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Callie Williams is a professional writer specializing in technical communication. She currently works for Hamilton Sundstrand in Windsor, Conn. as a technical writer. Callie may be reached by e-mail at CallieW21@GMail.com.
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By Callie Williams
Want to get your business online? Marketing students at the University of Massachusetts Isenberg School of Management are here to help. The Internet Technology for e-Business class, taught by Professor Kaimei Zheng, connects business students interested in the development of e-Commerce with locally owned and operated businesses looking to obtain a Web presence.
The program began in 1998 as a collaborative idea between alumni Mark Hanny, then IBM Vice President ISV Alliances and Academic Initiative, and IBM employee Jonathan Hurley. They approached Associate Dean Les Balls and Professor Zheng with a seed donation of $100,000, including a new computer lab, software and faculty training.
Zheng, with years of experience in Information Technology, divides the class into small groups and assigns each a local business. The groups contact representatives from "their" business and construct an outline of what the business wants for a Web site.
A key program element is reciprocity, according to Zheng; the business gives students the opportunity for a real-world project and, in return, gets a free Web site and related marketing recommendations.
"For the first time, [students are] going out and helping real businesses," Zheng said. They match the business's objectives to the design of the Web site and try to project that image through the site. The Web sites range from basic to more advanced incorporating graphics and animation. "There are some really beautiful Web sites," Zheng said.
Since 1998, a total of 97 local businesses have been helped by the class usually referred to the School by word-of-mouth and people she contacts directly.
"Several businesses approach us," she said. "But, I also get a list of business names from the Massachusetts Small Business Association in Springfield and the Women's Business Owners Association. We have helped many women business owners."
One WBOA referral, Christine Burns, owner of Clowntique in Holyoke, was thrilled with the outcome of her student-designed Web site. Burns, whose existing Web site needed updating, said she was busy running a small business and being a mother and a wife, which made it difficult to keep up with the changes in technology.
"It was really great. My Web site, I think, looks terrific and has changed my business." Burns said that the cost in marketing products alone has saved her bundles. "[It used to] cost me $10 to send out each marketing packet, but this has allowed me to say 'refer to my Web site, print out photos and information and even contact us through the Web site.' It saved me a lot of money in supplies alone."
Burns, whose business celebrated its ninth anniversary in January, has had the opportunity to see how having a Web presence has impacted the way she does business. For some, the Web is a starting point.
A lot of these sites started as nothing more than ideas, according to Zheng. In fact, one such business began as an idea, turned into a Web site thanks to Zheng and her class and is now a booming local business. That business is The Shelburne Falls Wine Merchant in Shelburne Falls, Mass. Owner, Paul-Thierry de la Blotier always wanted to open his own store. "I've been in the trade for 30 years," said de la Blotier. "I just wanted to do it my own way."
As an associate of Allen Kronick of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center, de la Blotier got involved with Zheng's class to make his dream of doing it "[his] own way" a reality. "I knew how to do the wine end of it, just not the business end."
Although he does not sell his wine through his Web site, according to de la Blotier, his site acts as a gateway to his business showcasing pictures, monthly newsletters, a schedule of upcoming events and even a local blog. The site was developed in 2003, and the store had its grand opening on July 1, 2004. As Zheng said, sometimes all you need is an idea.
Program alumnus, Matt Kindzerske, a graduate student at UMass, remembers the class fondly.
"I've always been a geek," he said, stating that he had worked with computers since a young age. "But I had no formal training," a common trait of the students in the class. According to Zheng, her course is a great way for students to learn the basics of Web design as well as the importance of technology's impact on a business.
When asked what he enjoyed most about the class, Kindzerske said, "the history of e-Commerce . The Internet is something that has evolved . The world is a much smaller place than it was 20 years ago . it's very important to have Web-presence."
If you have questions about the program, or would like to get involved, contact Professor Zheng at kzheng@som.umass.edu.
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