Northern Gas wants to move its sales order system to the Internet. Under the proposed system, gas stations and other merchants will use a secure site to check the availability and current price of various products and place an order. Currently, customer service representatives take dealers’ orders over the phone; they record the information on a paper form, then manually enter it into the firm’s computer system.

CFO Karen Jensen believes that dealers will not adopt the new Internet system unless Northern Gas provides financial assistance to help them purchase or upgrade their computer systems. Jensen estimates this one- time cost at $ 740,000. Northern Gas will also have to invest $ 145,000 in upgrading its own computer hardware. The cost of the software and the consulting fee for installing the system will be $ 215,000. The Web sys-tem will enable Northern Gas to eliminate 25 clerical positions. Jensen estimates that the benefits of the new system’s lower labor costs will have saved the company $ 1,430,000.

Requirement

Use a cost- benefit analysis to recommend to Jensen whether Northern Gas should proceed with the Internet- based ordering system. Give your reasons, showing supporting calculations.