Products & Resources
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August 1-15, 1996
Microsoft Products
america at work

Virtual Offices and Alternative Workplaces
June 20th, 1996 at 12:00 Noon Eastern Time
How would you like to have instant access to the best talent and resources whenever you need? A growing number of successful small businesses do and you'll see how on June 20th. Watch America At Work as we explore Virtual Offices and Alternative Workplaces.

West Philadelphia Enterprise Center, Philadelphia, PA
Entrepreneurs utilize this unique resource incubator in order to keep overhead costs down and ensure the successes of their new businesses. They share computers, clerical and administrative staff, and mailing services, as well as business tools and services that support their efforts. Find out how this business model can be replicated and how one business, a tour company, is benefiting from this alternative workplace.

Gotcha Covered Wholesale, Las Vegas, NV
Gotcha Covered runs a wholesale flower business out of the cab of their truck. Outfitted with laptop computer, cellular phones, beepers, faxes, and printers, this father-and-son duo can operate with utmost efficiency from virtually anywhere. Plus, the ability to stay in constant contact with suppliers allows them to jump on good deals and unique merchandise whenever possible. What’s the bottom line of this vehicular venture? In just three years, Gotcha Covered has made satisfied customers of more than one-third of the retail florists in Las Vegas.

West Coast Stevedoring, Juneau, AK
As an industry, ship loading isn’t typically associated with high-end PC technology. But West Coast Stevedoring is changing all that with a technology solution that enables the company to shave weeks off the process of tracking cargo that is loaded onto ships. Armed with laptop computers, employees can collect cargo data, enter it into Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and send it by e-mail to the company headquarters in Juneau, Alaska. The time savings (resulting in huge cost savings) have turned West Coast Stevedoring into such a fierce competitor that other companies are scrambling to catch this sailing ship.

Gary Everest, Seattle, WA
Why sit in the office when you can "shred" the moguls or ride the waves? That question led Gary Everest, a successful wholesale insurance broker, to trade in his desktop for a laptop. Over the years, as Everest’s professional practice expanded, so did the demands on his time. The price for his success was spending less time doing what he loved - windsurfing and snowboarding - and more time chained to his desk. Now, with his portable office, Everest can take his business wherever the wind, waves, and snow beckon, meeting his clients’ needs while retaining the quality of life he nearly lost while trapped in a traditional corporate setting.

Broadcast Information

Satellite coordinates for the broadcast:
Ku Analog: Galaxy 4 Transponder 12 11.9300 GhzPolarity H
C-Band: Galaxy 7 Channel 11 3920 Polarity H

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