help to find business tools for start-up

Hi all -

I'm opening a new service business inworld. I have done some searches but cannot locate tools that help with correspondence, receiving payments, any other helpful business tools, etc. Is there a single source to obtain business tools information?

My business requires that customers submit a quote acceptance form along with a 50% deposit in order for work to commence; the balance is due upon delivery.

My first customer just used the 'Pay' link from my profile, but that shows up as a gift in the transactions history. I'd like to find some way to associate the quote number with the payment.

I'm just not sure where to look to find this info and would appreciate any suggestions. Also, if this is not the correct forum for this question, direction to the appropriate forum would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance for any and all constructive suggestions!

I'm not a business person, but had an idea for this one aspect. You could create an object (even a plain plywood box), then edit the name of it to something like "Quote #204854 - Deposit". Then set it for sale for the agreed upon amount and have the person buy it. It should show up with the specified name in your transaction history, and the person has the item as evidence of payment.

If you want to get fancy, you could make yourself a template object that looks like a receipt or invoice.

Thanks for such a quick reply! My problem is that the customer needs to see the quote first. Here are the steps for the transaction:

1. I give customer a written quote
2. Customer reviews
3. If customer accepts quote, they insert some additional info/details on the quote's acceptance form
4. Customer returns acceptance form to me along with payment.

I think I might be overthinking it since I'm so close to it, but I'm sure there's gotta be an easy way.

I like your idea, especially about a template object that looks like a receipt or invoice. And I love to get fancy every now & then!

write the quote up in a notecard and give it to him or put it on the prim as a jpeg or tga and he can read it and then buy the prim with the quote

Tini,

Lack of internal business tools is a big problem. Is there any reason why some of this has to be done in world? For my business, we do quotes and contracts outside of SL, and handle AR either via Lindens or PayPal, depending on what the customer can utilize.

For quotes and contracts, we use a website called echosign. For invoicing (if you do that), plain old email. For payments, the Linden internal system or Paypal.

Anyway, best of luck to you.

No, my suggestion definitely won't cover the entire business transaction. It's just a way to make the payment show up in your transaction history with the proper information, rather than just as "gift".

I think Allison's suggestion to take it outside of SL is a good one, and can add a level of trust that is hard to find when just dealing with an avatar whose RL human is unknown.

Thank you for your replies! Very good suggestions indeed.

Wilhelm, your suggestion is similar to Ava's but sounds like that might be a good temporary fix.

Allison, I don't know why I was limiting myself to using SL as the only way to transact business. I guess I'm trying to get myself thinking inside of SL instead of my usual RL ways! I will check into echosign but, for now, I need to limit my expenses so that will be a factor - temporary, of course, until business grows!

Ava, you bring up a very good point about the level of trust, especially since I am taking someone's money as a deposit and delivering a product days later.

Wishing you all a great day & success in your endeavors!

Tini Jewell