the lookout for technologies that give Agentic the broadest reach and most efficient operations.ÊAgentic is a largely virtual organization, with a team of project managers, programmers and graphic designers who work offsite much of the time, and who serve clients around the world in both urban and rural communities. In order to communicate effectively and economically with each other and their clients, the company uses technologies that include VOIP (voice over internet protocol) and open source call and customer relationship management software. “If I miss a call, I receive the voicemail as an e-mail on my computer, which is very handy,” says Mr. Djwa. “Call forwarding and virtual conferencing is managed by open source software, available for the cost of installation.Ê”These technologies make my communication with my clients faster, more responsive and less expensive. In a global economy, success is achieved through increased communication. If you’re doing business with Toronto, the three-hour time difference is manageable Ð but if you’re doing business with China or Indonesia, it can be a killer. You can collaborate using e-mail, but it isn’t secure, and that is a growing issue.”ÊAgentic now uses Groove, virtual office software developed by Lotus Notes developer, Ray Ozzie, which allows companies to set up a secure workspace that operate as if all participants were in the same location. “If I’m working on a project document,” says Mr. Djwa, “I drag and drop it into Groove. When I’m online with our workgroup, we can Ôsee’ each other, and any documents we want to share are immediately there, at a high encryption level.” Groove also has features such as chat, virtual meetings, messaging and functions that track business decisions and timelines. (A 2007 beta test version is available at groove.net.)………ÊAccording to Mr. Djwa, the technologies that will disrupt traditional business processes and create a new generation of success have a common thread. “People are no longer just shopping for information or products online Ð they are looking for and creating communities.Ê”When a new business prospect comes to you today, they’ve been to your website. They’ve pre-qualified themselves; it’s a tremendous cost savings.”ÊÊ
- Author: Phillip Djwa