The Growing Role of E-commerce & Cloud Applications

Oregon Small Business Development Center

Network

Oregon Connections Conference

October 24, 2013

Presented By Mark Gregory, OSBDCN Deputy State Director

About the Oregon SBDC Network

• The Oregon Small Business Development Center Network (OSBDCN) is a unique and well-established partnership with 17 community colleges, three state universities, the US Small Business Administration, and Business Oregon.

What do we do?

Since its inception in 1983, the OSBDCN has provided one-on-one advising to over 150,000

current and prospective businesses. Over 535,000 individuals have attended OSBDCN-sponsored

business education classes and events.

E-Commerce Developments & Small Business

• Electronic Data Interchange• Transaction Processing Systems• Electronic Payment Systems• Data Storage & Cloud Technologies

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)

• EDI • Uses private & cloud based communications

networks to transmit standardized transaction data between business partners and suppliers

• Drastically reduced the amount of paperwork and the need for human intervention

Electronic Data Interchange

• Improved data accuracy• Cost savings and time efficiencies• Competitive differentiation • Accelerated “order to cash” cycle

• Information systems used to support and record transactions:• paying for products • paying an employee • purchasing systems

Transaction Processing Systems (TPS)

Electronic Payment Systems

• Electronic Payment Systems – Proximity payment systems, Digital Cash (Square processing $41 million daily)

• Smart Cards - Credit cards with embedded microchips that can store and process data which can be used as electronic wallets (global smart card shipments reached 4 billion globally in 2012).

Data Storage and Cloud Technologies

• Data Storage – Easily expanded to accommodate growing business needs.

• Software as a Service (SaaS)– Most small businesses (currently) require SaaS as a way to deliver a host of software & technical services (Dropbox, Salesforce.com, Quickbooks, LivePlan)

BizCenter.org - Online Training Topics

• Customer Relationship Management• Google for Small Business & Mobile

Technology• How to get People to Click “Buy” on your

website• Social Media Basics• Business Basics, Financing, International

Trade, Management & Startup courses