The Click Test -- Hey, I Want to Touch a Real Person

How Connected Are You? ... Let's assume that you want to find a service provider in, say, the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area, and you don't really know the local players. So you just search for national firms with offices in Dallas. What you want is the name, phone number, e-mail address and picture of the manager -- and preferably a short bio so that you know something about the person. Is that information available on the web? How many clicks does it take to find it? Here are the results of seven searches in alphabetical order (conducted Dec 27, 1999):

CB Richard Ellis
Five clicks takes you to a picture and complete contact information, including e-mail address. The manager is Ran Holman at rholman@cbrichardellis.com.

Cushman & Wakefield
Three clicks takes you to a picture and complete contact information for the manager, including e-mail address. He is Reagan Dixon at Reagan_Dixon@cushwake.com.

Grubb & Ellis
One click (Transaction Services) takes you to a page of regional managers, including Texas, with e-mail addresses and phone numbers. Two clicks in another direction takes you to an address.

Insignia/ESG
Three clicks takes you to an office address and phone number. No e-mail. No people.

Jones Lang LaSalle
Four clicks takes you to an office address and phone number. No e-mail. No people.

Staubach
One click takes you to the office address and office e-mail. One click in a different direction takes you to a list of people with bios and e-mail addresses.

Trammell Crow
Four clicks takes you to an office address and phone number. Another two clicks takes you to complete contact information, complete with photos, bios and e-mail addresses. (See next Dispatch.)

Overall, not very impressive. With the exception of Staubach, none of the sites had bios posted. ... I know that regional companies often do a much better job of plugging you into their professionals. It's a much more difficult task for national firms. But my prediction is that a year from today, you'll see much greater connectivity with their professional staffs. ... Note: please don't shoot me if one of the above firms changes its web site next week!

-- Peter Pike ppike@pikenet.com