Guyana Business Online www.gybizonline.com, is being dubbed Guyana’s yellow pages online and is expected to change the way the internet is used by business people. Mr. Sean Rajkumar, entrepreneur and Web Master of the recently launched site, in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, says this facility will expand horizons for the local business community.
Rajkumar observed that the amount of time Guyanese spend on the internet every day has increased significantly, generating a new market for online advertising.
Since most business owners do not have enough resources for advertising, marketing and promotional strategies, the Web Master indicated that online advertising is an increasingly appealing option.
He added that online advertising is more effective and efficient than traditional advertising.
“Content makes a website popular and the stakeholders involved will be responsible for the content…we are expecting success,” Rajkumar said.
He explained that Guyana Business Online is a web directory / yellow page service with 24 hour support. It will offer the business community a unique advertising medium and will handle all the costs and factors needed to market efficiently and ensure wider visibility in the online world.
“People can think of Guyana Business Online as the facebook of local businesses,” Rajkumar said.
It will offer personal, professional and corporate subscriptions which will allow businesses to post online their company profile, billboard advertisements, classified ads, invitation to tender, notices, event planning and listing, image gallery for products and job recruitment.
“This idea came up after I was searching for a business’ number and could not get it because the company was not listed in the directory…the online site is an easy way to ensure easier access to services and with the technology moving the way it is, this is a service businesses would find useful,” Rajkumar said.
He added that individual businesses do not need to have websites created to allow customers access; with Guyana Business Online, it is done for them with no pressure on the business to ensure maintenance.
For those businesses already with websites, Rajkumar said mechanisms are in place to allow visitors to the online yellow page service to link to the original website.
He noted that updating is quick and easy for stakeholders since there is no need to wait an entire year for an updated directory; the listings are self managed and controlled by the business itself; profiles can be updated, advertisements edited and special promotions published conveniently; there is no risk of running out of space; and overseas based companies are able to locate and conduct business with local companies.
Relative to security, Rajkumar affirmed that several security measures are in place to ensure that sensitive information is protected at all times.
He indicated that the protected information includes credit card and customer login information, since the site is geared to be an interactive one.
“We are using a payment gateway from the world’s largest gateway provider so that customers do not have to worry about their information getting stolen,” he said.
Additionally, he observed that, in time, advancements will be made to meet the ever changing needs of the business world.
He said, “Soon enough we will have new services…based on the needs of our customers, we will upgrade our service.”
The next step in sight, Rajkumar said, is to assist local businesses to be able to trade online.
“The whole aim of this is to have information at one’s fingertips…this is what Guyana Business Online is about,” he said.
When asked about the response from the business community to date, Rajkumar noted that expected response is a good one, since the service is modern and propels local businesses into the future.
He said, “It is a new service with new features and we think this will be accepted…right now we are still sending out correspondence to many businesses.”
According to him, the only foreseeable challenge is competition. But Guyana Business Online is already 10 steps ahead with improved services.
The website’s administrator and Rajkumar’s partner, Mr. Mohamed Faizoul, said the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph (GT&T) submarine fibre-optic cable will contribute significantly to the vision for advancement.
The shore-end of the cable will reportedly provide unlimited and inexpensive bandwidth that underpins a revolution in communication and the robust redundant superhighway on which modern services run. The joint project between GT&T and Surinamese telecommunications company TELSUR is a US$61M investment and GT&T’s contribution is US$30M.
“We hope to make use of the GT&T cable and this will mean better services for our customers,” he said.