Chapter 13. AUTOMATING SALES AND USER RELATIONSHIPS

Like all companies, Google has a sales department. Omid Kordestani, Google's head of Global Sales and Business Development, was among Google's first 40 employees. He has negotiated large contracts with AOL, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., and other major companies. But the vast majority of sales at Google are automated—without any salespeople involved.

I say automated where others might use the term virtualized. The term I'm using, which better describes the process, alludes to industrial concepts of productivity and efficiency as well as fears about putting people out of work. Companies in other sectors have since adopted this major innovation in their own businesses. To name only two travel companies, ...

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