Google Fiber and the Open Office Plan
I’m sure you’ve heard by now that Google selected Kansas City as the first market in the country to receive its super-speed fiber optic internet service. “Google Fiber” will offer download speeds about 100 times faster than the broadband internet service currently available. The benefits of that kind of Internet speed are more obvious than the impact it will have on local businesses and the community.
I’m certainly not an IT expert and I’m not entirely sure what direct benefits Kansas City will see from the new Google Fiber super-fast internet service, but I am sure about one thing. Life has gotten a lot more interesting around here since Google came to town.
For example, the other day I was sitting in my office talking to one of our sales reps when two sharp looking guys walk through the front door of our showroom and say they’re from the BBC. I wasn’t sure if having one of the largest news organizations in the world standing in our office with a video camera was good news or not, but I was sure about one thing. You don’t get to talk to the BBC everyday.
So, out of the office I went and greeted our visitors. I ended up having a wonderful conversation with David Botti and Daniel Nasaw from BBC News Magazine. They were in town to do a story on the local reaction to Google Fiber. Daniel wanted to know what kind of impact I thought Google Fiber will have on local businesses like Team Office. My thought was there might not be a direct impact for many small businesses, but eventually there will be “soft benefits” for most of us.
For example, like when the BBC walks in your office unannounced and wants to chat. It would be pretty difficult for a small business owner to lure the BBC to Kansas City and do an interview, unless, of course, you were lucky enough to live in the city that Google selected over all the others in which to install their high speed cable.
Not only is that a pretty cool “soft benefit” for Team Office, but it also makes a compelling case for the open office plan. After all, too many high walls and you just might miss it when the BBC walks through your front door.