Rural Alaska and Y2K.

• Author: Middleton, Saundra
• Position: Promoting community awareness regarding Year 2000 date change problem

Y2K ills are not confined to big business, nor big cities. For example, Eagle Quality Center in Homer recently could not electronically process credit cards with a "00" expiration date due to Y2K-related conflicts in its point-of-sale terminals. Staff have since been processing the cards manually.

And a 911 emergency system in Fairbanks will not be able to log calls correctly unless expensive upgrades are made before the turn of the century. A business need not even own a computer to feel the side effects already rippling through Alaska's business community.

Y2K AWARENESS TOUR

In an effort to help businesses face potential Y2K problems and to spread the word to rural areas statewide, Jeri Walters of National Bank of Alaska and Sam Dickey of the Small Business Administration have teamed to form a Year 2000 Awareness Tour.

Since September 1998, the two organizations have visited about a dozen rural communities (from Ketchikan to Fairbanks to Dillingham to Valdez) to speak about Y2K preparation at Chamber of Commerce meetings.

Walters asserts a proactive approach for all businesses, whether urban or rural. Her presentations with Dickey address the scope of the problem and offer many free and simple suggestions on conducting business in spite of possible Y2K glitches. NBA's resource guide, which lists a step-by-step process in addressing Y2K management, is distributed at the meetings.

Nearly 700 Alaska businesses have been represented at these meetings and more will be reached as the tour continues throughout '99. Many relate common concerns, regardless of urban or rural status. Topping the list are concerns about the state's transportation systems, state and federal government Y2K efforts, and supply chain issues. Many ask about a central clearinghouse, set up to distribute state Y2K information. To date, no such clearinghouse exists.

Y2K AND RURAL BUSINESS

Walters said that in some respects the smaller communities will face less technological problems than larger communities Jan. 1, 2000. But that's not always the case.

For example, Dillingham and its eight surrounding villages use computers in approximately 95 percent of the businesses, says Chamber leader Julie Woodworth. That means about 95 percent of Dillingham's businesses may need to test their systems for Y2K compliance and fix any potential problems.

"It's almost more difficult to determine which businesses are not using computers," she says.

"Out here, government is also a big...