Later the same day, I needed a short sequence of computer instructions programmed to connect our network to the Internet. The product I had purchased needed a special configuration to meet our standards. Again, a technical engineer, this time at Performance Technology, Inc., wrote the 30-line program and made it available for downloading to my computer so I wouldn’t have to wait for it to be mailed.

With a fast computer, a modem, and some luck, I was able to get both the printer and Internet connection difficulties solved in the same afternoon. What struck me later that night was my expectation that I could receive special attention immediately. I wasn’t willing to wait two days for the postal delivery or even one day for the overnight service. I wanted and expected my problem to be solved right away.

Two months ago, during the Oklahoma bombing, we received newswire updates every five minutes from the national news services. As the items came in by computer, they were reposted to our company’s electronic mail system. My coworkers were anxious about the tragedy, and the local radio stations weren’t broadcasting enough detail to put us at ease. We went right to the source.

I agree that the news of the bombing isn’t related to my business, but it still demonstrates that my coworkers’ expectations were that we could get information that was very current, in some cases, only one or two minutes old, transmitted right to us, when we asked for it.

I have a hunch in the back of my mind that we are increasing the pace of our lives. I don’t mean that we’re busier, but that our activities take place at a more rapid pace.

In another example, this afternoon, just as I was walking out the door for the day, a fellow Rotarian called with news of our fundraising plans for the upcoming fiscal year. We talked for a few minutes, and Darrell explained his plans and asked for my ideas.

Before I could respond, I wanted to see some financial figures for the last few years with comparisons along a number of data points. Darrell had already done his research, and was typing the figures into his computer, anticipating that I would ask for them. He wanted to bring them to our next meeting, in two days. I asked him to send them via electronic mail (email) so that I could read them that evening, at home. Now that I’m thinking back on these situations, I realize that not only is the information valuable, but the timeliness of its delivery is valuable. And I’m measuring timeliness in minutes, even if it means going across the country to get what I want.

In my business we sell computer classes and learning materials. For years we have been able to distribute the books and diskettes to buyers regardless of where they were. I received the order, packaged the materials, and shipped them usually via UPS or the US Postal Service. But now, we're finding customers that want to be able to download electronic copies of the books which will be printed on their computer printer. This way the text could be received within a few minutes, rather than waiting a few days to a week for delivery.

I’m searching for a way to describe this light-speed style of business. The best words I can muster are “Virtual Business.” Business that takes place, not in a face-to-face transaction, sometimes not even in a phone conversation, but in a type of computer-mediated communication that frees us to do more profitable work each day. I have customers that I have never seen or heard. Some are known to us only through our email conversations. I also have many personal acquaintances that I’ve met in cyberspace over the years that I have never met face-to-face. Some of these people have become close, trusted advisors in their areas of expertise.

But I still can’t quite grasp how quickly business can be conducted in cyberspace. The typical office business day doesn’t even approach the pace of online business. I had a meeting recently that lasted just over an hour to discuss, amongst other things, credit card terms with a banker. That meeting will be followed by paperwork and probably another meeting before we will be able to use the merchant credit cards. Later that same day, I had to laugh because in less than 10 minutes I contracted with a virtual bank, a banking institution established expressly for transactions on the Internet, to provide our customers with a method of secure credit purchases of our online products.

I thought we were hot stuff last year when we began accepting purchase orders and class registrations by facsimile. Now some of our customers use their company’s email system to send us electronic messages requesting classes and course information. I even receive post-class reviews via email, because it takes too much time to write a facsimile cover sheet or address an envelope. And it costs too much.

The average business letter costs about $.95 to mail (not including labor), I know, I send out hundreds each year soliciting donations for the Howard County Sexual Assault Center, and I watch every penny for that nonprofit organization. Electronic communication costs nothing outside of the phone and service provider charges. And messages arrive immediately in a form that can easily be copied to another software program.

Remember Darrell? His Rotary financial figures will eventually make their way into a report that I’ll present at a board meeting. I’m not going to retype them. Instead, I’ll copy them from the email message into my word processor.

I’m not sure what virtual business will mean for me or for you. It’s too new, and it’s too untested. What I am sure about is that it’s now a part of our life. Whether I like it or not, I’ve got to accept that the way I did business just five years ago, isn’t the way I’ll be doing business this year.

David Stephen Murphy is President and CEO of Damar Group, Ltd. which presents computer training classes, publishes computer learning guides, and helps organizations do business on the Internet. The website is http://dgl.com, and Mr. Murphy may be reached at dave@dgl.com or 410.567.5366.

updated November 2, 1996
http://dgl.com/tbm/tbm9506.html

Return to DGL homepage
Copyright © 1996, Damar Group, Ltd., All Rights Reserved