Technological advances in office equipment and Internet services in just the last 2 to 3 years have afforded the home office the opportunity to raise its level and quality of customer response to that of a more sophisticated brick-and-mortar environment. And, as each new product line debuts the prices for last year's models come tumbling down. Remember, when a plain paper fax machine cost $500 to $800? Today, you can get that, plus a phone and a photocopier in one product for under $500. Unless your budget is so tight that you literally live from payday to payday, there is no reason not to take advantage of some of these products and services.

Many of the product categories and services presented in the proceeding paragraphs will include brand examples. Please understand it is not to be construed as an endorsement on my part. I am simply trying to provide easy access to places where you can shop and compare.

Let's begin with the more basic office product needs. Today, there is simply no excuse for not having an answering machine. Except for the most inexpensive lines, most phones come with answering machines. And, if you want, more than one phone line can be incorporated into a single unit.

Have only one phone line? That can be a problem if you are online. A potential or existing customer can call, and get nothing but a busy signal. Fax4free.com allows you to send and receive fax and voicemail via your email address. As indicated by their name, Fax4free offers their services for free. So you have no excuse not to secure such a service if you have only one phone line.

An alternative is the call-forwarding process used by CallWave. Much like your regular telephone line, CallWave will intercept incoming calls while you are online. A message will direct the caller to leave a message. The message is then forwarded to you while online. The downloaded software lets you actually hear the message while you're online. You don't wait for email to arrive. Unless you already have call-forwarding there will be the typical hookup charge, and the monthly fee. For example, BellSouth charges $10 for the service hookup and then $1 a month for continuous call-forwarding service. Still that is extremely cheap in light of the fact you client can still leave a message. That beats the busy signal any day.

Want a Web site, but need to watch your budget? Don't feel prepared to take on Microsoft FrontPage or Adobe PageMill? Then, go to a site like BizLand.com. Get a free Web site. They even provide you with templates and technical support to get the page up and running. Computers are in heated competition with televisions for space in the home. In the United States, it is becoming more and more apparent, the majority of homes and offices are becoming increasingly computerized. Web sites are becoming as common as business cards. If the Web site is free, there is no need to bypass the opportunity to make your presence known on the Internet.

Regarding business cards, there is still the need for local networking and interaction to create business opportunities. Remember the arduous cut and paste process you went through with the local printer to come up with the design for your business cards and stationary? In addition to the heated competition for online office supply ordering, the big three of Office Depot, Office Max and Staples will provide you with online services to design and order your business cards and stationary. The prices and delivery time are very competitive with your local print shop.

Want a quick jump up the online communications ladder, for as little as $50? Consider video cams. Make and send videos or still images over the Internet. Add custom photo images and streaming video to your Web site. Communicate with others with streaming video or live video calls, assuming the receiver has like software and hardware. And even if they don't, expect this equipment to one day become as standard as a keyboard and mouse. Logitech and Kensington are two of the better-known commercial brands offering various levels of product and prices.

There are so many other products and services like online scheduling and office suites, scanners, and more to upgrade your home office to a level of professionalism and customer response not known as little as 3 and 4 years ago. Investigate these products and services. In some cases, you pay nothing. In others you pay a fraction of cost that would have been outside a small home-based business budget not too long ago. Do so, because your competition will surely take advantage of what all these items have to offer.

© 2000, Carroll Stephen Windhaus