Lower prices and increased speed on delivery are two such differentials; your choices concerning technology are integral to this. Our technology section has been designed to help you make the right choices.

Setting up your IT systems covers specifying and purchasing IT and getting online. However, before you begin the process of setting up any system you should ensure that it fits in with your business model and serves to enhance your existing processes. The last thing you want is for your IT systems to work against you. Having set up the sytems you then need to ensure that your staff use them appropriately. To this end we have included practical guidance on setting up and implementing internet and email policies. If you would like to discuss any aspect of setting up an IT system, call us on 0845 600 99 66.

Having set up a system the next task is to manage it. Getting the most out of your investment is crucial and the section on Managing IT is designed to help you do just that. We take you through IT disaster prevention, security and maintaining your system to marketing and trading on the internet. You will need to consider your website strategy and how your site will be viewed and used by potential customers. This will inform the design of your site. As well as being a window to your business (and a vehicle for advertising and selling products and services), access to the internet is also a powerful tool for market research. You can obtain information very quickly and gain valuable insights into what your internet enabled competitors are doing.

While there's software available for just about every purpose, we've concentrated on accounting software as all businesses need to keep accurate financial records of their business transactions. We start off with software use and your legal liabilities before moving on to consider using and choosing accounting packages.

If you're still not clear on any issue, remember that Business Link Devon & Cornwall have a number of specialist advisers who can talk things through with you should you wish. For a brief overview of some of the things we can help with click here