The rules of conducting business with other companies and with
consumers don't always apply when it comes to dealing with
governments.
Nute emphasizes that you need to appeal to the service- and
rules-oriented government mind-set. "They all share a belief
that government spending and government activity can be used to
better a community," he says.
Nute takes on the persona of a government employee. "If
you're going to come in and try to convert us to online
purchasing, online voting or any of these other things, you have to
understand that what was free yesterday needs to stay free
tomorrow," he says.
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Maintaining that status quo requires creative thinking when
developing a solid business plan. You can't make your profits
by charging fees to citizens or suppliers.
Longer sales cycles also come with the territory. "You
probably have to go through a lot of different departments and
agencies within governments to make a sale," says Sharrard.
"Governments aren't really looking for the return on
investment that the private sector is." Technology start-ups
in this area need to bring people onboard who are familiar with and
can navigate the various levels of government.
At a time when many technology companies are on an economic
roller-coaster, the stability of the government marketplace is
appealing. But, as Sharrard points out, that same stability may
also level the chances for the sky-high profits early B2G
businesses were expecting.
Learning from the mistakes of predecessors like GovWorks.com is
a must. Startup.com should be required viewing for anybody
who is thinking about stepping into the e-gov ring. It's the
well-grounded, savvy entrepreneurs seeking a consistent, reliable
business opportunity who will be greatly rewarded.
The future of e-government will be determined with the melding
of government initiatives, citizen demand, entrepreneurial
offerings, and large companies' products. Entrepreneurs who can
appeal to governments while still maintaining a strong profit base
will find plenty of room to build start-ups.
Small technology businesses can tailor their services to the
government market. In years down the line, Sharrad sees online
government burrowing deeper into the private sector, which should
create "seamless e-government" in a consumer-friendly
environment.
The call for a few good entrepreneurs rings loud and clear. This
is your mission, should you choose to accept it. And there's no
better time than now to take it.
| ONLINE
EXCLUSIVE |
|
| Dot Gov: Where
It's At We've got you excited about e-gov.
Now it's time to hit the Web and visit e-government right where
it lives. These Internet resources will help get you started on
your odyssey: - EGovLinks:
It's big. It's kind of messy. But this clearinghouse for
e-gov-related information is a great stopover for news and, of
course, hyperlinks covering every imaginable topic.
- Center for Digital Government: This national
research institute conducts relevant surveys and reports and offers
premium services for industry.
- FirstGov: Official
U.S. government portal includes connects to e-business and
e-government information as well as links to state and local
governments.
- NIGP: NIGP stands for the
National Institute of Government Purchasing, a membership
organization focused on education, research, technical assistance
and networking in the procurement area.
|
Contact Source
DLT Solutions Inc.
(800) 262-4358; www.dlt.com
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