By Bert Zethof

One of the happy benefits of the Internet is improved customer service and reduced negative environmental impacts from converting business processes to the web.

Telecommuting, online learning, and online shopping are just three of the things I can do in the comfort of my home rather than have to drive my car and emit more fumes into the atmosphere.

As a management consultant and coach, I have saved many trees and trips to the photocopy shop by simply emailing my reports to clients rather than creating paper documents.

It's a shame when a customer service that could easily be offered online is not. Take the case of gift certificates for a day spa, which is on my to-do list today: I can drive downtown to the day spa that wants to give you the piece of paper in person - bad option.

Or, I can patronize the spa with the online gift certificates printed on your own printer - good option (see www.purevictoria.com/). Of course, there are many other purchase criteria, but why risk losing business because you don't offer the option of online gift certificates?

Are there any opportunities in your business to improve customer service, or to minimize the chance of losing customers, by using the web more effectively? To what extent would these changes reduce your environmental impacts or carbon footprint?