IBM offers expert advice for small business

"Ask The Expert" is a section of the newly revamped IBM Small Business Center, a web site specially for small business owners to have ready access to a comprehensive library of resources on various business and information technology issues affecting them.

"Small business owners, especially those just starting out, are often in need of guidance and assistance on a wide range of issues, from business practices to legal matters and technology issues," said Sean Lee, IBM Country Manager for Small Medium Business in Singapore.

"However, the cost of hiring external business and technology consultants and the vastness of the SME market are common deterrents to them getting the answers they need. Through the "Ask The Expert" section of the IBM Small Business Center web site, small business owners can now have their queries personally attended to and answered within a day or two -- free of charge!" Lee continued.

Made up of a panel of non-IBM professionals, SME advisors and successful small business owners, the Small Business Experts team answers questions sent to the "Ask The Expert" page. The team replies on a wide variety of issues affecting startups, business development, expansion, management, marketing, accounting, corporate structure, as well as small business computing, the Internet and technology support.

The revamped Small Business Center web site also boasts a new sub-site focusing on Net Generation (NetGen) business and a library of other resources for small business owners, including white papers, case studies, technology news and a calendar of events.

The web site, designed primarily for businesses with fewer than 100 employees, forms a part of a larger IBM initiative called the Small Business Program, which aims at adding value for the IT giant's small business customer.