Hyderabad firms bank on net-based services

HYDERABAD: With sky rocketing air fares and dipping value of the rupee, frequent business trips are a luxury that few can afford. Instead, firms are now relying heavily on the virtual world to not only sustain their businesses but also for expansion plans.
Internet based platforms like webinars, webcons, cloud hosting and the social media are being increasingly used to reach out to the client base.
"There is immense benefit that technology offers for real time
business communication and collaboration. In fact, we encourage our employees to have audio and web conferencing, webinars, white boarding and presentations. We also have many online training and development solutions," said Sudhanshu Pandit of IT firm Symantec.
Companies assert that web meets are more cost-effective than flying employees in business class and arranging for their stay in hotels. Web solution companies typically charge Rs 5,000 onwards on an hourly basis depending on the need and size of the firm.
For start ups and small and medium enterprises, the arrival of the cloud computing system has been a major asset. The only requirements for cloud hosting are an operating system and a browser, thus being a major cost-effective proposition for those who are starting out on their own.
"As a start up, we want to cut down on expenditure as much as possible. Physical travel is economically unviable and phone calls are insufficient. Webcons are thus the most profitable and effective means of communication," said Pooja Nathan, an education entrepreneur from Hyderabad.
Zoho, a US based web-based office suite, has helped three Hyderabad based firms in the past few months to set up web conferencing systems. "Not being physically present is not an excuse anymore as meetings can be held while on the move. Physical meetings are old style and many firms prefer to have web meets. The biggest advantage is that people from different locations from across the globe can all connect at the same time without spending exorbitant amounts of money on travel," said Karthik Ramamurthy of Zoho.
To increase visibility, firms are also increasingly using the social media as an online branding tool.
Hyderabad Social Media (HSM), a digital marketing agency gets around 25 enquiries every month from city firms to create their online profiles. "With so much online activity, presence on the internet is very important. Social media is not just about personal profiles anymore and is being effectively used as a business strategy," said Sathish Isaac, consultant at HSM.