Domino's Pizza Success With Mobile

I haven't ordered a pizza from Domino's in at least 10 years, and I can't say I have a strong desire to do so with all of the excellent options in the Greater Boston Area.  That makes little difference to the ubiquitous pizza chain and they are doing some very cool things in mobile.

You can order a pizza merely by sending a tweet.  Talk about reducing the friction of the order and the payments component!

Here is a piece about their latest efforts in mobile:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/dominos-strong-mobile-sales-prove-millennials-dependency-on-digital-ordering

Here is a snippet from the piece:

NEW YORK – A Domino’s Pizza executive at the Mobile Marketing Association’s SM2 Innovation Summit 2015 discussed the brand’s strong digital sales, which stem from enabling mobile-savvy consumers to place pizza orders via an application, social media, a virtual voice assistant and an online site to ensure maximum convenience and reach.

During the “Mobile’s Transformative Role at Domino’s Pizza” session, the executive revealed Domino’s dedication to reinvention, a technology-focused strategy that has resonated positively with customers in the millennial demographic. The ability to order pizzas via a slew of mobile-enabled channels has significantly contributed to the company seeing more than 50 percent of sales coming from digital avenues.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

BRotD - Entry 0235 Are You Investing Too Much in Your Mobile App?

Best Reading of the Day

I've spent many years working on software development projects and was an early adopter of smart phones with their "apps".  The past few years I've worked exclusively on mobile apps in a consumer-facing product capacity so I'm fluent in the strengths and weaknesses of mobile apps.  However I'm also likely biased, with an inherent blind spot, in favor of mobile apps due to my career choices.

How can we shine some light in to the darkness of our blind spots with out asking questions and challenging ourselves?  A recent article by the folks over at Econsultancy will help me and might help you as well. It is titled "Eight Reasons to Kill Your Native Mobile App".

https://econsultancy.com/blog/66977-eight-reasons-to-kill-your-native-mobile-app/

The key word there is 'native'. They aren't declaring a withdrawal from support of mobile in general, just emphasizing the native development vs. mobile web question.  Native apps are much, much more expensive than mere mobile websites or 'hybrids' where a simple app encapsulates mobile web content.

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Companies have invested significant sums in developing native mobile apps but the harsh reality is that many have little to show for it.

While many continue to maintain and invest in their apps despite the results, some are deciding that it's better to pull the plug.

One such company is Atavist, a digital magazine that launched in 2010 just as excitement around media consumption on phones and tablets was building.

But five years later, the upstart publisher came to the conclusion that the most sensible thing to do was kill its native app.

When should a company make a similar decision? Here are eight reasons it might make sense to retire a native app...

The article linked in that snippet is worth reading as well.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Samsung Pay Mobile Payments Launches in U.S.

Samsung Pay is the ability to use your phone to essentially skip the card swipe process via traditional payments card swipers.  The phone's tech replaces the swipe, thus it will, theoretically, work at all payments terminals.  In reality it is quite effective but doesn't reach 100% and unfortunately Samsung Pay has failed to get many issuers to sign up for the new capability.  That means your favorite card is unlikely to be supported.

Here is a story on the launch by the folks over at The Verge:

http://www.theverge.com/2015/9/28/9408749/samsung-pay-united-states-launch


Here is a snippet from that piece:

Samsung Pay, the company's answer to Apple Pay, has officially launched today in the United States after a month-long beta program.

In theory, Samsung Pay should be an extremely handy mobile payment service. Alongside NFC payments, it also uses "Magnetic Source Transmission" technology, or MST, which emits the same kind of magnetic code that make credit card readers work. (Samsung acquired the company that pioneered this technology, LoopPay, back in February.) It's an advantage over services like Apple Pay and Android Pay, which primarily rely on NFC technology, which is still not widely available.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

The Importance of Tech on Company Boards

Let me say I have personal experience with this one having served on a board as a technology product expert and having been impacted by a board that did not have a technology expert serving on it.

Here is Wikipedia:

A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization.

Here is the story over on Harvard Business Review (you may need to create a FREE account to read the entire story):

https://hbr.org/2015/09/all-boards-need-a-technology-expert

Here is a snippet from the piece:

A few months ago I decided to look into the professional experience of non-executive directors at the major banks listed in Britain. Like almost every other major industry today, banking relies on hugely complex, enormously expensive technology. So I was curious as to whether the individuals charged with corporate governance would have any more than a layman’s knowledge of IT. I discovered that only one bank had a board member with some direct experience in technology and in that case it was as a sales executive.

...

To ensure that corporate governance includes sufficient oversight of technology, I propose companies follow the following principles:

• Hire a techie to your board. 
• Don’t rely entirely on advisers. 
• Ask tough questions about technology spending. 
• Understand the cyber threat. 

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

BRotD - Entry 0234 Google Guide to Winning Mobile

Best Reading of the Day

Following up on the excellent story about programmatics yesterday Google is 2 for 2 in BRotD.  As always you can download the entire study by following their link.

Here is the story:

https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/research-studies/micromoments-guide-pdf-download.html

Be sure to get the entire guide and at least scan through it.  Excellent.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

BRotD - Entry 0233 Programmatic Mobile Moments

Best Reading of the Day

Google Think is out with another outstanding read.

https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/articles/programmatic-helps-brands-make-the-most-of-micromoments.html

Here is a snippet from the piece:

With mobile devices never more than an arm's length away, people can find and buy anything, anytime.

For marketers, this means the purchase funnel is wildly more complicated than it was just a few years ago.

It's hard to plan for nonlinear purchase paths, but programmatic advertising can help, enabling brands to reach the right person with the right message in the moment of opportunity. Brands can use programmatic to assemble a consumer's micro-moments in just the right way—like joining puzzle pieces together—to see a detailed blueprint of consumer intent. That's a powerful proposition, and it's why programmatic advertising spend is projected to grow by more than 77% this year.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

EU Transaction Costs vs. USA

Great little read about mobile payments.

http://www.paymentssource.com/news/paythink/apple-samsung-and-android-will-not-like-european-fee-revenue-3022374-1.html

Here is a snippet from the piece:

The real issue will be whether Apple and its tech giant competitors have the patience and inclination to play the long game, particularly in the EU. These tech players will see their share of transaction value from the banks significantly reduced in Europe, compared to the US, due to the huge discrepancy in interchange fees across the two continents. This December in the U.K. and the rest of the EU, new laws are set to reduce the interchange fee to 0.3% for credit and 0.2% for debit transactions. This will equate to 300-500% less than the revenue that issuing banks in the US are able to share with partners like Apple.

Will Apple and its competitors be willing to put the time and effort required into seeing their solutions take off in this market, when the commercial opportunity is reduced? Only time will tell.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Starbucks Mobile Ordering

Starbucks has gone national with their mobile ordering and in-store pickup (and pay) service.

This is the future of QSR.  It will not be long before all quick service restaurants have some form of this, and fast casual will likely do the same.

http://www.chainstoreage.com/article/starbucks-mobilizes-customers-nationwide

Here is a snippet from that report:

“Bringing mobile order and pay to our customers is about meeting their needs of convenience and customization at any time of the day,” said Adam Brotman, Starbucks chief digital officer. “The fact that it also represents the fastest technology application rollout we have ever done is indicative of the strength of our digital ecosystem, how well it has been received by both our customers and store partners and the impact we think it can have on the future of retail.”

Here is another take on the story:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/starbucks-steams-up-sales-with-nationwide-mobile-order-and-pay-expansion

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Walmart and PepsiCo in the News

A couple stories on Walmart and one on Pepsi intersecting with Walmart are worth your attention.

First up is news of another technology acquisition by Walmart.

http://supermarketnews.com/marketing/walmartlabs-acquires-shopper-insight-technology-punchtab

Here is a snippet from the news:

Wal-Mart Stores’ technology arm, @WalmartLabs, on Tuesday said it has acquired Silicon Valley software company PunchTab, with intentions of using the company’s technology to tailor offers to its Sam’s Club shoppers.
...
Walmart described PunchTab as “a software platform that empowers brands like Walmart and Sam’s Club to better understand and engage with customers in a unified way online, on mobile and in physical stores.”

Next up is one I believe is big news.  National manufacturer brands want to regain lost leverage over retailers and digital may be the key for them.  This move of a senior Walmart mobile exec to Pepsi is huge.

https://www.internetretailer.com/2015/09/22/pepsi-hires-walmartcom-veteran-head-e-commerce

Here is a snippet from the news:

Gibu Thomas, former Walmart.com senior vice president of mobile and digital strategy, is Pepsi’s new general manager of e-commerce.

Global food and beverage manufacturer PepsiCo. has a new head of e-commerce, and he’s one of the experienced Internet executives responsible for helping Wal-Mart Stores Inc. become a $12.1 billion global e-retailer.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

BRotD - Entry 0232 McDonald's Franchisees

Best Reading of the Day

The folks over at Bloomberg have a great read on the challenges confronting McDonald's and their franchisees.  I especially like the context provided by proving the interview with a longtime franchisee (just short of 50 years).

Great read:

http://www.bloomberg.com/features/2015-mcdonalds-franchises/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Al Jarvis was 16 when he started working at a McDonald’s in Saginaw, a city in Michigan, in 1965. His first customer ordered an All-American: a burger, fries, and shake for 52¢. Soon Jarvis was working 50 hours a week and catching up on sleep at school. He skipped college to manage restaurants. By 1977 he was advising McDonald’s franchisees and helping with store openings across the state. One day in 1980, as he was unpacking his garment bag, his young son asked, “Daddy, where do you live?” So the next year he bought a McDonald’s in Hastings, southeast of Grand Rapids. Over the years he hired hundreds of employees, saw dozens of menu items come and go, and spent four or five hours a day, five or six days a week, watching over the counter and grills from his vantage at the fry station.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Starbucks Loyalty and Mobile Payments

Good update from Starbucks and a good, but quick, read on the subject.

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/starbucks-streamlines-app-to-continue-dominance-in-mobile-payments

Here is a snippet from the piece:

As a leader in mobile payments, Starbucks is raising the bar for streamlined smartphone experiences with an update to its application that moves rewards front-and-center and makes scanning easier.

The beverage retailer seems to be the model to follow when it comes to mobile loyalty and payments, and maintains this spot by continually listening to users and making adjustments along the way. Its customers have easily taken to its app for a more convenient checkout process and greater rewards, and its recent upgrade makes the process even smoother with features such as showcasing rewards on the pay screen and a lower bar code for easier scanning.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Apple's September Event

This is the day Apple announces all of the new goodies in its hardware product lineup.  Awesome right?!!?

Not so fast.

The expectations by those following the leaks are painting an unhappy picture.  What will the day actually bring?  Time to find out.

Apple Watch
Apple is following up on the release of the Apple Watch by announcing ... new bands.  New colors.  Fancy (and expensive) new partnerships.  Etc.

Next one up will be big right?

iPad Pro
We've been hearing about a large size iPad for some time now and Microsoft is seeing increasing success with its Surface lineup of tablet/PCs.  Apple has to respond right?  And they will amaze us right?

Not so fast.

At 12.6" vertical this tablet is huge and is quite powerful.  Plus you have the option to buy more goodies to go with it!  Like ... a pencil.  Or ... a keyboard.

Wait isn't that the Microsoft Surface Pro 3?

This thing is expensive.  It starts at $799 for the 32GB version, and you can add $99 for the pencil and another $169 for the keyboard.  Wow.  Will the war for the Enterprise be won be a pure tablet?  This is positioned head to head with the Surface lineup so we are going to find out.  The biggest surprise however was ... Microsoft on the stage with Apple to show you MS Office.  Wow!  Didn't see that coming.

So, something huge will come right?

Apple TV
Finally an update to Apple TV. Do I really care at this point?  My smart TV does everything I can imagine, including cook my dinner.  Do I need to shell out more for this new widget from Apple?

Maybe.  Improved apps.  A solid UI.  A good looking and seemingly intuitive remote control that can be a game controller as well.  Games.  Hmmm.  They might sell a bunch of these.  It'll use tvOS instead of iOS.  That means it is now its own platform, just like the Watch or the Phone, or even the iPad.  More software sales for Apple, but they make almost all of their money on hardware anyway. Another plus for the Apple TV is integration with Siri for voice control ... assuming it works okay since Siri doesn't seem to provide value for many folks on their iPhone or Apple Watch.

I do think MLB is doing great work in the digital streaming space. The app for Apple TV is excellent looking.  Marrying data to live game coverage is awesome.  But I don't watch sports anymore anyway so this means nothing to me.

Starts at $149 for 32GB or get the 64GB version for $199. This will sell.

iPhone Update
iPhone 6S and 6S Plus.  Basically the same as last year's but with big changes inside.

A new color: Rose Gold.  A new screen called Ion-X, not the Sapphire screen on the more expensive Apple Watches.  Still, anything to help the screen's toughness is good.

3D Touch - As expected Apple has taken the 'Force Touch' screen interaction from the Apple Watch and brought it to the iPhone. They didn't get good press for the use of "Force".  A friend of mine described this as essentially "right-click" for all you Windows users out there.  That seems right to me.  You can interact with apps without opening them through 3D Touch.  I like that new layer of interaction.  They've worked hard to embed this in the OS so it impacts many things you are familiar with. Now you just have to figure out when you can use the feature.  "Can I right-click this?  Left-click?  Oh, okay."

Haptic touch engine to allow the phone to essentially vibrate and interact with you.  Another feature on the Watch.

Big performance updates which also means improved performance for games.

The camera is much better at 12 megapixels but there are others far better on the market today. The dern camera lens still protrudes from the back of the phone.  I have disliked that a LOT with my iPhone 6 and have cracked lens already as well. Nice software updates for the camera.  Only pros need a dedicated camera now.  Seriously.  Of course, 12 megapixels mean the pictures will be much bigger and require much more storage on your phone.  It will take 4K video, that is 2160p resolution.  Also a huge drain on storage.

Pricing: Still starts at $199 for the 16GB model.  For $299 you can get 64GB.  They are pushing you to spend ridiculous rates on memory.  As usual.  However, they've created an installment plan so you can endlessly upgrade, and endlessly give Apple more money.  Okay, that last bit might have been harsh.  But wait!  You can use iCloud storage to handle your memory needs.  At an additional cost.

Overall I find myself laughing at this non-event event.  Will there be one more thing?

The band is playing.  I think we are at the end.  Only 2 hours too.

Heartland Wants Open-Platform Mobile Wallets

Heartland is developing a mobile wallet that is open platform.

http://www.paymentssource.com/news/retail-acquiring/open-platform-mobile-wallet-the-only-answer-heartland-carr-3022237-1.html

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Heartland is working on a mobile wallet model that would emphasize an open platform available to all merchant apps, loyalty programs and cross-merchant rewards programs...

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Digital Marketing Stats

I like this monthly blog post over on Econsultancy so much I regularly link to it and share through social media.

Be sure to check it out:

https://econsultancy.com/blog/66883-eight-most-enlightening-us-digital-marketing-stats-from-the-past-week/

Here is a snippet from the post:

Mobile will account for more than half of digital ad spend in 2015

According to predictions by eMarketer, mobile spending will surpass desktop for the first time this year and account for 51.9% of total digital spend in 2015.

Desktop's share of advertising revenue is set to slowly decline through 2019, while mobile’s share will significantly increase. eMarketer also expects mobile advertising to grow by 59% in 2015.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Apple Watch Usage Survey

This is the best survey of usage of the Apple Watch I've seen or heard of.  Though it leaves out a lot, we can begin to see how people are using the watch and what they are doing.

http://watchaware.com/post/14889/imores-apple-watch-survey

Here is a snippet from the piece:

iMore has done what appears to be the largest Apple Watch survey to date. For two weeks in July, iMore was able to get over 8000 Apple Watch owners to take a survey to understand the usage of their newest wearable. Some of the findings have been truly amazing. Here are a few along with a graphic below.

Models purchased:

• 48% got space gray aluminum.
• 26% got polished stainless steel.
• 20% got silver aluminum.
• 4% got space black.
• Below 1% got yellow gold.
• Below 1% got rose gold.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Generation Z - Advertising for the New Generation

We've been hearing about Millennials, and nothing but Millennials (seemingly) for years now (a rub for me as a part of Gen X), but now the next generation is stepping up.  We are soon going to experience 4 generations in the workforce: Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y, and Gen Z.  Marketers aren't waiting to get started however.

Here is the story on the Boston Globe:

http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2015/08/31/brands-turn-attention

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Believe it or not, millennials are aging out of their privileged position as the nation’s most sought-after consumers, the ones advertisers want to influence. Their replacement? The nation’s teenagers, also known as Generation Z.

The Gen Zers, loosely defined as those 20 and younger, are starting to spend their own money and are developing habits that could influence their buying through adulthood. As a result, companies from the video streaming service Netflix Inc. to retailer Target Inc. to athletic shoe maker Converse Inc. are trying to get on the Gen Z radar.

“It’s the new, next hot thing,” said Amanda Fraga, director of strategy, insights, and innovation at C Space, a Boston market research firm.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant