Enterprise Content Management creates successful SYNERGIES between paper, document, and web content. It focuses your best marketing on best opportunities. It streamlines processes. Cuts costs. Edges your competition. Boosts customer loyalty. Spurs growth. And sustains innovation. But only if you have know-how and tools to set up your BEST ECM Solution.

Would anyone argue those goals and values apply to small business? Without a doubt! Is anyone there interested in that customer? Not a chance! They prefer BIG (enterprise) customers.

I use a now familiar introductory line when speaking with sales representatives on show floor at major conferences. As I approach with my "Press" badge prominently displayed to alert them to potential of that coveted "free promotion" that is so vital to growing companies and say, "I'm covering solutions of interest to small business. Does your company offer anything targeted at that market?"

They usually stare back blankly and respond with confusion saying, "Not really." They look me over quickly noting lack of corporate uniform three piece suit, I wear instead blue jeans and polo shirt. "Who are you with?" Meaning, of course, "Are you BIG enough for me to care?" They inevitably shunt me over to "Marketing Director" because, "She'll be able to answer your questions better."

As Miss Marketing Director approaches, all smiles, I ask again adding, " . . . or do you partner with any resellers or offer hosted applications to microbusiness?"

Inevitably she'll stumble, steady and then with furrowed brow often makes it clear she is thinking, "No, but what a great idea! I'll have to propose that in business development meeting on Monday!" And sometimes she'll even say it directly, "Not currently, but I sure do wonder why we're not persuing that market!"

I recently stumbled across a wonderful application for small business through affiliate tracking firm, Commission Junction. It was promoted via their in-house forum to members of other affiliate programs who use their tracking services. Oddly, it is offered by one of MONSTER's of ebusiness, Oracle.

Just as strangely, it is one of most powerful and yet affordable programs I've ever seen for small business owner online. It's called "Small Business Suite" and it's based on their Enterprise Customer Relationship Management software. (That's ECRM for you corporate geeks.)

For most businesses venturing into ecommerce, e-payment means accepting credit cards. This involves setting up a complex system including a SECURE order page/shopping cart software, a merchant account (basically a bank account that receives credit card proceeds), and a credit card processing service. Care has to be taken to ensure that shopping cart is compatible with authorization service. All various elements need to be compatible and interface with each other.

While bulk of Internet ecommerce is still transacted using credit cards, there has been steady inroads being made by alternative methods of settling e-transactions. These Web Payment Services (WPS) have ingeniously utilized most popular application on internet "e-mail", to appeal to customers.

By using an existing platform to launch their services, WPS providers have enjoyed wide appeal with customers worldwide. The largest of these, PAYPAL, has approximately 11 million users, processes 150,000 payments per day, and attracts over 20,000 new users each day.

But are there any advantages of using these alternative payment systems over credit card merchant systems? To help you decide following criteria will be evaluated:

(a) SetUp (b) Maintenance Costs (c) Ease of Use/Convenience (d) Cash Flow Effect (e) Customer Perception

SETUP As mentioned above setup of a credit card merchant system is complex. The setup of a merchant account may take up to two weeks or more for final approval to be granted from financial institition involved and verification of integration of various components completed.

WPS services on other side of scale, are incredibly easy to setup, almost laughably so. For example, Paypal, which is largest WPS just requires a merchant to go to Paypal site to register their account. This whole process may take 5 -10 minutes. There is no transaction processing software to install, and importantly, no shopping cart to rent or buy. Paypal simply generates a HTML code which you can place in your site next to your inventory items.

A click on these buttons takes customer straight to Paypal's secure server. When customers want to make a payment they send a message to Paypal, and then Paypal, middleman, does rest.