The impact of the Internet on Dollar Thrifty jobs

Just about everybody has a computer at work. For the most part, they make our jobs easier. But could computers actually do your job? <br><br>That's the case for 80 workers at the Dollar Thrifty

Thursday, July 17th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Just about everybody has a computer at work. For the most part, they make our jobs easier. But could computers actually do your job?

That's the case for 80 workers at the Dollar Thrifty call center in Okmulgee. The call center is being closed down in September. Not because of the bad economy. But because their Internet car rentals are doing so well.

Dollar Thrifty says in 1998, about 4% of its business was done over the Internet. Last year, that number had jumped to 45%. Don Himelfarb, Dollar Thrifty president, "The travel industry is really one that aligns itself with the Internet, it's a natural. And in fact travel services are the number one item for Internet sales, it far outpaces the second biggest which is computer hardware."

Dollar Thrifty will try to relocate the workers to other parts of the company. Their call centers in Tulsa and Tahlequah will stay open.