Event organising is a complex, time-consuming and most certainly strenuous activity in which to indulge. Having spent the better part of two weeks trying to pull together a three-hour long function, I thank the gods of technology for making things just slightly easier than they could have been.
I`m not sure if the culture of trying to squeeze the most out of every second is something specific to the IT industry, or the province of Gauteng, or if it`s merely restricted to a certain type of personality.
Basheera Khan, Journalist, ITWeb
Companies offering services such as personal assistance in a number of tasks have definitely found their niche; Red Flag (www.redflag.co.za) and iFundi (www.i-fundi.com) spring to mind as sites to be bookmarked and revisited time and time again, if you`re trying to save time on tasks that normally take ages to complete when you try to fit them in to your list of things to do.
I`m not sure if the culture of trying to squeeze the most out of every second is something specific to the IT industry, or the province of Gauteng, or if it`s merely restricted to a certain type of personality. Regardless of its origin, this trend towards making every second count has created the perfect gestation environment for service providers like those mentioned above, and a host of others besides.
Information highway
It`s not just about customising newsletters to their readers, as much as it is providing relevant, useful information that changes and is updated, as its recipients deem necessary. The Web site of the Department of Home Affairs (www.home-affairs.gov.za) is the perfect example of this type of service offering. I dare say it provides a template for all other service providers, be they government departments or private enterprises, for how to get it right.
Another such instance of getting it right can be found at Shell SA`s new online service for South African motorists, Shell GeoStar (www.shellgeostar.co.za). This site features road maps, route planners, the latest weather updates and motoring and destination information. It`s very useful indeed - though the local bandwidth issues make using it an exercise in patience.
The delivery of content that makes people`s everyday lives easier across channels such as telephone and Internet is one of those 'New Economy` trends that will outlast the hype, and plugging quietly along while all else churns around it, will manage to make the transition from dot-com fad to being part of the online furniture.
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