Hyperconnectivity is a hot trend in computer networking in which all "things" (human and machine) communicate through a network. Hyperconnectivity encompasses person-to-person, person-to-machine, and machine-to-machine communication. This isn't a Buck Rogers fantasy, but something happening today. For instance, the global consulting firm Accenture is an early adopter; however, they refer to it as telepresence. In a nut shell, telepresence offers businesses, such as Accenture, the opportunity to cut travel costs at a time when costs are escalating. For instance, Accenture says that in one 30-day period, its consultants were able to avoid 240 international and 120 domestic trips using telepresence equipment installed in 13 offices around the world.

Another early proponent (and developer) of hyperconnectivity is the U.S. Army. It views hyperconnectivity as an opportunity to digitize the battlefield, where all military elements are connected and in constant communication. To put this in a historical context, it is important to remember that the Internet and satellite-based GPS had their genesis as Department of Defense projects.

Mike Zafirovski, CEO of Nortel, a Canadian telecommunications company, believes hyperconnectivity will be the next megatrend.

Further enabling hypeconnectivity will be a suite of new Web-enabled devices that will emerge in the next generation of the Web –– IPv6. The limitation with the current Internet running out of IP addresses, much like our phone system has run out of phone numbers, necessitating the creation of new area codes. IPv6 will increase the number of available Internet addresses, which proponents say will usher a new era in which literally everything will have an IP address and be Web-enabled.

The era of hyperconnectivity will have dramatic implications for fleet. For instance, service technicians will have the ability to remotely diagnose and troubleshoot problems of their Web-enabled equipment and wares located at the customers' place of business. Remote diagnosis (and perhaps problem resolution) will mean service technicians will require fewer onsite visits, which will translate into less fuel consumption, less vehicle wear-and-tear, and perhaps the ability to downsize the fleet while servicing the same size customer base.

Although there is no substitute for face-time in business, it is becoming less the norm at multinationals as teams become more geographically dispersed and much of their interactions are electronic. One complaint from sales managers is that their sales force doesn't put in enough "windshield time" to have face-to-face meetings with clients. These managers cite a growing reliance by their sales force (perhaps preference) to using e-mail and other forms of telecommunications as their communication channel of choice.

If you think about sales prior to the advent of the telephone, face-to-face meetings were essential or the sale didn't occur. But today, in many industries, the majority of sales are done over the phone, with only periodic face-to-face meetings. Hyperconnectivity will be a quantum leap to a completely new level of non-personal interaction. Not only will salespeople prefer this method, but so will their peer-aged clients.

This is not a prediction that fleet cars will disappear, but a revelation that a growing segment of employees will say they don't need one and would rather take the cash instead, especially if the company car doesn't reflect their lifestyle. In an era of escalating fleet costs, many corporations will accommodate them, especially if these employees can still perform their jobs without having to drive 2,000 miles a month. ■