WD-40 and eBill

WD-40 is celebrating their 50th year. I am not sure how many people know about WD-40. Probably millions have seen the brand but not actually used it. If you like to tinker around in your garage or basement, you likely know
WD-40 well, as I do. In 1953, three technicians had the vision that a product could be created to prevent rust and degrease mechanical parts -- WD stands for "Water Displacement". I don't know what the 40 stands for. They have a great Web site at www.wd40.com and it shows how *any* product can have a useful website if they put their mind to it. Then there is the SBC website.  (read more)

SBC Communications is a different story. I am sure they want to be an on demand e-business but they have a very long way to go. Part of the problem is genetic. Their website says "if you need to make a payment immediately, please call us". You can't take "call" out of a phone company. The website goes on to say "To pay online, you must enroll in the SBC eBill service". The process to enroll is actually straightforward and efficient. Then it tells you "Once you've activated, either online or offline, you're done. You will receive an enrollment confirmation email in two to five days . After that, you will be able to view, print, and pay your bill in approximately 1-2 months, depending on your billing cycle. This is the tip-off that there are a lot of systems that are not yet integrated. They aren't alone.

e-Business October 10, 2003 10:38 PM