abbeyvet - 12:56 pm on Jun 15, 2007 (gmt 0)

There is no perfect solution, no perfect tool. As any craftsman will tell you the art is in picking the right tool for the job.

I may be wrong, but your posts sounds like you have a tool in mind and are trying to make it into the perfect solution for small business.

The mechanics of getting a site online and keeping it updated is such a trivial matter nowadays. The time involved in ensuring it continues to contribute to the bottom line is not trivial, but thats not really a tool related issue, it's to do with things like creating good content, search engine placement, marketing, providing a good customer experience etc.

What about a solution that they can make their own changes and it is so intuative that it doesnt require training or help files. Now wouldn't that be something.

Pretty much any CMS can accomplish that at the contributing user level.

quality, fast, AND cheap

"Pick any two" is the traditional follow on to that - I don't think it's changed any.

80% of users use about only 20% of functionality software.

That doesn't mean they won't buy or don't want to buy the other 80%. If it did practically no computer to-day would be running Windows.

And it's about functionality for most businesses. I deal with small businesses all the time, many of them with fewer than 5 employees. Their needs are VERY diverse, as an example here are just a few things that they have requested lately:

1. A means of integrating a secure and automatic download system which works seamlessly to fulfill eBay sales, with a non-technical owner able to administer it all.

2. An automated appointment booking system, with real time availability of various personnel, booking completed and confirmed online and SMS reminders automatically sent to customers prior to their appointments.

3. A password protected system which allows workers in remote locations to collaborate on creating documentation in real time.

etc etc

Is there one tool that can do all that? Those are real small businesses, with real problems that need solving.