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Less paperwork just a click away

DENISE DEVEAU

Special to The Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 3:01 AM EDT 26/01/07

Web-based services take care of routine business tasks ...Read the full article

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  1. gaetan diotte from Ottawa, Canada writes: HA! I've been hearing this lie since the 80s.
  2. K Bakatare from Canada writes: Freshbooks sends your customers' data to the USA, where its hosting company (Rackspace) is located:

    http://www.freshbooks.com/security-safeguards.php

    If you use that service, be sure you have EXPLICIT consent from your customers to send their personal private data to a foreign country. OR YOU COULD BE SERIOUSLY VIOLATING THEIR PRIVACY.

    Customers have a right to know where their information is being sent and what governments' "Patriot Acts" have access to it...
  3. M. I. AM from Guelph, Canada writes: Gee... This reminds me of a predication I heard in the early eighties when I went to our local college to take Senior lessons on the Computer..... A paperless society, no less!!!!!
  4. John Doe from Toronto, Canada writes: An issue with SaaS systems is that small business owners and operators prefer to do the paperwork themsleves, either because they enjoy it or for having batter control over their company. Moreover when the paperwork is of financial nature, bookkeeping and alike, small business owners and operators desire the personal touch of a 'creative accountant' to help them with the paperwork... As things are right now, 'paperless' is 'demandless'.......
  5. Mike McDerment from Toronto, Canada writes: Interesting comments folks. As one of the CEO of FreshBooks - one of the service providers featured in the article, a service with over 125,000 users - I can assure you there is indeed a demand for online services that reduce paper use, though I would argue that.

    @JohnDoe - From what our users tell me it is not the desire to reduce paper that drives their decision making, it is process streamlining, increased professionalism and the outsourcing of back-up and security.

    As for small business owners wanting to retain control, many would much rather be doing things other than invoicing. Troy from the article is a good example...from my experience interacting with entrepreneurs, the ability to let go of menial tasks is one of the cornerstones to success and growth.
  6. Gord Murray from Canada writes: For perhaps lesser volume consumers, Paypal offers facilitated invoicing that perhaps in future will catch up competitively in other areas.
  7. Rick Drysdale. from Sidney BC, Canada writes: These services are in demand by people operating smaller businesses. It does add a touch of professionalism to the biz. Yes learning to let go of the repetitive and seemingly meanial tasks helps to focus on the real purpose of the biz.
  8. Joseph T from Victoria, Canada writes: One drawback with subscription based services is that if you wish to change your administrative model due to growth or other operational reasons, you are tied to that supplier. Another drawback to web based subsription services is failover continuation. If all your applications are web based, if the internet service goes down, you are hooped. I should know, I own three high technology companies. The key here is a hybrid approach.

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