The inventions of the computer and the Internet have changed the way that people interact with each other and businesses forever. Think about the last interaction that you had with a company. Chances are there was some form of technology involved whether it was an automated answering machine service or an email from your favorite company. While computers and the Internet have changed the way that people do business, it has not changed the way that people want businesses to act. People are still wanting a bit of customization and personalization in their interactions with businesses. This can be difficult if you are a company that is based solely online. Here is a look at some of the ways you can personalize the customer experience with your company.

Social Media Sites. Social media sites are a great way to give a customized experience to customers. Companies are able to create a social media page, gain visibility online all while interacting with customers. It is the interaction that means the most to customers as it allows companies to give a bit of a personal touch.

Surveys. Studies have shown that companies that provide a customer satisfaction survey to their customers are viewed more favorably than those that did not. It only takes a few minutes to create a survey and it can really improve how customers view your company.

Instant Emails. Email has become the new way to interact with businesses. Many customers will email questions, orders and concerns to the company before doing anything else. Even though they are using email they want personalized responses. Customers viewed companies that used automated pre-filled out emails as impractical, impersonal and often did not continue business with them. Take the time to customize the email with a name and a few other features and you’ll keep customers coming back for more.

There is a lot to consider when it comes time to calculate one’s yearly tax bill.

1099’s arrive from most banks and brokerage houses, declaring the amount of interest, and if applicable, dividends that a person’s money has earned during the year. W-2’s arrive as well, laden with the details of one’s income from the various employers they have worked for during the calendar year.

Merely using these numbers to fill in the blanks on the tax return, due by midnight on April 15th each year, is where many people draw the line on their tax responsibility. But are those diligent souls, many of whom do the math calculations on their own, avoiding tax responsibility?

In a typical year, millions of transactions, each of which would generate a tax liability, take place across the nation. Many of these transactions go unreported, but that doesn’t mean that taxes are not owed on the proceeds gained. However, it’s a fine line with plenty of grey shading on either side, that helps people to shirk any responsibility that they may face to pay additional taxes. Let’s take a closer look.

The government claims that anything which produces income is subject to tax. This could include selling items on Ebay or other internet sites. Rationality states that millions of transactions will continue to go unreported, for various reasons.

• Garage sales. When a person pays $60 for an item, then, in the interests of clearing out space, sells that item for $7 at a garage sale, most people view the item as having cost $53, and that they’ve ultimately suffered a loss in the course of the transaction. Uncle Sam would have you tally each sale that passed the till over your weekend garage clearance, and pay tax on the proceeds. The difference between the government’s viewpoint and the typical citizen’s viewpoint is large. Few people add insult to the injury of making money by selling things for far less than they cost, and then offering to pay tax on the paltry sums they ‘earned.’

• Ebay is essentially a garage sale which attracts a nationwide clientele, who are also spared the indignity of strolling around in your oil stained garage! While the seller might occasionally sell an item for more than they paid for it, the typical view is that by the time the expenses were added up – including the postage to ship the item, the time involved in handling it, and the gas used to transport the item – they would on the average, more than offset the profit attained.

• Just as internet retail sites are not required to charge state sales tax, most Ebay sellers view themselves as free of any tax burden associated with selling items online. ‘Why should I pay tax if a corporation isn’t charged the same tax?’ they legitimately wonder.

As it is, the government isn’t pursuing people who sell things on the Internet. But they could, as the law regarding the reporting of income on items sold is clear. If you’re worried, print out some turbotax coupons, and get busy organizing your complete tax return – including sales proceeds from Ebay.