Professional Services

Prior to 9/11 airplane passengers could bring just about anything on board. Today, on the other hand, there's no way that a pocketknife, lighter, or scissors will be allowed to travel with you. Heightened security and forgetful travelers are the two big reasons CheckPoint Mailers came to be; this company is providing a much needed service to stressed out airline passengers across the country. CheckPoint Mailers gives you the ability to ship your treasured items home when they don't make it past airline checkpoints. Their top rated services can currently be found in nearly 30 different airports, with new service stations popping up daily. Heather Lowry and Sherry Anderson, the founders of CheckPoint Mailers, have 32 years of business and airline experience, making them well aware of the needs their potential customers have. In 2003, the first CheckPoint station was established at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, and have grown nonstop ever since.

CheckPoint Mailers is working hard to meet the needs of their customers, and have safely sent thousands of restricted items to homes around the world. If you find yourself in a situation where you need their services, just pick up one of the CheckPoint 6"x9" plastic pouches and complete the payment and shipping form. Put the completed form and your item in the pouch and drop it in the CheckPoint box. From there they pick it up, process it for proper shipping in a bubble-wrapped package, and send it on its way. Expect to pay a small fee using cash or a credit card to ship domestic and international packages (costs run about $8-9 per domestic item, $14 per lighter within the United States, and $32 per lighter internationally). In the past people have shipped pocketknives, scissors, small tools, and box cutters; the biggest item they can ship is 3 by 12 inches. And while CheckPoint will help you get your restricted items home, they don't ship things like weapons, ammunition, flammable liquids, or explosives.

CheckPoint is providing an option where one previously didn't exist. Their services are offer a sigh of relief to travelers who can't bear to part with family heirlooms and other valued trinkets. This is a good example of a company that's created an innovative service to help people – something any airline customer can appreciate.

In a time when shoppers are making more and more purchases online, it's important to know that you're getting what you pay for (and what the sample photo shows). It's difficult to get a real sense of the companies, products, and service you'll receive without being able to experience it firsthand. Lucky for us Epinions.com is out to make online shopping easier, less stressful, and problem free.

Epinions (a division of Shopping.com Inc.) mission is to help people make well-informed buying decisions by using tools like customer reviews, unbiased advice, thorough product evaluations, and personal recommendations. By putting consumers in control Epinions is gaining a solid reputation for trustworthy information on everything from tires to baby cribs. The fact that anyone can find honest information (good or bad) only helps Epinions database of info grow, and with millions of user reviews it doesn't look like their spurt is slowing. Epinions developed their Personalized Recommendations tool after they realized that people almost always seek advice before making major purchases. You might call your mom, your best friend, or the administrative assistant at your office to help you figure out what and where you're going to buy. So why not have the same options online? Through their proprietary Web of Trust technology, you can sort through content to find reliable (and more importantly useful) information prior to making your next purchase. You can also choose to receive emails when new reviews are published about products you're interested in. Within the 30 different categories Epinions features, you can find buying guides, product definitions, and how-to guides in addition to more basic product reviews. They also offer pricing and availability options on different merchants that can help make better use of your online buying time. And because Epinions doesn't accept bribes from manufacturers or distributors, you know the advice you're getting is accurate.

People love Epinions because it empowers them to make good decisions with honest merchants - a practice that's mutually beneficial for buyers and sellers. It helps consumers who are constantly looking for more products, better services, and lower prices get all of the info they need in a fraction of the time it would take them to search out the same information individually. Now that's time well spent.

While the world gets more complicated and solutions become more easily accessed through the internet, it makes sense that grocery shopping should evolve into an online option. However this has not been the case, as many start-up companies have failed due to the cost of delivery. In spite of these obstacles, Groceryguys.com is making headway through their innovative strategies and successful business approach.

Groceryguys.com partnered with neighboring grocery stores leading to a reduction in their overhead cost as well as making free delivery an option to many of their coverage areas. They also don't have the cost of running a store, freeing them from building expenses, inventory stocking, and upkeep, which means that it's easier to give their customers lower cost groceries with free delivery. Groceryguys also publishes the fact that deliverers will not accept tips, meaning that there are no additional costs for the customer to consider. Their services free those who might otherwise be dependent on others for their physical sustenance by delivering their groceries in a timely manner at a competitive price. Catering specifically to the Elderly and busy families, Groceryguys is meeting their customer's needs while at the same time propagating their brand excellence and social awareness.

In addition to their innovative strategy, Groceryguys also offers a unique online experience that boasts the perks of seeing products without the drag of taking yourself (and whiny little kids) to the store. Shoppers can scroll through categorized items seeing the product they would normally buy browsing through isles. They can also search through specials, and look for specific items thereby simplifying all of the exhausting steps of frugal grocery getting. Perhaps the greatest timesaving aspect of the website is the "Grocery List" option which allows users to save specific lists of items they regularly purchase. This lets users quickly access their information and send off an order, a process that only takes seconds as opposed to the lengthy trip that traditional shopping imposes. For Groceryguys the customer's needs come first as they seek to free up the hectic shopper. Other perks include 24 hour a day purchase power and customizable delivery times. Kudos to Groceryguys for seizing an un-chartered market and being extremely successful to boot.

Just stepped in another steaming pile of domesticated animal waste? Is that sea foam green Hyundai blocking your driveway again? Do you feel frustrated, angry, and helpless? Not any more, thanks to 311, a phone service that can now be found in many cities nationwide. 311 is a response to concerned citizens who want to voice their opinions but don't know where to turn. 311 is designed to be the non - emergency alternative to 911, it's a call in system that features live operators ready to take your call and make sure you get a tracking number so you can follow up. You might call 311 if you want to report a loose animal, a pothole, loud noises, or even if you would like to voice your opinions to your local mayor.

Its first use for this purpose was in Baltimore, Maryland, where the service commenced on October 2, 1996. 311 is intended to connect callers to a call center that can be the same as the 911 call center, but with 311 calls assigned a secondary priority, answered only when no emergency 911 calls are waiting. This system is intended to extend the system such that true emergency callers are answered quickly, without ringing or busy signals (Wikipedia.com). On December 20, 2005, the first day of the 2005 New York City Transit Strike, 3-1-1 received over 240,000 phone calls, setting a new record for the city. (Mayor Bloomberg, Press Conference, 21 Dec 2005)

311 offers people a voice, without making them feel like they're burdening the police department with petty problems. It offers a results oriented service to put residents back in the community's driver seat. The multi-lingual setup of 311 gives everyone an opportunity to voice their opinions, eliminating alienating cultural barriers that oftentimes can result in a destructive backlash. After all, who doesnâ€^TMt want to feel like someone is listening?

It's unlikely that anyone would say that they enjoy doing their laundry. Fashion conscious New Yorkers are especially unexcited by the idea of sudsing and dudsing, knowing that dropping of fine clothes at an uncaring Laundromat is a recipe for disaster. Most laundry services fail to take care of the clothes you cherish, the results being shrunken sweaters, pink shirts that were once white, and garments that come back wrinkled as a result of being packed too tightly into a flimsy nylon bag.

And then came Slate. As in a "clean slate" for your dirty clothes. Slate is the priceless (and pampering) option for busy New Yorkers who appreciate a careful clean. The Slate process is simple and tailored to your schedule. You start by putting your dirty clothes into a Slate hamper, don't worry about sorting, they do that for you, and then schedule a pickup time online (slatenyc.com). From there Slate picks up your hamper and charges you a flat rate, per hamper fee, that's the same every time. Once your beloved threads make it to Slate they're cleaned with the greatest care (if it says hand wash, they hand wash) using eco friendly, nontoxic cleaning solvents. And at the end of it all (about 48 hours later) Slate will bring your precious garments back to you in "tragically hip packaging".

On the surface Slate appears to be a clothes cleaner, but underneath they're really a fashion label. They care as much as you do about your cashmere sweater and Italian wool suit, making peace of mind their best selling point. So even if you don't have time to go to the spa, at least your clothes can. What's not to love? The only thing we don't love is that this service is only available in Manhattan. Kudos to Slate for innovating the clothes cleaning industry, and for providing a unique customer service that has dirty clothes coming back for more.

Simply put, "Lulu believes in putting authors and independent publishers in control of their digital content, from content creation to pricing to royalties," meaning that these days, just about everyone can be an author, cinematographer, or comic illustrator. Gone are the days of the controlling publishers with a cutthroat attitude about editing your work. LuLu is exciting because they make dreams possible, your books can be ordered one at a time if you'd like and LuLu doesn't make money unless you do. You get to name your own prices for everything from printing costs to royalties, and LuLu will be happy to ship orders to your swarms of waiting readers. And since LuLu is 100 percent digital, there aren't any long trips or frustrating meetings with your publisher. LuLu is always on; always ready to assist you in living out your fantasy as a literary (or film) genius.

In the race to innovate in an increasingly tough industry, DHL recognizes that the experience in receiving a package cannot be underestimated. DHL is now changing its focus from just making deliveries timely and cheap, and is offering a more hands on customer's experience. The experience is based on providing peace of mind, knowing that DHL will take care of your logistics and delivery needs. Their online tracking system has been a powerful way of helping customers feel part of the delivery process and allows them to keep an eye on their packages.

But DHL's biggest effort is focused on making the world a safer place. It is also using its logistics strength to develop a disaster management service, and is even in the process of developing a need-response rescue unit. Why, because DHL sees the need of being the good guy, and delivering more than just packages.

The striking thing about recent world disasters, like Hurricane Katrina and the terrifying Tsunami in the east, has been the lack of ability for governments to effectively deliver much needed supplies and support for people in those areas. DHL has stepped in and offered it's logistics experience to make sure that those vital services are provided. DHL has even signed an agreement with the UN whereby it will help in overcoming transportation and logistics challenges in such events. This service will hopefully save the lives of countless people who lives are devastated by such events.

DHL is also setting up three DHL Disaster Response Teams as part of its global network. The first will be located in Singapore and is scheduled to be ready in the spring of 2006. Two other teams will be stationed to cover Middle East/Africa and Latin America/Caribbean. In the event of a major catastrophe, teams composed of specially trained DHL employees will help manage crucial logistics operations in airports close to the affected region. Each team will consist of up to 100 volunteers who will involve themselves both in the DHL business and the higher experience first-hand disaster relief.

The willingness of companies like DHL to offer solutions to problems, rather than be part of the problem certainly distinguishes them from their competitors.

For an example of a transformational experience, look no further than Vocation Vacations. Vocation Vacations has been encouraging their guests to "Test Drive Your Dream Job" since January of 2004, when Brian Kurth decided that he was sick of the daily 9 to 5 routine, long commutes, and corporate career that controlled his life. Thankfully, he figured out what to do long before a mid life crisis hit. One day during his slow and stuffy commute on the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago, Kurth had an idea: why not make vacations a time to pursue your dreams? And Vocation Vacations was born. Kurth and his team believe that everyday can feel like a Friday, and they'll help you get there.

With over 70 careers to choose from in both the United States and abroad, and including activities from being a vintner to a baseball team manager, you're sure to find something that ignites your inner fire. Whether you want to be an animal therapist or a perfumer, leave it up to Vocation Vacations to find you a position, a mentor, and a life coach that can help actualize the real you. This vacation opportunity is unlike others in that you aren't just taking a little break from your less than perfect life only to return back to it in a week or two. You're actually being equipped with the opportunity to never have to go back to that cubicle again. This has been a powerful draw card for those looking for a career change, and who want to dip their toes in the water before taking the plunge. So much so that CNN Money recently recommended this as an option for those people exploring a career change. It is actually amazing to see how much exposure this inventive concept is getting, but that is because the idea is not only novel but provides customers with a wonderfully unique experience. Yet, if you are, in fact, one of the lucky people who loves your career, Vocation Vacation still supplies an out of the ordinary experience that beats 18 holes any day.