5 Obsolete Small Business Tools Saved By the Internet

Many industries have succumbed to the loss of their business thanks to the birth of the internet. As much as many celebrate the internet technology, others think the rate at which it is killing traditional companies is its darkest side. Those who have adopted this new technology are thriving in business. A number of things that the world once considered social diehards are now either obsolete or on their way to extinction. Some of them have not died completely but have been reincarnated in a different form. This article focuses on 5 obsolete small business tools saved by the internet.
 
Box Files/ Diskettes vs. Google Docs/ Google Drive
 
Box files and computer disks have been replaced with Google Docs OR Google Drive. Keeping files is one thing business people cannot afford not to do. However, in this advanced age of technology, people do not see the need to walk around carrying heavy files. To ensure that the filling tradition does not die, the internet introduced the businessperson to Google Drive, which is Google's cloud based file storage system. It integrates well with file sharing as well as collaboration tools inside the Google Docs. This has become a virtual helper and one can work on all documents on the same file. The drive has a storage capacity of up to 15G before having to pay for more additional storage.
 
The Business Letter vs. Email
 
Before the birth of email, the world was abuzz with the telephone directory and address book. Post offices had a hard time locating letters and sending them to the right person. This could take even a month before the communication reached the recipient. However, the last two decades have seen the traditional letter lose grip and in most places, post offices have closed down. To ensure that business people still communicate and transact business, the internet has given birth to email. You can now reach and connect with as many business people as you want by simply clicking your mouse.
 
Retail shopping/Banking vs. Online Shopping/Online Banking
 
In the age before internet, retail shopping or banking was the way things were done, but then the internet changed all that. With the internet, retailers were afraid that clients would no longer buy their merchandise at their stores, but with the emergence of ecommerce stores that fear slowly subsided. The days are gone in which a person would have to wait in line to deposit a check. Instead, people can snap photos with their smartphones to deposit their checks directly into their bank account. This has offered more convenience and both the parties are reaping big. Of course some major brands have been phased out, but those who looked at this change positively and innovated are sure not complaining.
 
Business diary/Calendar vs. Google Calendar/E-Diary
 
Regular calendars are definitely nice to look at with their pretty images and designs, but they are officially obsolete when it comes to their business uses. This has been saved by an online management calendar, most prominently Google Calendar. Business/work diaries were extensively used by business people. It was the easiest way to book and remember business meetings and engagements. However, with Google Calendar technology, it was no longer fashionable to carry diaries to schedule or confirm meetings. Instead, business people could schedule directly on their computers or smartphones and send confirmation emails or reminders to make sure there was no oversight.  Google calendar was perfect for managing and monitoring appointments.
 
Faxes vs. E-fax Services
 
A few years ago, faxes were still being used to communicate between businesses. Faxes were notorious for having to deal with jammed papers, low ink/toner, and unreceived messages. With email becoming more prominent, faxes were falling to the wayside. Instead of being completely obsolete, faxes turned to the internet for their rebirth. Fax to email or email to fax would combine new age technology with old age technology (for those who were still using fax machines). Faxes would come into a computer as a PDF, free of jamming, low ink, or error, and would be able to be saved or backed up on a computer or server for future reference.
 
It could be true that the internet revolution has destroyed old ways of transacting business, but it should also be appreciated that it has brought about numerous opportunities for growth and innovation. Businesses have to find a way of flourishing even in the wake of all these changes and the successful ones do. 
 
Jessica Kane is a professional blogger who writes for Faxage, a leading company that provide online fax services for individuals and businesses.
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