A swarm of new collaboration services are available online that can greatly simplify and expedite these tasks. Using only your Web browser, you can create your own private intranet or Local Area Network in minutes, and share contacts, documents, calendars and more online at no charge. The major problem with these e-tools is not their functionality or performance. They work just fine. It's the people using them.
Old habits die hard, especially under tight deadlines.
At least a dozen Web sites focus on providing e-collaboration tools on the Web. Most offer an impressive menu of features including free e-mail, group scheduling, message boards, contact directories, instant messaging and news bulletins. Also included are document management libraries, which allow you to store and swap any digital file from sales brochures to presentations to form-letter templates. If you wish, you can allow open access to the site, and enable anyone online to view its contents. You also have the option of password-protecting your virtual work space, and granting access only to team members or colleagues of your choosing.