Supporting the Net - services, products, and training for Internet users

American Demographics, May, 1997 by Lisa Krakowka

A multitude of products and services has sprung up to assist businesses that want to dip their toes into Internet waters. Some practitioners in this new industry offer a full range of services, while boutique businesses fill niche needs. So far, the potential seems unlimited.

No consensus exists on how many Americans use the Internet and why they use it. The feasibility and legality of transacting business on the Net also remains murky. Yet many marketers are convinced that it's crucial for their company to have a presence on the global computer network. This combination of confusion and interest is fueling Internet business, all right. But it seems as if the only ones making money to date are the businesses that provide resources for other businesses to get with the program.

Although estimates of Internet use vary wildly, there's no doubt that at least several million Americans have some experience with this new medium. And a true medium it is. The global computer network has blossomed from a way to share information with fellow scholars into a fledgling yet viable method of advertising and selling goods and services.

But it takes considerable skill to do it in such a rapidly evolving venue, and most businesses are looking for outside help. Web consulting firms are springing up all across the country, as are shelves packed with "how to" books and flyers for seminars on getting your business online. Not to mention the constant stream of new software available to develop and manage Internet sites.

It's just as impossible to gauge the size of the Internet support business as it is to estimate Internet use, because the field is growing so fast. Yet it's clear that distinct types of specialists have emerged to help businesses get on the information highway bandwagon.

FULL-SERVICE PROVIDERS

One of the pioneers in the new industry offering "Net knowledge" is O'Reilly & Associates, Inc. of Sebastopol, California. For nearly ten years, O'Reilly has provided Internet-related technical writing, consulting, publications, and market research. Its first major title was Ed Krol's The Whole Internet User's Guide & Catalog. The book has sold millions of copies, is currently printed in 12 languages, and was declared a "Book of the Century" by the New York Public Library. O'Reilly also developed the first World Wide Web publication and resource center, Global Network Navigator, which was sold to America Online as a basis for the online provider's user interface.

The company is currently the leading publisher of books for UNIX, X, and the Internet, with over 21 titles devoted exclusively to the Web, seven kinds of Web-related software, and a host of guides on Net-related topics that span the gamut from law in cyberspace to travel on the Web. "I think our success comes from the fact that we continue to be players," says Richard Peck, vice president of business development. "We do what we do because we live the Net every day, not because it's the thing to do."

The ways in which businesses become educated about the Internet are as varied as the reasons why they want an Internet presence. "Many companies have used The Whole Internet as a way to train their employees on the basics of using the Net," says Peck. "But it's also clear that conferences are becoming important as well." He suggests that the answer to the question of "What is the best way to train my employees to use the Net?" is a progression of learning aids.

The typical scenario in a new-to-the-Internet organization is that a small number of employees invest in educating themselves about the Net as a means to do their jobs better. These individuals then introduce the concept to the firm on a larger scale. From there, employees may be sent to seminars about how to create a strong Web presence or how to use the Net as an effective means to promote business. At this point, businesses may call in outside help to support or develop their Internet interests, which is where the consulting businesses come in.

While O'Reilly no longer consults with individual clients, it is exploring the seminar arena. Peck spoke at a recent trade-show seminar sponsored by the Seybold Group as part of a presentation on Internet business opportunities. "We lectured and offered discussion on everything from basic Web design to content, software tools, and examining the business model of getting involved in the Net," he says. More than 500 people attended this presentation at a high cost of admission--testament to the fact that educational opportunities are in high demand. "The Seybold show attracts everyone from Web designers and their agency marketing people to technical folks interested in (or offering) the latest for what was once called `desktop publishing' but would now be called `computer-aided design' or `Web publishing," says Peck.

BOUTIQUE PROVIDERS

Basic seminars may offer an introduction to Internet concepts, but individual organizations have individual needs. The Internet site for a retailer with an online catalog is substantially different from that of a local government agency. So is their need for software, training, and other support. Some Internet-support businesses choose to concentrate in a particular field of expertise.