Local taxi firm gets optimised

A LOCAL taxi firm in Ballymun is backing a call for small Irish companies to apply for a programme that helps them get online.

Many smaller companies have either a weak or no internet presence as creating and maintaining a website can be costly and time consuming.

However, Ballymun based Dublin Taxi Transfers, an agency that allows customers book a taxi from Dublin airport to destinations all around Ireland, has found that needn’t be the case.

The company even provides a full meet and greet in arrivals at Dublin Airport so a good website is essential for generating business and allowing customers to book their journey in advance.

Last year, Dublin Taxi Transfers successfully applied for the OPTIMISE e-Commerce Website Development programme, a scheme that provides consultation, training and e-commerce development support.

The programme helped them develop their online strategy and its the now open again for applications from other small businesses looking to optimise their existing online presence and grow their business via the Internet.

It’s organized by the IE Domain Registry (IEDR), which is responsible for Ireland’s official Internet address .ie.

This year its OPTIMISE e-Commerce programme will help a further 15 small firms to improve their e-commerce capabilities or get online in 2015.

Research shows that thousands of Irish small businesses still remain offline and their absence from the Internet means they’re missing out on a share of the

?¬6 billion spent online by Irish consumers annually, over 60% of which goes to businesses abroad.

IEDR believes that its model of working shoulder-to-shoulder with business owners and service providers through a dedicated programme such as OPTIMISE addresses the issue more effectively than merely cheerleading from the side-lines.

And it’s a belief that Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Alex White shares.

“Our return to economic growth, renewed consumer confidence, and the extra money – albeit modest – that is now finding its way into people’s pay packets all provide opportunities for Irish business,

? he said.

“The growth rate of the digital part of the economy is about 20 per cent each year. That’s why the Statement of Government Priorities put an emphasis on the digital economy, because it has huge potential to help sustain and accelerate the recovery in jobs and incomes that is now underway.

?

David Curtin, Chief Executive of the IE Domain Registry, is urging businesses to apply for this year’s OPTIMISE programme.

“IEDR is proud to have helped 60 small firms to embrace e-commerce and find their niche online,

? he said.

“Now in its fifth year, OPTIMISE is evolving too and we are excited to extend our support to offline businesses for the first time. I’d strongly encourage SMEs to take a leap of faith, apply for a place and let IEDR help them to realise their online potential this year.

?