Why CSL?
Instead of this sales pitch, you may prefer see our existing customers, a description of our services, a list of our capacities, or a reasonably objective review of our competitors.
Of course you can sign up right now.
It feels very productive to tell people:
"The information you need is on our web site, call me if you have problems."
However, it is rare to get something for nothing. There are bad reasons for your organization to increase your connection to the net:
- Your staff wishes to express their artistic side
- Everyone else is doing it
- You can get good service for free (from us)
There are good reasons not to use internet services:
- None of the people you serve, your staff or donors have internet access.
- Nobody in your organization has the time or interest to develop new skills.
With us, the direct cost of hosting is zero $. This is nice, one of our goals is to help organizations over the financial and emotional hump of these direct costs.
However, your indirect costs are likely to be more important than your direct costs. Somebody needs to take the time to go to everyone's desk and setup their email program. Somebody needs to learn how to create and update web pages. Somebody needs to be responsible for answering email enquiries.
There is never something for nothing. However, if you are thoughtful and spend some time learning to use internet tools, you can improve your service dramatically. For example:
- 24 hours a day, the Lowell Quilt Festival publicizes the festivals to everyone on the Internet. They don't have to answer phones or stuff envelopes or make photocopies. They can answer most inquiries with "Have you checked our website?"
- The Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce uses their listserv to email announcements to 400 companies. Companies can add and remove themselves from the list without help from an administrator. Messages arrive in minutes. Bad email addresses are handled automatically. All messages are archived on the web. There is quite a savings in stamps.
- The Lowell Community Technology Consortium recruits volunteers online. People fill in the form, listing their interests, skills, and contact information. The information is emailed to the volunteer coordinator who then connects volunteers to suitable organizations. Applications are accepted 24 hours a day and 7 days per week.
- The program director at the Boys and Girls club can print: Tony Rivera trivera@lbgc.org on his business card instead of tr1975@hotmail.com