Staples, Office Depot Expand Services For Small Business Customers Online

In separate efforts to capitalize on the trend for small business to purchase business services on the web—a market Forrester Research predicts will explode to $48 billion by 2003--two of the leading office supply chains have announced partnerships with major vendors to provide specialized business and professional services on their web sites. Automatic Data Processing Inc., a leading provider of integrated human resources, benefits and payroll services, has teamed up with office supplies retailer Staples to provide small business customers access to ADP payroll and tax services. ADP’s Emerging Business Services division launched the program this week, offering personal consultation from ADP sales specialists at Staples’ retail stores and online to Staples.com’s more than one million registered customers. ADP sales specialists will provide in-store consultations in all 970 stores by the end of June. On the Staples.com web site, visitors can receive information on ADP payroll services, including price quotes, online proposals and a choice of follow-up options.

Meanwhile, Office Depot Inc. has launched an exclusive partnership with Microsoft Corp’s bCentral small-business service, an integrated set of web-based business services that goes live today on www.officedepot.com in the business services section. A pilot program in 20 retail stores also is slated in the coming months to generate demand and educate small business customers on the value of using bCentral services. Microsoft’s bCentral services, which are designed to allow small businesses to use information across a shared platform with clients and coworkers, include business web services, traffic builder, commerce manager, finance manager and customer manager offerings.