And Columbus rolls over in his grave…

view from I70Yes, it was snowing in Western Kansas. And no, I70 is not that exciting.

On the way back from our spring break getaway, while traveling at a speed of 80 mph, my friend logged onto a computer, helped troubleshoot a server and recommended a new phone system for his expanding company all via a sleek Samsung A900 cell phone. He also captured select images of the scenery along I70.

Meanwhile, in the passenger seat, I utilized a Sprint PCI card to connect to the Internet, and punched out this essay on my 12” Mac Powerbook, while switching between listening to U2 on the XM satellite radio and Johnny Cash on the iPod. I love technology, I would die if I had to disconnect. But, I’m afraid even I am behind the times.

Of course, out here on the open road, wireless signals can only go about as far as Salina, so I had to disconnect and use my low-tech devices – books and magazines – to remain productive. I usually get motion sickness reading in the car, but since it is almost a ten hour drive (times two) from Lawrence to Colorado Springs, I needed to use my time wisely. So far, I have finished reading The Cluetrain Manifesto, caught up on four months worth of Wired magazine and started reading The World is Flat. Most of this was required reading for my management class, but I have to admit, and I’m not kissing up, the books and articles I have read for this class have been more than enjoyable, in fact, they have been eye-opening and inspirational. I even tried to pick up a copy of The Tipping Point, a book on my professor’s must-read list that came highly recommended by Dan Cox, Director of New Media for the World Company, in a Boulder Borders, but they were sold out.

Here’s a brief summary of what I have learned in the first half of The World is Flat.

  • There is a McDonald’s in Missouri, that takes your drive thru order from a call center, in Colorado. In fact, there are at least two other McDonald’s franchises using this form of outsourcing: one in Mass. and one in Minn. Apparently, when you drive up and place an order, they snap your picture along with your order and send it back to the cooks at your local restaurant. What’s next, will the food be made by robots. Come on, you know that’s coming.
  • The 27/7 Call Center company in India trains its employees to dull their Indian accents and speak in either a more Brittish, Canadian or American accent. This company however also provides medical insurance to the entire family and pays for lunch/dinner as well as transportation to and from work for its employees. My first reaction is to ask, “Do you want to move to India?” He said, “No” because there are like 300 billion people living in a country the size of Texas. So, it’s overcrowded. Big deal. The Indians are innovative. The Indians are inventing and really going places.
  • JetBlue’s phone reservation system consists of 250-some housewives working out of their homes in Utah. JetBlue’s CEO is a Mormon and believes women should be able to stay at home to take care of the kids but still earn money. We both agree that allowing employees to work from home can save a company a lot of money. Most, if not all, computer-related jobs – everything from programming to system administration and network security – can be done remotely, why not take advantage? JetBlue’s CEO claims a 30 percent increase in productivity due to happier employees, employees who are allowed the flexibility and freedom to work from home.

We only have six hours left on the road and I have 281 pages left to read. But first, it’s time for a break to stretch our legs and get something to eat. I wonder if we can find a McDonald’s?