NFIB

Benefits of Online Services to Independent Business
03/ 28/ 2002


Everyone talks about how the Internet is going to change the way business is run, but for my money, that time has already arrived. There is a vast array of services and information that can be obtained online -- almost all of it free. Contributor Jeffrey Moses shares his favorite tips in today's Workshop.

* Many basic business services can be accomplished online. These include, among others:

1. Making travel reservations, including airline tickets hotel reservations, cruises, special trips, etc.; biztravel.com, http://travel.yahoo.com,http://www.hotelreservation.com, and hundreds of others. Just type in "travel reservations" or "airline reservations" on your favorite search engine.

2. Getting tax information (either from specific sites such as www.irs.gov or in discussion groups).

3. Connecting with employment services (to hire or to be hired). Type in "employment services" in your search engine and you'll have a wide choice, ranging from all-purpose private agencies to state-run agencies. If you need specialized agencies, type in exactly what you need (such as "computer employment," "technical employment," or "medical employment").

* If you need information about computer or software problems (or just to find the best applications for your needs), online discussion groups are excellent. Many times even the most complex problems can be addressed simply by describing it in detail in an appropriate discussion group. Often an expert will reply within 24 hours.

* A few years ago, it used to be difficult for the average investor to find information about stocks. Now there are dozens of ways to pick the brains of the most experienced professionals. The stock quote section of Yahoo, for instance, has news items pertaining to each individual stock. This news originates from such sources as CNBC, CBS, Reuters, CNN, Red Herring and dozens of other organizations specializing in stock selection. Spending time perusing these news items (one link can lead to another) gives an investor a broad scope of the markets, and often puts an investor in touch with recommendations for individual stocks. Usually, these news articles contain a link to each specific stock mentioned, so that an investor can simply click and receive complete information about the stock.

* All the major office supply companies and many small businesses have web sites with easy ordering capabilities. Some of the larger ones include www.officemax.com and www.officedepot.com. By typing in "office supply" in Yahoo, for example, you'll receive links to over a hundred sites, many specializing in certain types of supplies. Office Depot and Office Max both offer free delivery to specific areas (most cities are included) for orders over $50. Your favorite small retailer may have good deals, too. Ordering online through any of these office supply sites can save you a trip to the store, and could save you money on sales tax.

* Speaking of purchasing online, it's getting easier than ever. Virtually every major retail store and/or catalogue has a web site that allows instant, secure ordering. If you purchase from sites that provide free shipping on orders over certain dollar amounts, you'll save whatever you would have spent on sales tax if you'd shopped at a store -- and have your order delivered directly to your door.

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