Tools for business owners.

[JimC]

I would like to ask all of you business owners (or anyone for that matter) what challenges you face as far as computers go. In other words, is there something tedious or difficult that you do on the computer that you would be willing to spend a little money (under $50) to make simple and fast?

I don't mean something crazy like "generate programs" or "do my work for me."

I'm interested in creating a web based tool. It could even be based on current non-web based software and I would make an online version. I'm not worried about difficulty as I am pretty confident with my programming skills.

A good example that I had in mind was a ticket support system, but that has been done many times and there are already free versions out there.

If you can come up with a good idea and I choose it, I'll give you a free copy when I finish it.

Cheers

[Peek]

Sorry JimC,

I have been thinking about your proposal for some days now, but nothing comes up.
I have a company and a computer, but no tasks that could go smoother.

[Doku]

I like a lot of the web based tools, but can not use them.
BaseCamp, Remember The Milk, etc.
If I could buy something similar (source included so I can verify it) that I could run on my own website where I control the data, and the machine that it is on, then I could use it... but I can not put that kind of data in the hands of unknown people.
Although that would likely be quite above your 50 buck price tag.

[Brutha]

Now nearly every business can need some kind of computer support.
Take a hairdresser.

What problems does a hairdresser have?
-Managing appointments
-Knowing past haircuts of his custumors

Maybe some customers asks to get the same haircut that she got three years ago. Having fotos of those past haircuts might be valuable.

Maybe that a way to build a relationship with the customer. Give him account where he can log in and get appointments and have a list of haircuts.

Now that no problem for a <50$ program. If you make a good specialised program for a purpose like this you probably sell it for >1000$.

I think there is a lot of opportunity in analysing a specific business, be it hairdresseng or the dry cleaning and creating a program that solves the problems of that business.