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Agency Automation
Featuring Steve Anderson
Instant
Messaging Continued
"People love this technology,"
says Wendy Goldberg, a spokeswoman for AOL. "I've got my own
mom sending me IMs late at night telling me to go home and go to
sleep. All her friends are getting it now, because she keeps telling
them how easy it is. IM itself has become part of the vocabulary.
We'll say, 'I IM'ed him, but he never called back.' Or, 'Stop IM'ing
me, I'm trying to work."
In general, getting started with IM
requires little more than downloading one of the various instant-messaging
"clients" and registering with the system on which that
software operates. Registration typically requires such particulars
as your name and e-mail address, as well as the selection of a screen
name and password (other, optional information may be requested,
too). Whenever you go online, the client software will automatically
check to see which other registered users are online at the time.
IM is not without it’s problems. While IM does allow you to talk
with others in real time it also can erode privacy because once
you come online, you announce yourself as part of a community. It
may eventually get to the point where you can't get anything done
because you're too available. The biggest hurdle at the moment is
that different IM services can't communicate with one another. The
feud between Microsoft and AOL is an example of the turf wars to
control customers.
This is another interesting tool agencies can use to connect with
their customers. By putting a button on a web site a client who
has a question can connect with someone in your office electronically
in real time. As more people become comfortable with this form of
electronic communication it will be an option you will want to consider.
- Steve Anderson
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