While the focus of this article is tech startups aimed at enterprises, advancements in communications and data management at the enterprise flow down to small and medium businesses pretty quickly today. Take a look at this list and see if some of the promising companies address areas you have particular problems with now. if so, things may get better in the future. Where one company makes headlines, three more also work on similar technology.
The problem with stories like this is that they can freeze people into waiting for the “perfect” solution for a problem. Let me help: there are no perfect solutions. Every problem has multiple sharp edges, and every solution leaves one or two still sharp enough to cut you when you think you're out of danger.
Try to find the balance between “paralysis by analysis” where you don't buy anything and the Early Adopters Bankruptcy Plan, where you jump on every new solution that may possibly help. Immature solutions will only drain your bank account, not your problems list.
Watch other businesses your size and in your industry. When a salesperson promises a miracle solution, get references and actually check them. Ask the reference how much of a deal they got for being listed as a reference. If the reference doesn't fit well with your size or type of business, take that information strongly into account before buying anything.
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