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Lessons of the Internet Year 2006: What lessons can traditional business learn from the happenings of the past few years, from 1995, when the Web as we know it came into being. The first and most important one is, the business world has been changed by the Internet. The customer is now in charge of deciding what they want. They can search for what they require. They do not have to wait for the business to advertise in the traditional business media, the newspapers, the radio or television. This media is still important but to ignore the new media is to ignore the new customers. So what is it that has caught the mood of the public, what is it that has made the Internet the force it has become and how can the traditional business participate Google whose shares are worth in excess of USD350 each and New Zealand's own Trade Me are successful. They have proved that the Internet is effective therefore can we identify elements which make them attractive to customers and can we transplant what makes them successful to a local situation. In his paper "What is Web 2.0" by Tim O'Reilly (www.oreillynet.com) Tim discusses and contrasts the old web which tended to model the situation wherein a business published to the customer whereas web 2.0 is all about participation. This raises the question how can a business participate, be where the customers are, when the traditional business does not have the knowledge to operate a website nor want to. There is nothing wrong with this position; their business is running their business, a full time job in itself. But they want to be in the game, be up there on the platform with the customers. Back to Trade Me in New Zealand. The people who visit there, those who participate don't own or run websites, some might, but in general it is the seller putting up items for sale and a buyer making a choice. Trade Me is only the platform. Google considered to be the standard bearer for web 2.0, through its services it opened the door for businesses of any size to attract customers. Their business model has proved to be effective and profitable. So it would appear that bringing customers and businesses, together on a platform, allowing buyers and sellers to interact, to participate is the means to success on the Internet. The participants become part of a community. Applying these lessons to the local environment, a scenario appears which can be profitable to local businesses and they don't have to own a website. It involves building a platform on the Internet to display the services and products of Wanganui to customers. The customers can view, make choices contact the businesses or walk into the retailers' shops and buy. Quite simple really, a community of people, customers and businesses on www.firstsearch.co.nz. The customers exist, all that is required are the businesses that wish to participate. Your call, adapt, the world has changed. Contact Us