Question for small business owners

[christopher evi-parker]

I'm attending a business hackathon where the theme is creating an app that solves a frequent small business problem.
The problem shouldn't be something major (like getting funding, or finding good hires). But something like a nagging issue such as storing your receipts for tax purposes, tracking petty cash use or something more domain specific (tracking stock as a jeweller)

 

[GTL]

an app that solves the break even conundrum would be a gold mine!

 

[Toby Willows]

I'm attending a business hackathon where the theme is creating an app that solves a frequent small business problem.
The problem shouldn't be something major (like getting funding, or finding good hires). But something like a nagging issue such as storing your receipts for tax purposes, tracking petty cash use or something more domain specific (tracking stock as a jeweller)

All those problems were solved decades ago. Apps not required.

 

[Mr D]

I'm attending a business hackathon where the theme is creating an app that solves a frequent small business problem.
The problem shouldn't be something major (like getting funding, or finding good hires). But something like a nagging issue such as storing your receipts for tax purposes, tracking petty cash use or something more domain specific (tracking stock as a jeweller)

What you want is a business problem that doesn't have a good software or paper solution that business owners have to deal with.
Tough one.

Storing of receipts for tax purposes could well already have been solved for most, what with storage mediums (archive box, folder etc) and a range of bookkeeping programs / printed books.

 

[christopher evi-parker]

an app that solves the break even conundrum would be a gold mine!

Thanks, keep em coming!

 

[christopher evi-parker]

All those problems were solved decades ago. Apps not required.

Haha, thats not the right attitude...

 

[titanlist]

All those problems were solved decades ago. Apps not required.

Agree with Toby.

 

[Noah]

Haha, thats not the right attitude...

Unfortunately, too many here will recognise the symptoms of ASLFAP* syndrome; you need a forum full of blue-sky, out-of-the-box, ahead-of-the-curve, outside-the-envelope solutioneers (or problemeers in this case). We're all singing from the same songsheet to the choir here.

* : A Solution Looking For A Problem

 

[Businessquotes]

how about an app that monitors your online activity (business activity) and advises which activities are a waste of your time

 

[Mr D]

how about an app that monitors your online activity (business activity) and advises which activities are a waste of your time

How to define waste?
Researching on forums looks very much like reading stuff on forums. Researching stock to buy looks very much like looking at what to buy personally for those of us selling home items.

 

[The Byre]

Question for small business owners

As I am six-foot-two, I'll have to pass.

you need a forum full of blue-sky, out-of-the-box, ahead-of-the-curve, outside-the-envelope solutioneers (or problemeers in this case).

Ah! You mean "A paradigm shift in lateral thinking, applying disruptive technologies and appealing to lean management trends, featuring horizontally integrated kaizen for innovative thinking, overcoming intellectual resistance by means of the re-engineering of out-dated management philosophies and the implementation of self-assembled, non-hierarchical interactioning comparative thought-centres."

 

[Mr D]

As I am six-foot-two, I'll have to pass.

Ah! You mean "A paradigm shift in lateral thinking, applying disruptive technologies and appealing to lean management trends, featuring horizontally integrated kaizen for innovative thinking, overcoming intellectual resistance by means of the re-engineering of out-dated management philosophies and the implementation of self-assembled, non-hierarchical interactioning comparative thought-centres."

Yes, we need to hire a stand up bullshitter.

 

[Noah]

As I am six-foot-two, I'll have to pass.

Ah! You mean "A paradigm shift in lateral thinking, applying disruptive technologies and appealing to lean management trends, featuring horizontally integrated kaizen for innovative thinking, overcoming intellectual resistance by means of the re-engineering of out-dated management philosophies and the implementation of self-assembled, non-hierarchical interactioning comparative thought-centres."

You're worryingly good at that. I'm afraid you're going to have to work hard to regain our trust now.

 

[The Byre]

And I didn't use the word 'dynamic' once!

 

[Mr D]

And I didn't use the word 'dynamic' once!

You could have deconflicted the attention seeking element to enhance retention and increase workflow.

 

[estwig]

A screening app to spot potential bad payers and time wasters would be useful, possibly based on a retinal scanner, or anal probe of some sort.

 

[ffox]

I'm attending a business hackathon where the theme is creating an app that solves a frequent small business problem.

The organisers of the hackathon will be either -
1. People with a platform they wish to push for the development of apps, or
2. People living in the past and still running Windows 7 (or worse Windows XP)

The fact is that apps to solve business problems are generally specific to the problem and likely specific to one business or (one process). Development of an app for one sale, or a few sales if you are lucky, is not worth the effort of analysing the workflow the app will follow.
In the small business arena, the most likely person to know what is required, and how the app should work will be the business owner and that is the person who, in most instances, will create the app (or process) and deploy it.

In the past this has usually been achieved using existing technology, such as macros in Office applications, task setting in mail platforms and other functionality.

Things have changed. Now it's easy for non technical people to develop code free apps to automate processing. All it takes is some effort and time.

Software doesn't solve business problems, processes do.