Volume I, Issue 12
New Online Models Serve, Inspire There are good reasons to look at others' Web applications—for one, to offer glimpses into new Internet models that raise the service bar for shops. Or to inspire application of similar Web-based solutions for your own customers.
New Online Models Serve, Inspire
There are good reasons to look at others' Web applications—for one, to offer glimpses into new Internet models that raise the service bar for shops. Or to inspire application of similar Web-based solutions for your own customers.
Well, allow us, in this spirit, to introduce you to two new applications.
Buying and selling businesses is the point of the U.S. Business Exchange (www.usbx.com), and its newly launched business and Web site include a myriad of features that serve the metal and machine shop markets. The Web site provides a great deal of ancillary information about the purchase of a shop, including market, legal and educational information; an exchange of available businesses around the country; and business valuation utilities.
Comdisco has been around for more than 30 years as asset management for computer systems, which includes disposition of used equipment once it was no longer required. Well, now the company is applying its methods and models to machine tools. And its disposition services for machine tool clients mean that our market has a new channel for used capital equipment. Its Web presence (and more related information) can be found at www.comdisco.com/mfg.
So, why bring these up here? Because both these examples started with solid business models then introduced Web applications to support the base. With Comdisco, an established business uses the Internet to expand existing channels into other markets. USBX spent its start-up period on the bricks-and-mortar (financial, legal, licenses and so on) before launching a supportive Web initiative.
This breed of Web-ness—using the Internet as a tool to support core strengths instead of imitating them—should sound awfully compelling to you as a shop owner, manager or professional. It should inspire your own shop's initiatives to serve the business or your customers.
Job Shop Site Of The Month
Datum Machine Works says it likes to do it all—from prototyping and precision machining to reverse engineering and product development. Its site (www.datummw.com) presents those capabilities cleanly and efficiently.
To have your site considered for Job Shop Site Of The Month, send your URL to otw@mmsonline.com.
MMS Online This Month
Hold It! Cut It Out!
This month's MMS delivers the goods on chucks and cutting tools. For the usual massive online support for these topics, visit MMS Online's Zones for Workholding and Cutting Tools, respectively.
All MMS zones can be accessed at www.mmsonline.com.
