It's not surprising early in the game for a new company to make some changes, especially if they open possibilities for bigger and better things. After changing its name from EZClose to Bridgespan, the company is in a better marketing position to expand nationwide, but first it feels it has to put some distance between its new name and its dotcom image.

The new nameBridgespan was chosen to illustrate the company's services in spanning the entire transaction as a leading title and closing services company. Says Lane Barnett, chief marketing officer, for Bridgespan, "The name indicates the scope. We provide a bridge for all parties and span the entire transaction, from the time the transaction is open to the closing, it is all in our control."

But the name could also stand for bridging the online and offline service models. With a decidedly un-dotcom approach, Bridgespan plans to build its nationwide market brick by brick - with actual brick and mortar field offices - with staff. And it has an extraordinary reason for doing so - the powers-that-be simply don't believe that the online transaction/closing will be happening for a few more years. The reason? Despite President Clinton's signing e-Sign into law, standards have yet to be decided upon by federal and state regulators, which could take years before widespread adoption.

Is that Internet heresy? Or is it the practical recognition that the world (and the government) simply isn't quite ready for some things like digital signatures and electronic closings.

That's why the company is pursuing a bricks and clicks model, and successfully so, judging by its rapid expansion into 32 states. It will employ proprietary technology, the first complete online transaction and closing engine, to facilitate the transaction for all parties involved in a "transparent" online environment, but the service ethic will be strongly rooted in personal attention and manned moveable-site closings.

What makes Bridgespan's business model interesting is that it is contrary to every transaction-centered business plan to come along in the last two years which are without exception automation oriented. While other transaction management providers are busily attempting to entice brokers, agents and other service providers on board, Bridgespan is stepping back and letting them spend their venture capital on their sales forces. They know they have an inherent advantage - they can not only provide similar transaction management and tracking services for all parties to view in an appropriate password-protected environment, Bridgespan is the one piece that is missing from other automated models - they are the closing agent.

"What we have run into is that a lot of confusion exists between other companies and us. They are application service providers. We are a fulfillment services provider," says Barnett. "We provide a needed required service at the highest standards. We aren't selling anything to Realtors or lenders. It is a point of difference between others and ourselves that we aren't asking any Realtors, brokers or lenders to pay us."

In other words, Bridgespan is not a dotcom. "What we provide are professional title and closing services through personnel in the field, and using Web-based technologies," he reiterates. "It is a bricks and clicks combination."

Bridgespan will bring efficiencies to the title and closing services model, including allowing on-site closings through mobile closing agents. The company will market to the people who choose settlement services in each market - Realtors, lenders, and attorneys. Where it will introduce the "clicks," is by introducing transparency to the transaction. "It is difficult for a buyer, seller or Realtor to understand what is happening when you can't see which documents are available. We offer access on a 24/7 basis to see the documents, participate at their level and we believe that will create a new and better experience for them," explains Barnett. "What we provide is control to the Realtor who can ask questions and help move things along. The Realtor will be in control." Participating Realtors will be prompted with email messages and pages if something needs his/her attention.

"At the end of the day a title policy is a title policy, but we are selling an experience."