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Spam Concerns at the Extreme

Without question, spam -- unsolicited commercial e-mail -- is a growing problem. The volume being written about the topic is also mind-boggling and growing. But are there no limits to the problem? You be the judge.

Here's the latest spam-related story to be reported in one of my sources, zdnet.com.

Employers may be held liable for unwanted porn spam in the workplace. That's right. Unwanted porn spam showing up in an employee's e-mail could qualify as evidence of a "hostile work environment," which is prohibited by federal employment laws. In essence, if an employer fails to protect his employees from it, porn spam could lead to sexual harassment complaints.

While no court cases involving unwanted porn spam in the workplace have materialized yet, some believe it's just a matter of time.

The upcoming May issue of Sounding Line will outline the problem as it relates to legitimate mass e-mail, a useful and productive marketing technique. A comprehensive look at spam will be the subject of a Sounding Line Special Report, which will be available this summer.

In the meantime, I'd like your feedback. Specifically, how do you define spam? Does your organization use mass e-mail? Is one person's spam another person's answer to a need? Please reply. E-mail me your responses.

Point of View:
It Takes Time to Sort Through Print Media

InformationWeek is a well-respected publication read each week by 440,000 business technology professionals. It arrived in my for-real mailbox yesterday. Ordinarily, I wouldn't bother with the paper version (I read the online version) and I didn't order the subscription. My partner, the techie, did, but I think it was a free subscription anyway.

For some reason I decided to thumb through the April 7 issue. There was nothing on the cover that particularly grabbed my attention, unless you're attracted to aerial photos of the overcast and grimy Port of Seattle. Because I didn't expect to find anything particularly useful, I started at the back cover and flipped forward.

It's fairly common for commercial print publications to split editorial content and advertising pages nearly 50-50. This issue was 88 pages long. If I counted correctly, 42 of them were advertising, mostly full-page ads and several double-page spreads. On top of that, 12 additional pages were included in "special advertising sections."

For my purposes, the April 7 issue wasn't particularly substantive or engaging. In fact, I was too distracted by the advertising and didn't really feel like hunting for anything relevant. The issue might have made for light in-flight reading, except you could have read most of it while backing away from the gate and taxiing out for takeoff.

The point? Coping with information overload is a challenge. Despite the Internet, there are more print publications than ever before. Most are narrowly targeted to specific audiences. It's up to the reader to decide what to read, when, why, how, and from which sources. Paper media still has its place. But many business people want specific information that's relevant to their situation and are turning to the convenience of electronic publications, many of which are devoid of advertising. It's your choice.

By the way, I did stumble across something interesting. Intel is apparently developing a prototype called Newport that is supposed to combine the functions of a notebook computer, tablet PC, and a PDA. Could be interesting.

PC Prices Hit All-time Lows

If you need to replace desktop PCs, now is the time to do it. An online news item at ZDNet (zdnet.com) reported that the average retail price for a PC in February was $717. The average price for a notebook dropped to $1,311.

These prices are for lower-end PCs on the features and functionality scale, but are nevertheless regarded by purchasers as providing "good enough value" for the dollars spent.

Sales activity for lower-end notebooks also picked up due to the inclusion of certain features (15-inch screen, 256MB of RAM, a 40GB hard drive, and CD burner) that were only available on pricier models a year ago.

So, what does this mean? Cost-conscious agencies can more easily replace or add new PCs. Not everyone in an agency needs a high-end desktop model. Also, the price for notebooks is attractive enough for even the most resistant of field producers who use price as an excuse for not automating.

Not Offering Pet Insurance? Think Again

Pet insurance is an increasing segment of the overall insurance industry. People love their pets! And, they're willing to spend $20 to 30 a month, and more, for pet insuance premiums.

There seem to be at least three times as many pet insurance Web sites now as when I last looked a year ago. Also, a search engine specialist I know says that "pet insurance" ranks among the top 25 terms people use when searching for insurance.

Surely, there must be a way agents can cash in on the growing pet insurance market. This should be one kind of low-risk insurance that can easily be sold on the Internet without much work on the agent's part. How? Try calling pet insurance providers and negotiate a deal to offer their product on your Web site. You might be able to collect a few bucks on a click-thru.

AOL User Stat a Helpful Clue

This little tidbit about AOL users came across my radar screen. Research indicates that nearly 46 percent of AOL users say that they always delete e-mail from unknown sources. With AOL the single-largest ISP at 35 percent market share (MSN is number two at 12.1 percent), it's probably a safe bet that other users do the same thing.

What does this mean? Quite a bit, actually. For one, shotgun mass e-mail may have less than a 50-50 chance of being read by someone who doesn't recognize you. I'll elaborate more on this subject in the upcoming May issue of Sounding Line.

Sources:
Cyberatlas
isp-planet

Delay Office Printer Purchases, If You Can

If you're ready to purchase new printers for your office, consider waiting a few weeks until the dust settles. This week and next, HP and Lexmark are rolling out new products and announcing new pricing. The name of the game is better functionality at lower cost.

HP just introduced two new printers on Wednesday (April 2) and announced price cuts on other models. Lexmark's new offerings will be introduced Monday, April 7. Lexmark is also making a new push into the growing MFP market (multifunction peripherals that combine printer, copier, and scanner capability), as businesses are looking to replace older analog equipment with new, beefed up digital technology.

Admittedly, printers rank fairly low on the technology totem pole. Their budget impact is relatively low, so many don't make the effort to seriously shop around. But with new models coming out from the number 1 and 2 printer manufacturers, now might be a good time to take another look.

For more info: zdnet

New Study Says Business Not Prepared for E-Risks

A study prepared by Assurex Global and Clearswift reports that the majority of businesses are ill prepared for dealing with e-disasters, including legal claims, malicious hackers, viruses, and security breaches. A news item about the study appeared online in the March 18 issue of Insurance NewsNet.

The report concludes, "…few employers have implemented a comprehensive e-risk management program to limit electronic exposures and reduce liability. Consequently, employers should brace for e-disasters that may cost employers millions in lost productivity, computer assets, credibility, and customer confidence."

Unfortunately, the news story that reported the study said nothing about the survey methodology, who was surveyed, how many were surveyed, which industries were surveyed, etc. But an Assurex partner, the large San Francisco agency of Woodruff-Sawyer, was quoted, suggesting perhaps that part of the survey included insurance-related businesses.

If you read the news item at the link below, beware that Clearswift is a provider of software for managing and securing electronic communications. You may get the impression, as did I, that the study results might be something of a self-serving "advertorial," hoping you get the message and give Clearswift a call.

Despite my jaundiced eye, the study nevertheless highlights a legitimate concern for insurance agents who are dependent on technology and the transmission of data. The Assurex-Clearswift study is buttressed by similar research from the likes of Gartner, Forrester, ZDNet, and others. All in all, the news report and study should raise awareness and motivate agents to pay attention to security issues.

For more info: insurancenewsnet

Can this be true? One in four Americans thinks it's OK to defraud insurance companies.

A recent widely circulated news item highlighted a number of eye-opening stats. But the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud is doing something about it. This fact-filled Web site (http://www.insurancefraud.org) provides lots of good info for both insurance professionals and consumers.

But here's my question to agents: What obligation, if any, do agents have in detecting and reporting insurance fraud? Can you be held legally responsible if you let something slip through that's later detected and prosecuted as fraud? Do you provide any kind of consumer education about fraud? If so, what? E-mail me your responses.

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