By: AllBusiness.com

With the slogan, "Online since 1995. On bikes since 1971," it's clear that San Antonio-based Bike World is every bit as committed to using technology as it is to being the premier pro cycling shop in Central Texas.

"Bike World knows first hand, believes in and understands the business value derived from updated technology solutions," said Whit Snell, founder and owner of the retail chain.

While Bike World has always set itself apart from its competitors by using technology to be more efficient and productive, the company recently faced an issue that impacts many small businesses -- its dated and inefficient inventory tracking system was impairing customer service. Patrons didn't like the long lines, slow transactions, pricing errors and slow credit card processing.

These issues became a thing of the past after Bike World opened a new, state-of-the art store and replaced its outdated point-of-sale (POS) systems with Dell hardware and point of sale peripherals in its two other locations. In addition to getting customer service back on track, Bike World was able to effectively reduce the amount of out-of-stock products and share inventory between its three stores with automated inventory management. The system also allowed for more accurate employee performance tracking.

As it was for Bike World, relying on outdated technology is a widespread issue among small businesses. According to a 2005 poll conducted by the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB)^*, many small businesses use their technology systems for too long before deciding to upgrade.

"One of the biggest challenges small businesses face is taking complete control of their organization in three key areas: inventory management, customer tracking and transaction processing -- and then finding the right technology solution that suits their specific needs," said Melissa Hovey, manager of Dell's small business retail marketing team.

In other words, just as each small business is unique, so is their technology solution. And that's where companies like Dell can help.

"Dell understands that retailers' needs vary widely depending on the type of retailer they are -- specialty, restaurant, convenience," said Hovey. "Unfortunately, there is no cookie cutter POS solution that fits every business model. That is why we have dedicated retail specialists to help design custom retail technology solutions and develop an easy, step-by-step approach."

Dell worked with Bike World to develop a POS system for its three stores. It installed a new system based on Dell^TM PowerEdge^TM 2800 and PowerEdge 830 servers running the Microsoft Windows XP 2003 operating system and Microsoft Retail Management System software. It also purchased Dell touch screen registers, Dell OptiPlex^TM GX620 desktop computers running the Microsoft Windows XP Professional operating system, and Dell peripherals, including receipt printers, cherry keyboards, and countertop displays.

Setting up and installing a new POS system is relatively simple based on your software requirements. While many small businesses are able to do it on their own, Dell offers a help desk support service with every POS system to help walk companies through the set up. Additionally, Dell will factory install Intuit's QuickBooks Point of Sale software which is a great fit for many types of retailers.

Is it really worth the investment?
When a company aligns its IT goals with its business objectives, it inevitably saves time and money.

More importantly, an updated POS infrastructure can help small businesses build stronger relationships with customers and help increase the speed and accuracy of transactions. Unlike the electronic cash register, Dell's systems are designed to allow businesses to identify customer buying trends, which can help companies develop better marketing plans and drive consumers to make quicker purchasing decisions.

"The right POS solution not only enables faster transactions, allowing businesses to get customers in and out more quickly, but helps them track their best customers for personalized marketing." Hovey added.

Especially during the holiday season, increased sales and customer volume can make it more difficult to manage customer expectations and inventory. As the books turn to black, there is often more pressure to make customer-friendly changes. It is important that small businesses are equipped to handle the holiday rush in order to stay competitive with mass retail chains.

The National Retail Federation's 2006 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey^* found that nearly 70 percent of consumers plan to use either credit or debit cards for holiday purchases. If small businesses want to get a piece of the $457.4 billion in projected holiday sales (National Retail Federation forecasts), an up-to-date POS system that can withstand the increase in transactions will help.

For more information, call Dell or go online at www.dell.com/QBPOS to check out point of sale solutions. Dell prices start at $2,499 for a complete point of sale solution which includes Intuit's QuickBooks Point of Sale software and 3 years of Next-Business Day Retail Support.

For more on Bike World's business story, download the Bike World Case Study

Get more tips on starting a business and growing your sales at AllBusiness.com. AllBusiness has been helping small business owners start, manage and grow their businesses since 1999. Copyright 1999 - 2009 AllBusiness.com Inc. All Rights Reserved.

By: AllBusiness.com

How did we ever manage without mobile phones? In addition to keeping us connected in this fast paced world there are now even more reasons not to leave home without your mobile devices.

Here is a look at a few useful applications and WAP sites that should help those frequently on the go:

GasRunner.com is a mobile-optimized Web site that can help locate the lowest-priced gasoline. The newly launched site lets users enter a city or zip and can find prices at stations in a 20-mile radius, and even get directions using Google Maps. The site also allows owners to update their prices. So far about 300 stations are included in the service, so this isn't what I'd call close to comprehensive yet but Atlanta-based SiteMinis, the producers of GasRunner.com, hope to include most major metropolitan markets within a year.

Qipit.com is a great resource that basically transforms you mobile phone into a portable digital scanner. There are times when you might need written materials, such as directions or instructions and with this service you can point and shoot, and then send it from the phone to Qipit, where it is transformed to a scan-quality document. A thumbnail is quickly returned to the phone, while a full-sized PDF file awaits in your e-mail box, and is also available at Qipit's Web site.

GotZapp is a mobile social networking platform from Trivantis, which will let you use the Page Zapper to copy profile pages from MySpace and Facebook and send the information to a Java-enabled mobile handset. While this isn't truly a biz app, it does have some interesting technology behind it that will let you import your information, including text and photos, from a variety of social networking sites including Beebo, Cyworld and TagWorld. The information can be downloaded and quickly converted to a Zapp, where it can stored and transmitted as a single file to any mobile phone that accepts third-party Java applications.

FreeRange WebReader is a downloadable app that provides news, blogs, stock prices and other information for mobile consumption, and runs in the background, pulling down quick bites of information or full stories. Internet information is tracked and downloaded automatically for reading at a later time, so the content can be browsed even when there is no signal or if the device is in "wireless off" mode. WebReader is available for Blackberry, Symbian and a variety of J2ME phones.

Tappity.com is a user driven Web site that lets you submit, rate and even discover Web pages that are formatted for viewing on cellular phones and PDAs. The site also offers a preview window that displays how a site will look on the mobile device. Users can create customized homepages for their mobile handset, and the site even provides an RSS feed, with alerts for other user-submitted sites.

And since a lost phone is a nightmare, getting it back is a dream come true -- and is also now a reality thanks to Yougetitback, a service that for $20 a year can help users retrieve their phones. Once a user determines that a phone is lost or stolen, it can be remotely locked by accessing an online account. No outgoing calls can be made, except to the Yougetitback service, while all other sensitive data including e-mails, contact details, text messages and photos are locked from viewing or use. This service is also not limited to phones, and users can purchase adhesive security tags that can be affixed to phones, PDAs and laptops. In addition to the service, special tags are available for $10 for three-years, and there is even a premium service that will provide a full replacement of a digital device if the software and tag are not successful.

Get more tips on starting a business and growing your sales at AllBusiness.com. AllBusiness has been helping small business owners start, manage and grow their businesses since 1999. Copyright 1999 - 2009 AllBusiness.com Inc. All Rights Reserved.

By: AllBusiness.com

Sometimes a store window says it all.



I love this for its simplicity and its message. This is a prime example of how you can break out of the mold, do something clever and do it inexpensively.

Awhile back I wrote about this store, Tweak, and Tara (the owner) is at it again.

THE REAL WORLD RETAILING TAKEAWAY
Brilliant retailing doesn't have to be exhausting.

This window plays into our sense of patriotism during tough economic times coupled with an election cycle.

It's a beautiful play on Uncle Sam's "I Want You" campaign.

It stops you in your tracks.

And there's a call to action -- purchase pre-wrapped gifts which is Tweak's big push -- to make your holiday shopping easy.

Great windows should be like a great outdoor billboard:

1. One image - flag
2. One headline - Save our Economy
3. One logo - Tweak is in the bottom right hand corner

Great ideas are everywhere. Just open your eyes. Study as you're shopping for yourself. There is inspiration and ideas in every store (and you'll also learn a lot about what not to do).

Get more tips on starting a business and growing your sales at AllBusiness.com. AllBusiness has been helping small business owners start, manage and grow their businesses since 1999. Copyright 1999 - 2009 AllBusiness.com Inc. All Rights Reserved.