Small businesses find big savings in online services

(ARA) - Entrepreneurs are the most progressive people out there.If there is a less expensive, more efficient way to get businessdone, most small businesses will find it a lot faster than the bigbusinesses that are weighed down by red tape.

So what are the most resourceful small businesses doing to stayafloat in the toughest economy since the Great Depression? They'reletting go of old, albeit familiar, methods of running theirbusinesses and making the switch to online services.

While it may be natural for many business owners to look onlinefor some business solutions, like hosted e-mail and online banking,most don't take inventory and figure out how to run all aspects oftheir businesses online - or at least the ones that will result insignificant time and cost savings. In fact, most don't know theycan.

From customer communications to time management, it can all bedone online for a fraction of the cost spent on offlineservices.

SurePayroll introducedthe country's first full-service online payroll company in 2000.They help small business owners save time and money by providing afast and easy way to process payroll. President and CEO MichaelAlter says his company has experienced tremendous growth in thisdown economy because business owners look for ways to save moneynow more than ever.

The minds of every business owner today

"Cost is on the minds of every business owner today," he says."When businesses see that they can save nearly $1,000 a year byswitching from a traditional offline payroll provider to us and getall of the same services, it's a no-brainer."

Making the switch to a dozen or so online business servicescould free up thousands of dollars a year for small businessowners.

"I run payroll from the office, from home or even on the roadwith SurePayroll. It saves me a lot of time and money. Employeescan access payroll information on their computers or iPhones, whichsaves on HR costs," he says. "It's one of many online services weuse to run the office in the most efficient and cost-effectivemanner. I'd estimate that we save near the five-digit mark everyyear just by choosing online services."

Hundreds of online services help business owners run theiroffices while cutting expenses. Want to say goodbye to paper costs?Use a system like PerfectForms to create and manage a variety oftypes of business forms. Not interested in footing the bill forstamps? Companies like FreshBooks will help you track time andinvoice clients online. Interested in cutting the phone bill? Checkout one of the VOIP services like Skype. Don't have the funds tomake it to a meeting? Use GoToMeeeting.com.

* Ensure they offer phone support. While many will never use it,business owners should ensure that they can reach someone by phonefor support issues if they ever need to.

The bottom line is that business owners go into business forthemselves so they can have more control. They want more control oftheir time and money, and the right online services will offerthat.

"Online services should take the brunt of the work off thebusiness owners' shoulders while letting them be in charge," saysAlter. "Most of our customers didn't go into business to spendtheir days figuring out payroll tax rules and regulations orsubmitting quarterly tax filings - so we do that for them. But theyalso don't want us dictating when and where they run payroll. Thebeauty of our online service is that they have the freedom andcontrol to process on their schedule without all the associatedhassles."