| The following letter is a composite of | | | | features that I just explained to our client |
| feedback from road warriors in the field to | | | | are no longer available. The new features |
| the much respected and appreciated office | | | | will cost three times as much. The meeting |
| dwellers who occupy the ivory towers, | | | | that you just scheduled is for me to present |
| headquarters or maze of cubicles. The office | | | | how we are going to sell these expensive new |
| dwellers are the curators of much needed | | | | features and to provide an updated forecast |
| scrolls, documents, data, financial | | | | on the revised revenue. What, it is my turn |
| information and other incredibly essential | | | | to present? You do realize that I am hundreds |
| data and processes that enable the | | | | of miles away right now, don't you? No, I can |
| organization to function. The road warrior is | | | | not email my presentation and review it with |
| the tireless face and voice at the front | | | | everyone by phone right now. Why? I have not |
| lines of the information supply chain, | | | | started the presentation yet. I must have |
| responsible for maintaining that delicate | | | | missed the announcement. What's that? Oh, you |
| balance between the vision of the clients and | | | | were not aware of the changes either and |
| the magic of what really happens behind the | | | | there was mp announcement. I understand |
| curtain. "Did you get my electronic calendar | | | | completely, trust me, I really do. So, we |
| invitation for our meeting in ten minutes?" | | | | have a new company strategy and a new |
| No, I did not get your electronic invitation | | | | corporate direction. We have decided to |
| for the meeting. I am currently sitting in | | | | reinvent ourselves. There will be a big |
| front of a very important client and giving | | | | meeting to unveil our new business plan and |
| my undivided attention. The Cell phone is | | | | assigned goals. I got it. What's that? Oh, I |
| turned to Vibrate and put away to avoid | | | | need to submit my presentation on how I will |
| distraction. The laptop computer is turned | | | | achieve those goals and my plan must be sent |
| off and in it's case. I have a pad and paper | | | | before the close of business today. I'm |
| in front of me to take notes on highlights of | | | | sorry, you are breaking up. It must be a bad |
| our conversation. The client has my complete | | | | connection because I am close to the airport |
| attention, especially when we are face to | | | | now. I do not know if you can hear me, but if |
| face. The client has specific needs and a | | | | you can then I want to you know that I will |
| vision of the future. I need to understand | | | | be boarding a plane soon and will call you |
| that vision and effectively communicate how | | | | again later from another city to find out |
| our features will meet the needs of the | | | | what you are trying to tell me. Better yet, |
| client. When we are together, the client and | | | | send an email. "I bet you really enjoy those |
| I, we have one purpose that isolates us from | | | | frequent flyer miles." You really have no |
| the interruptions of the outside world. Our | | | | idea how much I look forward to taking my |
| purpose is to find the best solution for a | | | | vacation, at home. After several weeks on the |
| mutually beneficial business arrangement. | | | | road and a different hotel room every night, |
| When the meeting is done, I will have to use | | | | I look forward to my own bed, the one that I |
| my notes to draft a comprehensive document | | | | picked out and paid for. These days we need |
| that I will send back to the ivory towers. | | | | to arrive at the airport at least two hours |
| This document must accurately convey the | | | | before the scheduled flight. This is not |
| details of our conversation with the needs | | | | productive time. Imagine spending one quarter |
| and vision of the client. It must accurately | | | | of your eight hour day in the office standing |
| assess and explain the mutually beneficial | | | | in line with your shoes in your hand. There |
| business arrangement and establish the | | | | is a line to check in, a line to go through |
| covenants or commitments of our conversation. | | | | security and a line at to board the plane. |
| My notes of those critical personal moments | | | | When you arrive, stand in line to collect |
| shared with the client will become the basis | | | | your luggage and another line to get your |
| for a thesis that will be drafted many hours | | | | rental car. Of course, you can bypass the |
| later in a hotel room in another city. That | | | | line to collect your luggage if you do not |
| electronic calendar invitation is buried amid | | | | travel with toothpaste, shaving cream, |
| two hundred and one other emails, many of | | | | deodorant, any gels or liquids. You can |
| which are from other clients. I will ready | | | | identify those fellow passengers who have |
| them all when I sit at my hotel room desk, | | | | elected to expedite the cattle car processing |
| eat my hotel cookie and drink my single | | | | by jettisoning their personal toiletries. It |
| serving hotel room coffee. The hotel has a | | | | would be impolite to discuss how you can |
| Jacuzzi, pool and amenities that I will never | | | | identify these passengers, just trust me on |
| see. What are the real amenities for a road | | | | this one, you can. Working on the computer on |
| warrior? High Speed internet connection, | | | | a tray table is only effective if you the |
| clean bed, hot shower and a continental | | | | proportionate arms of a Tyrannosaurus Rex and |
| breakfast are what constitute Home Sweet | | | | if the individual in front of you is |
| Home. "Did you get the email with the | | | | incapable of reclining. More than likely, you |
| attached 32MB Video of the receptionist's | | | | will be staring at the liver pots in the bald |
| granddaughter's birthday party, the pictures | | | | patch on the top of the head in front of you |
| from the company sponsored Bar-Be-Cue, the | | | | for hours. Remember to bring large bills in |
| invitation to have your car washed in the | | | | exact change to pay for your wedge of wet |
| parking lot or the plethora of other emails | | | | cheese, two individually wrapped crackers and |
| with embedded cartoons and enormous | | | | box of sixteen fabulous handpicked raisins. |
| attachments?" Some places still define high | | | | Ask for a receipt so you can expense your |
| speed internet connection as a 56k modem or a | | | | mid-air snack and then pay for the aisle or |
| single wireless router available from the | | | | window seat next to you so you can claim it |
| hotel lobby. Hopefully the download will be | | | | as entertainment expense if the snack is over |
| complete before I finish packing my suitcase | | | | your approved per diem. If you fly as often |
| in the morning. I can't wait to read the | | | | as I do then you also get the benefit of |
| internal company announcement about the hot | | | | memorizing the dialogue from abbreviated |
| lunch yesterday, accompanied by the | | | | movies that you would not pay to see in the |
| gratuitous oversized images of greasy | | | | theatres. Of course, the bad language, |
| burgers, fries and pizza slices. I am tempted | | | | violence and parental guidance scenes are all |
| to send an email with embedded pictures of my | | | | removed to make the movies safe for general |
| bran muffin and banana but fear that the | | | | audiences. Needless to say, we will never see |
| humor will only create another burdensome | | | | Ozzy Osbourne on the eight inch monitors. |
| download to my fellow road warriors. Besides, | | | | Would you like to hear us recite the complete |
| somebody already beat me to the punch line | | | | dialogue from "Coal Miner's Daughter" or |
| and responded with a "Reply to All" message | | | | "Vanity Fair"? "You must hate your job." On |
| to HR that included a social security number | | | | the contrary, I love it. The travel, the |
| and complete medical history. There will be | | | | schedule, the hours and the inconveniences |
| at least ten to fifteen more "Reply to All" | | | | are sacrifices that must be made in the |
| messages that simply say "Thank You", but I | | | | pursuit of a passion. Road warriors do not |
| won't know that until I open them. I have | | | | travel for the excitement of hotels, or for |
| worn the letters off of my delete key. "Did | | | | frequent flyer miles or because we enjoy the |
| you read the email that I just sent to you?" | | | | restaurants. The travel and time are a means |
| Thank you for the phone call. I am now | | | | to an end, and that end is something much |
| driving in bumper to bumper traffic with one | | | | more meaningful and personal. If you were to |
| hand on my cell phone so I can talk to you. | | | | talk to us, really talk to us for a few |
| In my other hand is a pen, ready to scribble | | | | hours, you would learn that the real passion |
| notes on the printed directions that I | | | | is for family. For some road warriors that |
| downloaded from some mapping software three | | | | pursuit of accomplishment means a better life |
| days ago. I know that this call must be | | | | for a spouse or children at home. Every day |
| really important if you take the time to | | | | away from home is a personal sacrifice that |
| write the email and then call to make sure | | | | is an investment for the ones that are left |
| that I see it and respond. Where am I? On the | | | | behind. For other road warriors, the family |
| passenger side of the car is a slowly wilting | | | | is defined as the coworkers in the ivory |
| drive-through lunch. A cup of car temperature | | | | towers. For these people it is the |
| coffee is perched in the console beside my | | | | professional family and the success of the |
| elbow. I am driving with my knees and trying | | | | organization that keeps the fire burning |
| to avoid that other erratic driver who does | | | | within. For some other road warriors the |
| not seem to be paying attention to the road | | | | extended family includes a special personal |
| or traffic. Was that my exit? That's right, | | | | relationship with clients, and a true |
| my cell phone does get messages. I wonder if | | | | dedication to help each customer achieve |
| I can scroll through my messages and read the | | | | their individual aspirations. For the vast |
| pinpoint text while simultaneously talking to | | | | majority of road warriors it is a combination |
| you about the attached files. Can you hear | | | | of all of these things, the family at home, |
| me? I think that I found the email that you | | | | the family at work and the extended client |
| are talking about. Yes, this is the email. | | | | family on the road. We make sacrifices, but |
| Was that a police officer that I just passed? | | | | we are thankful to have the chance to do it |
| Is it legal to talk on the cell phone while | | | | and grateful to the people in the ivory |
| driving in this city? Better not take any | | | | tower. Office dwellers are a source of |
| chances, I have to hang up for now and call | | | | constant support and amusement, for this we |
| you back. I may not be able to talk on the | | | | salute you Sincerely, Your Devoted Road |
| cell phone, but I don't think that there are | | | | Warrior in the Field |
| any laws about doing email or text messaging | | | | _____________________________________________ |
| on your phone while driving, not yet anyway. | | | | _________ Words of Wisdom "Do Not Disturb |
| "I just sent you an IM, did you get it?" Oh, | | | | signs should be written in the language of |
| you mean the Instant Message that you sent to | | | | the hotel maids." - Tim Bedore "The path to |
| ask me if I read the email that you called | | | | our destination is not always a straight one. |
| about while I am trying to drive? Sorry, I | | | | We go down the wrong road, we get lost, we |
| missed that one. Calculating route, when | | | | turn back. Maybe it doesn't matter which road |
| possible, please make a legal U-Turn. Oh, it | | | | we embark on. Maybe what matters is that we |
| is the agenda for the conference call that | | | | embark." - Barbara Hall, Northern Exposure |
| started five minutes ago. I need to provide a | | | | "The road that we travel may be long and |
| report and rolling forecast based on the | | | | arduous, full of many challenges. Yet it is |
| staff meeting today? What meeting? "Oh, we | | | | the same road that leads back home and that |
| decided to change that feature three days | | | | is never too far. |
| ago. It is not available anymore." I see, the | | | | |