October 1997 edition
Contact: Alan
Earls, Editor
Software Publications, Inc.
108 Water St., Watertown MA 02172
617/926-1900 http://www.bosoft.com
Climbing on the Fast Track
USWeb Utopia showcases
the
"range of applications the Internet holds."
By Charles E. Vermette
David Solomont, CEO of Waltham based USWeb Utopia, describes his company as "the best combination of a management consulting company, advertising agency, and systems integration house." With its track record of innovation and its guide rise to the national stage, Solomont has more than enough evidence to back his claims.
From its beginnings in 1992, the company has sought to push the Web to its limits. In its early days, it played a leading role in bringing Web technology to the Boston area, In October 1994, Utopia created the first Web site for a Boston media outlet (radio station WZLX.) Two months later, they introduced the concept of Internet "coverage" of an event with their "First Night Boston" Web Site. In April of 1995 the company created the area; first interactive banking site for Salem Five Cents Savings Bank, which was named one of the "top ten banking and finance Web sites on the Internet" by CorpFiNet and The Online Banking Report. Showing a rare mix of technical savvy and showmanship, the company has also been involved in numerous high-profile projects to highlight the possibilities of the Web, including the first live real estate auction on the Web, a "Cyber-safari" featuring daily transmissions of a three week trek across East Africa, and Web coverage of the transition of power in Hong Kong. Solomont believes that these projects showcase "the range of applications the Internet holds, both for the business community and individuals." The company experienced dramatic growth in 1996. It began the year by launching a satellite office in New York, with offices soon following in Chicago, Dallas, New York, Orlando, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Hong Kong. In October it joined forces with the USWeb network of Internet solution providers and took the name USWeb Utopia. By that time, the company had built a roster of over 100 clients and had provided strategic and technical Inter- net consulting to AT&T New Media, Fidelity Investments, Harcourt Brace & Co., TJX Companies and Viacom Corp. The merger was "a natural", according to Solomont, with the two companies sharing similar philosophies and methodologies. The ability to leverage USWeb's economies of scale in marketing, technology and operations, allows USWeb Utopia to focus on what they do best : deliver "real world, high-quality, internet-based business solutions. Toward that end, USWeb Utopia has recently announced the formation of a "Corporate Consulting Group" to focus on Strategy & Marketing, Technology and Industrial Research, and Technology and Industrial Evaluation. CCG will offer a unique JIT (Just-in-Time) Consulting Service that will provide advice and research on topics that don't warrant an entire project or dedicated consulting engagement. By utilizing consultants and partners from a wide range of industries, the company is able to provide a combination of business acumen and Internet savvy that sees both the unique position of a company with- in its industry, and the way in which the Web can enhance its productivity and competitive position. "We are specialists in helping companies develop and launch their Internet commerce initiatives," asserts Solomont, including "strategic, marketing, and business consulting at the front end of a relationship, creative services, technical programming and systems integration for the implementation phase, and hosting, connectivity, and on-line marketing for the eventual deployment of an initiative or project. The Corporate Consulting Group is also working with the Concord Consulting Group on a joint research study entitled "Customer Relationship Management in the Electronic Age." The study will focus on the effect of the Web on customer relations and customer retention, with an emphasis on best practice information and operational recommendations. A limited number of companies are being sought as sponsors; all participating will receive a comprehensive report of the findings (information is available at http ://www.utopia.USWeb.com/services/multi.html.)
While building on its consulting services, USWeb Utopia still engages in the innovative, "bleeding edge projects" that marked the company's early days. The "Virtual Leonardo" site, created for the Museum of Science in conjunction with the recent DaVinci exhibit at the museum, won three top prize honors at the Massachusetts Interactive Media Council's (MIMC) annual awards. Brian Worobey, VP of Information Technology for the Museum, stated that "building a Web site that does justice to the ultimate Renaissance man is a tall order, and USWeb Utopia showed they were up to the task.' The sight featured quick time video of the exhibit, real-time audio clips, five interactive "classrooms" with hands-on activities, and the ability to purchase tickets online. Worobey credits the exhibit for charting a new course for the Museum's online activity, promising to integrate the museum offerings with Web content to make for "a more convenient, enjoyable and educational experience."
USWeb Utopia (http://utopia.usweb.com) is based in Waltham, with offices in New York, Chicago, Oakland, Orlando and Dallas.