E-Commerce Solutions

E-Commerce is causing an upheaval that is shaking the very foundations of business. Companies that have recognized the enormous opportunity and have moved to establish an effective e-commerce presence have enjoyed many benefits, including increased revenue from new and repeat customers, new and innovative ways to add value and new methods for interfacing with partners and suppliers.

The Internet has created a wave that is engulfing just about every business and fundamentally effecting the way they operate.

Intranets (connecting employees and internal systems) and Extranets (connecting external partners and systems) are having a profound and far-reaching impact on business. Why? Because Internet technology provides the vehicle to make information available far more cheaply and universally than any previous technology. As a result, the Internet has created a wave that is engulfing just about every business and fundamentally effecting the way they operate. The customers themselves are driving much of this change. They are demanding online services such as e-comerce, 24 hour service and support information, the ability to check product availability and track their accounts.

It is essential that businesses understand and take advantage of the unique capabilities of this new technology to maintain their competitive edge, and in fact to remain viable. Not only must businesses understand the complex technologies that are the Internet, they also must understand how to integrate their Internet strategy with their overall business strategy.

Integrating Technology and Business

In it's most basic form e-commerce is the system, or aggregate of systems, which provides a method of paying for products or services using digital technologies across the Internet. The minimal requirements are:

• A secure web server - we like apache.
• An account with a credit card processing organization - we maintain active partnerships with the leading companies providing these services, allowing us to offer you maximum flexibility and choice in meeting your specific needs.
• Software allowing for the selection and purchase of your product or service.

In it's most advanced form E-commerce is just one component of an overall business value chain. It integrates with existing business processes and systems, and should complement existing channels rather than compete with them. It may need to integrate with or replace existing information technology systems, such as inventory, accounting, order processing, sales forecasting, customer information and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) applications. The plan needs to examine the level of integration required and the impact of e-commerce on other processes and systems.

Because the Internet is a relatively new arena that is having a far-reaching impact, many companies have not yet developed the necessary skills and technology expertise in-house to create solutions that tap the full potential of the Internet. Consumer's repeatedly demonstrate their preference for web based automation that offers logical and useful database interactivity. That's why it is important to partner with companies such as FINI, that have the breadth of expertise, experience and resources necessary for developing new strategies and improving business processes using Internet-based technologies.

The Technology of Computing

The most unique and exciting quality of the web is that customer interaction takes place within "live" media. Users expect a Web site, to present information in an intuitive, compelling and efficient manner, and still leverage the technology of computing. By utilizing standards based programming languages like XML, Perl, CSS and HTML we deploy web solutions that work. We rely on the proven FINI database architecture to create secure, reliable and extensible database applications.