April 12, 1999
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ass production has been the mantra of American business since Henry Ford and the assembly line. But the Internet is changing that. The Web lets consumers configure products online and submit specifications directly to manufacturers or salespeople. Companies in a variety of industries offer Web configuration and build-to-order services to meet a growing demand for personalized products.
Make no mistake: BMW can customize a car in almost any way. But the consumer must visit a dealer to order nonstandard options. The Virtual Center is typical of auto Web sites, most of which don't offer nonstandard options because of technical requirements. Adding such choices would require BMW, for instance, to program its configuration software to handle every imaginable combination of car features. "A configuration engine has to work within certain rules," explains Lindsay Pebody, retail systems manager at BMW of North America.Boeing seeking Software Engineer 5 in Anaheim, CA
KForce seeking Inside Sales Associate in San Diego, CA
Amalgamated Bank seeking Chief Information Officer in New York, NY
Apollo College seeking Medical Billing and Coding Instructors in Albuquerque, NM
Allstate seeking Exlusive Agent in Las Vegas, NV
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