Mobile POS Integration at Gap

Following the "intrapreneurship" post we have a little story of Gap, Inc. trying this approach.

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/gap-sees-growth-from-mobile-point-of-sale-integration

Here is a snippet from the piece:

With the introduction of a mobile point-of-sale system in 20 percent of its stores, Gap believes that this expansion will bring higher mobile engagement and sales.

In its Q4 earnings report, Gap reported an increase in mobile integration among its stores and recommitted itself to investing fully in its mobile offerings.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Digital Innovation and Intrapreneurship

This is a great little read worth taking a look at if you and your organization are looking at digital transformation.

https://econsultancy.com/blog/68838-why-specialists-might-be-hampering-innovation-in-digital-transformation/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

The road to digital transformation is paved with innovation. Or, at least, the acceptance of an innovation mindset.

Some of our clients call this "intrapreneurship" and some follow the Google 10% model, where time is set aside specifically for ideation and exploration of new products and approaches. Failure is often rewarded. In fact, one of our financial services clients has a "fail fast goal" that is measured as part of performance goals.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Walmart Line Busting for Pharmacy and Money Transfer

Line busting is in play with technology helping out.  Order ahead.  Skip the line, just pickup and go, etc.

Walmart is doing the incremental work to help lines around their stores.  Pharmacy and money transfer first.  What next?

http://www.chainstoreage.com/article/walmart-updates-app-speed-store-pharmacy-refills-money-transfers

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

The Subscription Economy

Interesting read on the shift to steady revenue streams vs. one-time transactional revenue streams. Do you have a Netflix account?  Yeap.  Bet you used to rent from Blockbuster one movie at a time didn't you?

http://adage.com/article/digitalnext/subscription-economy-change-price-pay/307966/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Should a customer in New York pay a higher price than someone from Ohio for the same service? And should a doctor in Ohio pay a higher price than a New York taxi driver? Should a Mac user be steered to a pricier hotel when shopping online? Hint: It's already happening.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Customer Experience Department

Should your company have a customer experience department?

In some cases, sure this makes sense.  However we've already seen the silo situation created with a Chief Digital Officer comes in so this isn't a slam dunk.

Read this with skepticism:

https://econsultancy.com/blog/68807-does-customer-experience-need-its-own-department/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Who should own customer experience and what does that entail?

In an ideal world, everybody should champion the customer and their experience; certainly everyone within marketing, ecommerce/digital, sales, product development, service design and leadership.

That's what happens in startups, and it's easy to do when you're a small band of merry men and women led by a charismatic founder. But how easy is it for a big multinational? How does that actually work?

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Russian Hacking to Destabilize Countries

I have a little theory about technology and some of the things we are seeing in the world today.  If this isn't your cup of tea, as content from my blog, you may still find it thought provoking and impactful to your business thinking.

Human history tells us of multiple "Revolutionary" moments.  Not minor, but huge shifts. This is not incremental change but massive change where every aspect of our lives is altered.  

The Agricultural Revolution moved us in to the Agricultural Age.

The Industrial Revolution moved us in to the Industrial Age.

In both of those instances human life was radically altered.  In some ways things got better, in other ways worse (though on balance things got better or we wouldn't have embraced the concepts), but in each revolution we've gone through growing pains until we understood what we'd just gone through.  In the later 1800s it became very cheap to manufacture alcoholic beverages, something that had been more exotic previously.  The result?  Massive drunkenness.  The White Chapel district at the time of Jack the Ripper was a drunken mess.  Gradually we learned ... how to cope with mass produced alcohol.  We still struggle with these issues today but groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Drivers continue to help.  That's 100 years of pain resulting from increased production of alcohol due to Industrialization.

Today we are in the middle of the Information Revolution as we move in to the Information Age.

What is happening?  We are seeing radical changes, such as news on social media, and having difficulty coping with the massive changes. Changes provide opportunity for those who figure things out more quickly than others.  It is increasingly clear the Russian intelligence agencies have figured how to use cyber methods to further their interests.

Here is the New York Times section, an entire section, on Russian hacking of the U.S. elections:

https://www.nytimes.com/news-event/russian-election-hacking

Here is one take on what Putin has been up to:

https://patribotics.wordpress.com/2017/01/17/dear-mr-putin-lets-play-chess-louise-mensch-trump-russia/

Will you be hearing about the "Carolina Conspiracy" shortly in your newscasts?  Perhaps the journalists will find enough verification to take this story more broadly, perhaps not.

How has technology changed your life?

What can you do to mitigate the impact on your life? Reading this blog might help.  Be informed.  Research.  Ask questions.  Try to understand.  Help others.  Be kind.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

**UPDATE** A previous version of this story incorrectly stated NPR had discussed the Carolina Conspiracy this morning.  That was incorrect information.

Walmart Online Growing by Double Digits

Looks like the Jet.com acquisition is paying off for Walmart.

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Wal-Mart posted its third straight quarter of double-digit online growth, which helped its holiday results top estimates. The world’s largest retailer is benefiting from last year’s acquisition of Jet.com, a $3.3 billion deal that reinvigorated a flagging e-commerce business and brought a new executive team to the division.

Wal-Mart is finally “playing offense,” said Peter Benedict, an analyst at Baird Equity Research.

Here is the whole story:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-02-21/wal-mart-s-bid-to-become-e-commerce-giant-helped-by-online-surge

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Data on Amazon Prime

Boy the folks over at Amazon sure do like to hold their cards close to their chest at times don't they?  Take this data for what it is worth.  I'm sure this was released to make Amazon look as good as possible with their Prime system.  However, any view is better than none at all.

Take a look:

http://risnews.edgl.com/retail-news/Amazon-Breaks-Its-Silence-On-Prime-Numbers108919

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Facebook Jobs

Wait ...

What?

Zuck and crew want us to open up our Facebook accounts for job searches?  Yeap.  Get your college boozing and your resume all together in one place for recruiters.

Well, aren't recruiters doing that now anyway?

Yeap.

Move over LinkedIn?

Read on:

http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/strategy/24512.preview

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Clint Eastwood's Analysis of Tech and the Human Factor

It occurred to me while watching the excellent "Sully", the motion picture about the Miracle on the Hudson, that I'd seen this story before.  Sort of.

First, "Sully" is a wonderful and inspiring film.  Well worth the viewing. Now for the point of this post (you might wish to avoid this post if you plan to see the movie soon as there are minor spoilers).

Clint Eastwood has such star power he can pick any story he wants to make a film about and ... just go do it.  Pretty much.

Check out his Wikepedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clint_Eastwood

Now, look at two of his films he directed recently (I haven't looked deeper but ... who knows): "Trouble With the Curve" and "Sully".

In "Trouble With the Curve" and baseball talent scout comes up against technology attempting to replace his job and overcomes it.  The experience of his ear for the bat on the ball is the difference, and we get a very human story throughout as well.

Now "Sully".  There was initially a question about the decision making of Captain Sullenberger as both engines were failing from bird hits.  Simulations (tech) showed he could make it back to either of two runways.  Furthermore, the onboard data showed one engine was recoverable, something Sully's tremendous experience had ruled out as impossible.  Eventually the decision is redeemed, the simulation results overturned, and the engine recovered to confirm it was irrevocably destroyed.  The human factor saved the day, and the lives of all those folks on that plane.

It seems to me Eastwood is involved in putting out his treatise on the human experience in a world of technology.  Very good movies, and interesting points.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Digital Bottleneck of Payments for Retailers

Demand.  Meet Supply.

Starbucks is having a problem with its mobile order ahead and pay system.  It is too popular.

Read on:

http://www.salon.com/2017/02/07/a-digital-bottleneck-mobile-payments-breed-new-challenges-for-to-go-retailers/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Starbucks, which also has a successful mobile-payment operation, has learned that demand for mobile-based orders can overwhelm in-store operations during peak demand hours, causing employees to scramble. Currently, more than 1 in 4 U.S.-based Starbucks orders comes from a mobile device, one of the highest rates in the country’s retail sector and likely to continue to grow. This has led to a problem — a good problem, but a problem nonetheless — and one that’s likely to vex more retailers in the years to come: Mobile-ordering lines are becoming longer.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Super Bowl Goes Mobile With Pepsi

Great little read on all the ways Pepsi came at customers throughout the Super Bowl, other than Lady Gaga jumping off the roof of the stadium (wow).

http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/advertising/24444.preview

Here is a snippet from the piece:

PepsiCo's annual sponsorship of the Super Bowl Half Time show was among some, but not many, that effectively tapped social media and mobile for unique interactive elements that leveraged live-streams, paid social advertising and giveaways.

The Pepsi Zero Sugar Super Bowl Halftime Show leveraged a slew of mobile tactics leading up to the performance and after...

Meanwhile, others didn't do much in mobile at all.  Is Pepsi a leader or an outlier and what is effective and what might work for you?

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant