Airlines and courier services as well as high tech companies have already discovered that enhancing their services by extending them into the online universe can please customers while also saving money. For example, UPS has saved lots of money in service phone personnel payroll expenses by answering questions about pricing and helping customers track shipments through their website. Com is everybody's favorite example of success in online commerce. With 20-20 hindsight, it's clear that Amazon took an initiative in a niche where online commerce really makes sense. What's also clear is that more and more products are going to be sold through the Web.
Little explanation is needed here.
All media is becoming digital. If you're already using multimedia or video in your marketing or communication programs, you're already ahead on the learning curve. The Web is a great way to leverage that advantage so that you will look even better than your competition. Figure out how to make them part of a relationship-building exercise, contest or some other kind of creative program. I'll write more about this in the December Web Edge column, but many companies today are recognizing the value of virtual teams who use the network to stay connected.