The Contra Costa Times: New technology is all about 'presence'

Spawned by the popularity of instant messaging buddy lists, a new technology trend known as "presence" is all about making people aware that you're available.

New developments in Instant Messaging and "presence" software could change workflow and make employees more productive, or so software developers at the annual DEMO trade show claim. Some new programs allow for sophisticated presence capabilities, making scheduling meetings and conferences more seamless.

I'm personally a huge fan of this concept, both internally and for customers visiting your website. In fact, one of the benefits of being at Warner Bros. when AOL took over was that we all got on the AOL IM bandwagon, and I could IM anyone from my boss to my employees in other buildings on the campus down the street. It was an invaluable tool.

Right now, this means 3 things to me:

1. Use IM internally within your company to streamline communications (but don't replace a good phone conversation when needed)
2. Have IM addresses on website - assign someone to chat
3. Use LivePerson or some such application on e-commerce sites to allow immediate interactions