Our 24h society – 4 trends of (r)etail

Recently Trendwatching.com released its trending report on the future of retail. 4 major trends: Everywhere, MEtail, Easy &  WWW, are coming along fast and will reform society into a 24h society. World wide we’re seeing a 24h society developing, but not in the old continent, Europe, were 9-to-5 still plays a major role in creating and shaping the society. It’s going to be a challenge for Europe to cope with this trends and keep their 9-to-5 society alive or transform to a 24h society.  Asia and the Americ’a are already in pole position to adapt to this 4 trends.

Bringing social to B2B!

When we talk social, social media, social business, …. everybody tends to stick to the B2C world…nevertheless “social” should be a part of B2B as well. At the “B2B goes Social” – symposium (at Nyenrode Business University – Breukelen/Utrecht) 5 inspirational speakers offered a frame-work to bring the social into B2B.

Everybody is doing social (media) today, social media is bringing people together, sharing thoughts ideas and is starting the conversation. Social media are building a community around your brand, company or organisation.  B2C is doing is this for 3 (-5) years already, but since B2B always tends to lack behind B2C a couple of years it time to act as a B2B company and start building a community around your organisation.

Social Business Strategy is more then social media

A major thanks to Yves Van Seters who gave a cool presentation at LeadsUnited Social Media Catch Up (#LUsmCU) on how IBM uses a social business strategy instead of a tight social media policy! IBM proves with this case that social media is more then just a marketing or communication tool….All 400 000 IBM employees are brand/company ambassadors, and IBM facilitates them on how to….with few policy rules, but with good training!

Most companies struggle with this huge paradox….they see great advantages in using social media regarding brand reputation, CRM, advertising, … but struggle with:

• employees tweeting and Facebook posting in support of an ad campaign. Do they have guidelines on what to do? Are they allowed to access Facebook during work hours….
• customers reacting through Twitter and Facebook on a poor service or unavailability….if social media is run by your communications officer(s). He needs to take this up to sales and distribution, or your brand images will deteriorate….but what if your communications officer (isn’t around or isn’t paying attention? – he is only human!)
• social media influentials (like blogger, …) are better used as insiders….but can you lever important information on to company outsiders?
• …

With a social business strategy in place, your employees are trained and facilitated so they know how to behave in the social (media) world…All those company ambassadors will pick up more information then your complete communications department and last but not least they will have the network you’re dreaming of to get your message across.
And they will have connections with influencers….and they will leak the right amount of information at the right time (like Apple does all the time).

So big CEO’s, CIO’s, CTO, … and all other leaders out there….choose a social media strategy above a social media policy. This will take strong leadership….but the outcome will be even better! A social company!

It’s been a while but I feel the need to add a flat statement:

“Social business strategy is more than just social media use for commercial purpose. Social business hits the heart of the organisation.”

The Future of Business = media content

I found a cool presentation on the future of business. Gerd Leonhard, a media futurist and author, gives an insight on how business will develop in the near future. His knowledge and insights on the incorporation of new media is sparkling.

He talks about the network society where people are empowerment of the people. In the network society DATA are the new OIL, and business will need to develop interconnected business models. We are therefore in search for the future of digital content.I’ll share this slide with you….the rest is for you to find out during his presentation!

This Youtube link show the supporting presentation from Gerd Leonhard at ictQATAR.

Inspired by Gerd Leonhard.

Time for a new flat statement: Data is the new oil

10 BIO dollar Tweet for privacy!

Twitter is being hunted down….since the value of this short message service has been estimated at 10 billion dollar both Google and Facebook are looking to buy Twitter (according to the Wall Street Journal).

The first negotiations were not positive, and it’s strange that both Google and Facebook are interested in company who still has an operational loss annualy! But the outlook for 2011 looks bright with a turnover between 100 and 110 mio dollar, will it be enough to make a profit….we’ll have to wait and see….

So why are Facebook and Google realy interested in Twitter: the data! As millions of users make billions of tweets their is a large sum of data to be collected. Data which is of interest for any (commercial) company! The Twitter community is highly valued amongst users.
If it comes to a take-over or merger between Twitter and Google/Facebook …a new datamogul rises and will have tons of data with valuable customer information which can and will be matched with the already exting data! Again less privacy, and more data in one hand….this company will rule our flat world on and off line when it comes to data mining!

Again it is time for a new flat statement:

In the flat world privacy is not an option.

Why do we need bank notes, when we have flat world money?

When I opened the newspaper today, i read the next article in ‘De Tijd’ (a Belgian  financial newspaper)

Until late November, the Belgians have paid 1.174 billion times with their debit or credit card. This means that only 55.6 million electronic transactions need in December to the previous record of 1.23 billion transactions break. With the holiday season in prospect, it is therefore “very likely” that the record is smash, it sounds at Atos Worldline.
The Christmas period is traditionally a peak in the number of electronic payment. Last year, Atos Worldline has reported a double record on December 23: a record number of transactions per day and a record number of transactions per minute.
How many electronic transactions ultimately afklokt 2010, remains to be seen. But during the first eleven months of the year the number of electronic payments is 5.5 percent higher than the same period last year. If they rise over the years is confirmed, it comes number of electronic payments at around 1.3 billion.
The amount of purchases that were paid electronically, is on the rise. In the period ending in November gave the Belgians 7.4 percent more than the same period one year earlier. The average amount per transaction experienced a modest rise in February , 1 percent. In 2009, the average amount per electronic payment yet.
It is expected that the increase in electronic transactions will still continue in the coming years. The Belgian banks seek to increase the number of electronic transactions to 2 billion in 2014.

And each year they post the same story over and over again….we’re using more and more debet and credit cards to pay in stores, on line and off line.  Although many people are still ‘in love’ with their bank notes and coins, I think it’s time to get dump all the physical notes and coins and stick with the digital card. Much safer, isn’t heavy nor big, …. and easier to use (no more counting the coins etc)! This combined with modern technology of the cell phone and the flat world technology and communication, is the future!

Again I feel the urge to launch a flat statement (or is it a challange this time):

Are you ready to drop your money?

Flat Investing?

I’ve put up two articles in the media section of this site. Both deal with the new way of music business model.

Indepent artists ask there fans to fund their career, and give a divident at the end of the year. Belgian Artist Tom Dice (who participated) at the Eurovision songcontest used this model of funding, got his career of the ground and paid his investor 26 EUR of dividend (in 10 EUR initial investement). Not bad….if you see current banking rates!

Is this a new way out for the music business?

Let me put out my first statement on flat world:

“In a flat world participants are used to reach your goal”