Intranets

1. What Can It Do?

An intranet can allow information sharing that was previously impractical. You can publish any amount of information internally at virtually zero cost, except for management time.

1.1 All the 'live', day-to-day information that is needed to make your business run is likely to end up on your intranet.

• For example, information used in marketing or HR management

1.2 Intranets can improve how you deal with customers.

• Every PC will give immediate access to new or changed information.
• You can use your intranet to log customer contacts. When a customer calls, whoever answers will be able to access the full history for that customer.

1.3 Intranets can help your in-house training.

• An intranet is ideal for leading new employees through an induction sequence - what your products are, who you sell to, who everyone is and what people do - because it is so easy to update.
• You can keep an audit trail to check that people are using your interactive material.
• You can make the business' general information available to every employee. This provides access to specialist know-how when an expert is unavailable.

1.4 The intranet can hold diaries for individuals and groups. This makes it easier to schedule people and facilities.

1.5 Your intranet can become an extranet, giving access to customers or suppliers.

• An extranet is an intranet that selected external users can access, usually over the internet.
• Allowing customers to view stock levels and place orders via your extranet will improve their view of your service, and could save you money.