The Internet is a fantastic business tool, but it can never replace face to face contact. It has enabled Exportaid to work with individuals and companies in many different countries at very low cost, both to our company and our customers. It has helped significantly in the development of The Export Network (TEN), of which Exportaid is one of 18 associate companies spanning 12 different countries.
We have utilised most of the technologies that are now available. Possibly the greatest breakthrough in communication technology has been the development of live video. This has enabled face to face communication with minimal need to travel. There are still limitations with the free live video services, most of which only support two individuals talking to each other, but technology is moving faster than we can control it and we expect that free conference video technology will not be too far away. While nothing will replace doing business around a table in the same room, video can be a good second best.
