See the link for the full article...

http://www.zdnet.com/anchordesk/story/story_3269.html

[snip]

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 07, 1999

How Y2K Could Choke Small Business

Jesse Berst, Editorial Director

ZDNet AnchorDesk

Yikes! -- 4.75 million small employers face Y2K problems! The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) says 750,000 of them may be shut down -- or severely crippled -- by the Year 2000 bug.

Small businesses are the lifeblood of my personal and professional life. From the vet that takes care of my dogs. To the office supply store that stocks AnchorDesk. Yet small businesses may be the least prepared for life after 1/1/00. A survey by the NFIB showed nearly 4 out of 5 small businesses consider the Y2K problem "not at all serious."

[snip]

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), April 09, 1999

Answers

Kevin,

Here's our story.

My husband & I make paper by hand for bookbinders & conservationists. We have no employees.The only computer is in the office & is compliant as is the fax machine.We need very clean water, electricity & sewage facilities,telephone/internet,mail & parcel delivery & banking facilities to operate.

One of our biggest problems is getting hold of raw materials.Manilla Hemp from the Phillipines,hemp & magnesium carbonate from France,esparto from Morocco,cotton & liquid size from from the USA.

Another problem is receiving orders from overseas & getting paid by overseas customers.Neither our UK bank or telephone company are prepared to assure us that overseas communications or transfers will happen.

Many of our customers are city & state & national authorities both in UK,USA,CANADA,Gulf States,Germany,Belgium,Gulf States etc.Will they still be spending money on libraries & archives next year or will budgets be slashed to meet emergencies ?

I think it is going to be about SUPPLY CHAINS.Most small businesses can work around office stuff but shortages of imported raw materials can only be solved by stock piling...if you have the foresight & money.

-- Worried (griffen@globalnet.co.uk), April 09, 1999.