Technology can help small businesses in cost-effective ways. Basic tools like Microsoft Office and the internet can help with tasks like cash flow management and marketing. Many free online services also exist to help with things like website development. Mobile phones too have useful features that can aid business management. A new program partners entrepreneurs with technology companies to teach how smart technologies can transform small businesses.

13. SOFT SKILLS: TECHNOLOGY CHECK!
BY NIDHI ARORA
 We all say….”Technology ka zamana hai”…this applies to the world of entrepreneurship as
well. With the dot com boom, technology entrepreneurship has become the buzzword.
However every entrepreneur need not be a technology entrepreneur. But to beat the heat of
competition, every entrepreneur needs to use technology.
 Many entrepreneurs feel that technology is a costly investment which a small enterprise
does not need to make. However, the principle of technology in enterprises is not just to
use expensive technology but more importantly to use existing technology effectively.
 Modern day entrepreneurs, especially in urban parts of the country, use basic computers
(MS OFFICE & INTERNET) in the running of their enterprises. However, if we look at these
features more clearly and think about how these can be used more efficiently, we will find a
lot of our daily obstacles being solved. From Cash Flow Management to marketing material,
our very own MS OFFICE is capable of doing all that…and much more. A cost effective
solution to many problems that a small enterprise faces.
 Additionally there are so many free services available on the internet which can come as a
boon to small entrepreneurs. An example is website development. It is almost as simple as
writing a letter. Just go on the World Wide Web and search. One example is
www.kompozer.com
 Another very common technology is the mobile phone that is used by a majority of people
today. Our mobile phones itself have features like calendars, reminders, phone books etc.
which can be excellent aids for more effective management in an enterprise.
 In this realm of enterprises and technology Dhriiti – The Courage Within has recently
partnered with Hewlett Packard Entrepreneurship Learning Programme (HELP) to train
young entrepreneurs on “Smart technologies for Smarter Businesses” – an idea if catches
up can really turn a lot of young enterprises on their head.