The Internet will change the nature of buying services because it has several unique characteristics:

The Internet is a Useful Matching Tool

The Internet can mimic the way we find service professionals in the real world, while allowing a greater depth of information and more convenience. You can research all your options, and Internet matching services such as Home Advisor can locate the most appropriate service professionals to meet your needs.

With its creation of a systematic Internet matching program, Home Advisor is at the forefront of selling services on the Internet.

The Internet Makes Buying Services More Personal

By working with local service professionals, the Internet can be a vital link for you, the consumer, and businesses. Instead of turning to impersonal listings of potential service professionals in the phone book, you can go to Home Advisor to identify your exact needs.

Once your needs are defined, Home Advisor will connect you to local service professionals who are able and interested in completing your project. You will only make contact with those service professionals who can do the work. Once you make contact with the service professional, you can concentrate on choosing one with whom you feel comfortable since all the service professionals are carefully selected by Home Advisor and have the ability to do the project. In addition, Home Advisor offers anonymity so service professionals will not know the identity of potential customers; you don't have to worry about receiving unwanted solicitations.

The Internet Saves the Consumer Time

By taking advantage of the depth of information available on the Internet, you can save time throughout the selection process. Home Advisor's matching service will take you through a systematic process that allows you to define your needs down to the last detail. You will see all the options available and will choose those that best suit your taste and budget.

Traditionally, you would have to shop around to compare prices, products and services. For major projects, this required a huge time commitment traveling from retailer to retailer and making numerous calls to gather information. Now this process can be completed quickly entirely on the Internet in the convenience of your home or office.The Internet makes the process of buying services more efficient.

Once your needs are identified, Home Advisor's matching service will contact various service professionals who meet specific licensing or technical requirements. Home Advisor will take steps to ensure that the service professionals are legitimate, experienced businesses. Once Home Advisor informs these service professionals of the project details and service professionals who are interested in the project will respond. Home Advisor will give you the names of these service professionals, and you can contact as many or as few service professionals as you want.

The matching process is efficient not only for you, but also for the service professional. Service professionals won't have to deal with cold calls from consumers who are unsure of their needs and who may not end up using their services. This saves the service professional money as well, since they can focus on working with consumers who have actual jobs that need to be done not consumers who are merely considering a project. By taking advantage of the Internet's unique qualities and usefulness as a matching tool, buying services will become more efficient and more personal. Using the Internet for buying services will support a level of market efficiency that will positively impact the economy by driving out inefficiency, lowering overall prices and costs, and increasing overall profitability. With a systematic process of buying services on the Internet already in place, Home Advisor is at the forefront in this next step in e-commerce.

-- by Leticia Stefens, reprinted courtesy of HomeAdvisor.com