1998 Conference Highlights: 20 Trends in 20 Minutes

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Tuesday, November 17th
3:05 p.m. - 3:25 p.m.

20 Trends in 20 Minutes
-- Paul C. Tinnirello, A.M. Best Company

Conference Session speaker "A variety of changes are ahead for electronic commerce and the insurance industry", the chairman of a conference devoted to insurance and electronic commerce said in wrapping up the two-and-a-half-day event.

Paul C. Tinnirello, senior vice president for information services, A.M. Best Co., hosted "Fulfilling the e-Promise," held in Boston. In closing the conference, he outlined 20 trends that are driving advances in electronic commerce. They include:

E-commerce terms will continue to change.
Predictions about the growth and profitability of electronic commerce will remain self-serving.
Measurements of the return on Investment for electronic commerce are still evolving.
The insurance industry will struggle to establish an electronic commerce identity.
Organizations will continue to reexamine their own electronic commerce goals.
Product continuity may falter as businesses shift to the electronic commerce model.
Some products will become commodity-like as new ones emerge.
Electronic commerce-related startups will drain staff resources, causing insurers to make tough technology and product decisions.
Vendors will over-promise levels of profitability of electronic commerce.
Information technology departments will rethink electronic commerce implementation issues.
Software support for electronic commerce more critical, more costly.
Information technology executives will influence the direction of electronic commerce.
Copycat patterns will continue in which companies immediately emulate successful electronic commerce efforts.
Relations involving electronic commerce initiatives will blur traditional boundaries.
If the goal is to be unique, electronic commerce will become harder.
Electronic commerce advertising will continue to include more entertainment content.
Differences in standards can hurt development.
Security will need greater explanation, so customers can understand that it's in place.
Automated solicitation will further annoy customers.
The number of conferences, journals, magazines and other products focusing on electronic commerce will become overwhelming.