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IDEAS ? a framework for e-business Success ECommerce Articles | July 29 Authentic Alvin Kamara Jersey , 2003
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IDEAS ? a framework for e-business Success

At its core Authentic Marshon Lattimore Jersey , e-business is a simple proposition. Businesses interact with customers through various channels such as retail stores, phone, print, television, instant messaging and ATMs. Leveraging interactive channels like the Web can drive down costs Authentic Tre'Quan Smith Jersey , expand markets and create new revenue opportunities. For businesses that have mastered the interactive channel, there is plenty of good news. The Web is faster and more economical than traditional business channels, and offers new ways to interact with customers. The Web also is the most measurable medium ever, enabling savvy businesses to improve products, build customer relationships and identify new revenue opportunities. By the numbers Authentic Marcus Williams Jersey , the e-business future looks especially promising:

 According to research firm eMarketer, business-to-consumer (B2C) spending, a rare bright spot in the current economic doldrums, is expected to top $126 billion by 2004.

 A B2C record of sorts was set during the 2002 holiday season when shoppers spent more than $2 billion online in a single week.

 B2C numbers are encouraging, but represent only a small fraction of business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce. eMarketer estimates that B2B spending will reach $2.4 trillion by 2004.

 The growth of e-business is also expected to drive spending on interactive advertising to $63 billion by 2005 Authentic Michael Thomas Jersey , according to Forrester research.

These numbers may seem surprising to those who counted e-business out after the well-publicized dotcom flameout and continuing tech-sector blues. But perhaps the most surprising aspect is not how far e-business has come, but how far it may go. Neither B2C nor B2B transactions have reached even five percent of total transactions in their respective markets.

Obviously there?s ample opportunity for organizations who want to expand their businesses from traditional to interactive channels such as the Web. In fact, many customers now expect to have the option of choosing to transact business via the Web or switch between channels as they please. But while the goals of e-commerce are simple, achieving them is not. There?s no magic formula to ensure that businesses can profitably leverage the Web to support and enhance other customers channels.

Technology-driven changes

The Web has fundamentally changed the way business works. In less than 10 years, leading organizations have reinvented the way they communicate Authentic Drew Brees Jersey , collaborate, buy, sell and create processes to take advantage of powerful and affordable Web technology. Technology also has spread from the back office to every business unit throughout the organization. Companies with more advanced technology strategies have leveraged Web-based tools such as portals and intranets to interact more effectively with customers, vendors and business partners.

And though advances in Internet, PC and network technologies have created unprecedented opportunities to control costs and improve business process Taysom Hill Jersey , many companies are struggling to find ways to apply technology to business challenges. Though technology clearly will continue to be a key business driver and competitive advantage, many organizations have no strategic plan for its implementation. Surprisingly, many businesses continue to apply technology on a piecemeal basis, implementing various solutions around the organization as needed. Without a comprehensive technology strategy, many businesses are unsure whether they are spending technology dollars wisely.

The most successful businesses of the digital age are those that understand the confluence of business and technology?how to apply emerging technology to business processes to get things done faster Chauncey Gardner-Johnson Jersey , with less expense and with fewer mistakes. Considering its importance, there seem to be few guidelines or best practices information available on the strategic application of technology to business challenges. While many organizations already transact businesses on the Web, many have failed to turn a profit and worse, some have damaged customer relationships by providing unreliable or poor-quality service.

Although each business is unique, all businesses can benefit from a adopting a structured approach that taps into the body of knowledge we?ve accumulated from the e-business successes and failures to date. At BusinessTechKnowledge Erik McCoy Jersey , the methodology we use to increase the effectiveness of e-business initiatives is called IDEAS. This paper presents a high-level outline of the IDEAS process that can be used as a checklist for emerging and expanding e-businesses.
IDEAS for e-business success

E-business success requires more than setting up a shopping cart and accepting online payments. Today?s leading e-businesses generally have succeeded by adapting products to the Web channel and strategically integrating the Web with other customer channels. Using a methodology that integrates the design, development and marketing components of e-business can help control costs and improve your chances of success on the Web. The IDEAS e-business method includes five phases: