Create a B2B Platform Plan With Help from B2C Practitioners

I am always interested in the startup space.  Ideas that become reality, for a while, and maybe transform in to something else as the team looks to add-value in a meaningful way.

The customer-facing world has seen a massive rise of digital disruption transforming every aspect of our lives.

UBER has transformed the taxi industry.  Facebook is ... well ... something.

The business to business world has also seen some trans-formative moments as we entered the Information Age.  It occurred to me recently we might be seeing a trend of B2B companies learning lessons from the B2C world and looking for that add-value moment.

Here is my latest white paper that covers the subject:

Create a B2B Platform Plan With Help from B2C Practitioners

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

PS  Uber for dumptrucks?  Yeap.  TRUX.  Worth taking a look at.

Best Retail Mobile Apps

I happen to think the world of retail is as competitive as it gets with some of the best minds and the best business plays happening.

A look at retail mobile apps is worth your time and this article by the folks at ClickZ uses the Forrester research to help you gain a view:

https://www.clickz.com/retail-mobile-apps-forrester/227758/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

What makes a retailers’ mobile app great? That question has been asked by countless marketers (and by, um, us) over the years. Forrester Research tackled it in a new report that retailers’ mobile apps, and where they excel and miss the mark.

Mobile commerce is perpetually on the rise. During Cyber Monday, smartphone sales accounted for $2.1 billion, a 48.1% growth year-over-year. And according to eMarketer, more than 90% of our time on smartphones is spent in-app.

Here’s the catch: We’re also highly selective about the mobile apps we use. App downloads keep increasing, but users’ interest disappears as quickly as a Snap. In 2017, App Annie found that the average smartphone owner only uses 30 per month and nine per day.

When Apple revealed the most popular apps of 2018, Amazon was the only retailer on the list, which was dominated by social media and entertainment. In order to command consumers’ attention, retailers have to make sure their apps are top notch.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Customer Lifetime Value CLV

Whether you are a B2B or D2C or a B2B business you should be thinking of the lifetime value of your customers.

The concept is simple.  If your business spends time and money acquiring a new customer isn't it worthwhile to look at the value of that customer as a repeat customer?

Yeap.  Sure is.  Netflix subscriptions are the perfect way to look at it.  That customer isn't worth the $10 they pay the first month.  Their lifetime of paying that $10, then $12, etc. is the real value of that customer.  Payments providers work to that by providing Automatic Updater services so when your customer forgets they have a new CC the subscription service finds it for them. 

There is a great write-up over with ClickZ on this subject that really lays it all out for you:

https://www.clickz.com/how-to-calculate-customer-lifetime-value-cltv-the-complete-guide/228128/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV) allows marketers to predict how much revenue customers will generate for their business for the duration of their relationship.

It is increasingly a data-led estimation and a key metric of business health. CLTV helps marketers understand how much each individual customer is worth to them. It also shows how much can be spent to acquire new customers while ensuring return on investment (ROI).

Forrester has been writing on the subject for a while now as we look to take the lessons of the B2C world and apply them in B2B.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

CVS the Customer Experience Store

I found this little article to be well worth your time.

CVS has been doing pretty serious work over in R.I. trying to crack the code of the Age of the Customer.

Here is the full article on their concept stores and then one on their overall initiatives:

https://risnews.com/first-look-inside-cvs-healthhub-concept-stores

https://risnews.com/cvs-invests-big-customer-experience

Here is a snippet from the piece on their concept stores:

“We're opening a series of healthcare concept stores which will be a testing ground for a new retail engagement model that brings healthcare services to consumers in a more convenient, more accessible, and more customer focused manner,” Merlo said speaking at the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference. “As we pilot new programs and service offerings we will identify the solutions that are most effective and scalable and then roll them out more broadly across our footprint.”

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

BRotD - Entry 0237 Forrester Research on 2016 for Business

Best Reading of the Day

One thing I've learned over the last few years, when the researchers over at Forrester speak you should listen.  These guys are far, far beyond merely having their finger on the pulse of technology in the world.  Their data analyses take them in to the realm of forecasting.

Read on:

http://www.computerworld.com/article/3000335/it-management/forrester-s-top-10-predictions-for-business-in-2016-and-what-they-mean-for-tech.html

Here is a snippet from the piece:

2016 will be a year of action for companies. It will be the year that the companies that thrive will be those advancing down the customer obsession path — while those that downplay their customers’ needs will start to wither away.

The good news? You and your technology teams have a critical role in helping — and in some cases, leading — your organization in adapting and thriving in the age of the customer.

Here are the top trends Forrester sees shaping your business in 2016, and what you can do to advance them.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Forrester Analyzes Apple Pay

Great read from the folks at Forrester, doing some of the very best work at analyzing all things mobile.

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/why-apple-pays-second-year-will-be-harder-than-its-first-forrester

Here is a snippet from the read:

While Apple Pay’s adoption rate so far is encouraging, the solution faces resistance in many countries, is viewed as a threat by some banks and still needs to prove its value for merchants, according to a new report from Forrester.

In its first 12 months, Apple Pay made notable gains in building a meaningful presence in the United States and Britain with financial organizations, retailers and consumers, according to the report, Apple Pay Should Be Part Of Your Bank’s Payment Strategy. While it is facing some significant challenges building on that success, Forrester still expects Apple Pay to be a permanent part of the payments landscape in many developed countries.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

BRotD - Entry 0226 Mobile Moments by Google and Forrester

Best Reading of the Day

Google Think is back with another excellent read and analysis.  This time they partnered with Forrester research.

The focus of the research is on the impact of mobile on the consumer.  Here is a link to the story:

https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/research-studies/mobile-moments-mind-set-new-research-details-benefits-for-brands.html

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Consumers act on needs in micro-moments throughout the day. The question for marketers is: Are you prepared to identify, deliver, and measure these moments? New research commissioned by Google and conducted by Forrester Consulting shows that 98% of companies aren't—and why they should be.

You can download the entire research paper, that contains a one page executive summary, here:

https://storage.googleapis.com/think/docs/forrester-moments-that-matter-research-study.pdf

That number jumps out to me.  98% of companies aren't ready.  That tells me two things: (1) there is time for companies to get on the ball, however, (2) any company that gets their act together here could differentiate itself in a big way and win over customers from companies that haven't yet done so.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Google Payments in the News, Plus Forrester Research on Mobile Loyalty

Google Wallet is in the news with a couple of speculative stories about its future.

First is a story about Google testing a new payment style and references code name "Plaso":

http://www.mobilepaymentsinsider.com/2015/02/12/google-tests-new-mobile-payments-platform/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Google is rumoured to be testing a new payments service called Plaso which allows consumers carrying Android phones to pay for goods and services by giving just their initials to the merchant.

Next is the possibility Google dumps NFC and enables a Bluetooth payments capability, what I think is an iterative improvement over NFC.  This one also references "Plaso":


http://www.pymnts.com/news/2015/plaso-googles-slightly-unnerving-answer-to-apple-pay/#.VNzKK-bF_9Y

Here is a snippet from that piece:

It seems Google might be considering moving beyond NFC in its quest to compete with Apple Pay, according to new data published in The Information. The search-giant has reportedly been quietly testing a contextually-aware mobile, bluetooth-based payment system codenamed “Plaso” both in-house and with some select retailers like Papa John’s and Panera Bread.

Finally is a brief write-up on Forrester research about mobile wallets and the importance of loyalty program integration with payment:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/forrester-loyalty-programs-will-be-mobilized-as-digital-wallets-become-marketing-channel

Here is a snippet from that piece:

While mobile wallets currently offer significant value to brands, marketers must also look beyond those solutions and focus on mobilizing loyalty platforms to create branded moments and transform payment options into a viable marketing channel, according to a report from Forrester Research.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0193 Forrester Branded App Recommendations

I've been traveling this week so these posts are a catch-up for much of the week's news and good reading.  This one is by far the most interesting to me.

Forrester research has just released a new analytics paper on marketing trends for mobile apps and there is a very good little write-up on Mobile Commerce Daily for those not willing or able to pay $499 to purchase the entire paper.

http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/research/19673.html

Here is a snippet from that piece:

The new Forrester report, “2015 Mobile App Marketing Trends: Orchestrate Your Brand Presence, Beyond Your Own Apps, By Borrowing Mobile Moments,” explores marketers’ decisions to invest significant resources into building their own branded apps because research suggests consumers spend a majority of their mobile time on apps. However, new Forrester data shows that, on average, consumers in the United States and Britain use 24 apps per month but spend more than 80 percent of the time in their five most time-consuming apps.

What we know is there are segments of the population that have no interest in branded apps for their interactions, such as heavy social media users.  However, at least one high-quality study indicates there is at least one very important segment that does want a branded app, and these tend to be the most affluent consumers.  The guidance offered by Forrester appears to help fill the gap in understanding between a website, mobile web, and mobile apps.  Very good reading.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

**UPDATE**  Good read over on Internet Retailer:
https://www.internetretailer.com/2015/02/09/why-retailers-might-not-need-or-want-invest-mobile-apps

CPGs, Digital Coupons, Mobile Grocery, Digital Ads, eCommerce Delivery, and More

The Blizzard of 2015 is finally nearing an end though snow is still falling here north of Boston.  Looks like a couple feet of snow in my area and a major event for most of New England.

Here are a slew of stories I've found that are worth visiting.

First up is the life of a category leader especially as a consumer packaged goods company:

http://www.canadiangrocer.com/worth-reading/the-secret-lives-of-category-leaders-48724

Next up is new data from Inmar on digital coupons and the add to card method:

http://www.progressivegrocer.com/research-data/market-trends/redemption-digital-load-card-coupons-doubles-study

One supermarket chain has added new functionality to its mobile app and the news is good for their provider GPShopper:

http://www.progressivegrocer.com/departments/technology/lunds-and-byerly%E2%80%99s-add-new-features-mobile-app

Digital advertising gets two stories: first is a line of thought on brand ads vs. performance ads, then an AdAge.com story on who to blame when digital campaigns fail.  That second one has several great links so be sure to dig deeply there.

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/242440/beauty-and-the-geek.html?edition=79667

http://adage.com/article/digitalnext/blame-a-digital-campaign-wrong/296761/

Finally is news of delivery services such as the alcohol delivery startup 'Drizly' in Boston and the impact the Blizzard of '15 had on them in the NorthEast:

http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2015/01/27/alcohol-grocery-deliveries-spike-as-blizzard-batters-boston/

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0188 Challenges of Online Grocery

The best reading of the day is an excellent article from the 'Washington Post' on the challenges grocers face in moving to an online business.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2015/01/20/the-staggering-challenges-of-the-online-grocery-business/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

The online grocery delivery business seems to get more crowded--and more competitive--by the minute. Tech giants Google and Amazon.com are offering it in some major cities, and so are upstarts such as Instacart, Postmates and FreshDirect. These newcomers are battling with more established businesses such as Peapod, which has been delivering groceries for more than 20 years, and services from companies such as Wal-Mart that allow customers to place orders online and pick them up at a nearby store.

It's a business that everyone seems to want in on, even though new data show it's awfully hard to do profitably.

This article is well worth your time if you follow retail, supermarkets, omnichannel or just like reading about difficult business challenges.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Amazon, Publix, Facebook and Shazam in the News

A slew of stories found their way to me this morning.  This afternoon I'm following Microsoft's Windows 10 event.  Good news there is Windows 10 will be a free upgrade to any Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 users out there.  More on that later.

First is Amazon pulling the plug on its mobile wallet efforts:

http://www.pymnts.com/news/2015/amazon-to-pull-the-plug-on-its-mobile-wallet/#.VL-waNLF_9Y

They've been in the business for less than a year.  Seems to me they will continue to play in these spaces in various forms.  I was courted to go work on Amazon Coins so I know they have plenty of pots on the stove at various stages.

Next is news of Publix being named the Supermarket News Marketer of the Year:

http://supermarketnews.com/marketer-year/power-pleasure-publix

Next is news from Facebook stating it adds more than $200USB to the global economy:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/20/us-facebook-report-idUSKBN0KT0MB20150120

Finally is news on a new valuation of Shazam as they wrap up their latest funding round.  You know 'Shazam' right, the little app that allows you to pluck noise out of the air and determine what it is?

http://www.cnbc.com/id/102355016

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0176 Starbucks iBeacons and more

Very interesting news coming out of Starbucks and well worth the time to read.

Here is the best read of the day showcases iBeacons in use at some Starbucks locations:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/starbucks-cooks-up-ibeacon-strategy-to-support-premium-coffee-emphasis

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Starbucks said it would bring out iBeacon technology in the coming year to allow customers at its premium-coffee Roastery and Tasting Rooms to access information about freshly brewed coffee via smartphones. The move further advances Starbucks’ mobile strategy, in which it is already a leader in mobile payments, at a time of stagnant sales and intense competition.

“Beacons can be a boon for brands, but they can also work negatively if they don’t create a positive experience for the consumer,” said Vanessa Horwell, principal and chief strategy officer with ThinkInk, Miami.

The year of the beacon rolls on.

Here is one more, also from Mobile Commerce Daily, about location based marketing at some Starbucks locations:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/starbucks-asda-use-proximity-targeting-on-mobile-to-drive-in-store-traffic

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Starbucks and Asda are leveraging proximity targeting on mobile devices to raise brand awareness of new products, drive consumer traffic and enhance the in-store experience as part of their ongoing efforts to dominate the mobile space.

With Starbucks mobile ordering officially rolling out for Portland customers this week, the beverage brand is continuing to bolster its growing mcommerce strategy and loyalty platform. A recent mobile advertisement campaign in Britain leveraged location data and Store Visitation Lift for Starbucks and supermarket chain Asda, resulting in a more than 60 percent lift in store visits after the campaign was completed.

Very cool work going on at Starbucks, a brand worth following.  I hear they are also pretty good at mobile payments....

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

PS  One more story about Starbucks came out yesterday that I failed to include here, this one regarding mobile ordering and pickup.
http://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/starbucks-mobile-order-and-pay

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Starbucks has launched its Mobile Order & Pay system in Portland, Oregon ahead of the solution being rolled out across the US in 2015.

The system enables customers to place orders in advance of their visit and pick them up at their chosen Starbucks store, and is integrated into the popular Starbucks app and mobile loyalty scheme.

Starbucks is making moves.

Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0175 Beacons, Beacons Everywhere

The Associated Press has a very good read about the impact beacons/iBeacons are having on this holiday shopping season.

The year of the beacon continues.

Here is the story:

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/3af61653dd3247a89869cda3ea3e0b36/beacons-pop-stores-ahead-holidays

Here is a snippet from that piece:

The vast majority of shopping is still done in stores. E-commerce is fast-growing but accounts for only about 9 percent of total retail sales, according to Forrester Research. Beacons merge in-store shopping with mobile access to information — and data shows they work.

Between July and September, 30 percent of shoppers who received a "push-ad" from an in-store beacon used that offer to buy something, according to a survey by Swirl, a marketing company that has created beacon plans for retailers such as Lord & Taylor, Hudson's Bay, Alex and Ani, Kenneth Cole and Timberland. Sixty percent of shoppers opened beacon-sent messages, and over half of those surveyed said they would do more holiday shopping at the stores as a result of their beacon experience.

I've already written quite a bit about beacons in these pages this year so I'll let that story speak for itself.  If you wish to see earlier posts about beacons or iBeacons look to the bottom left of this site for my tags and click on the relevant item.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0174 Social Media Nightly News

Does that title make any sense?

Social Media Nightly News

Didn't think so.  Yet, it does.

ABC is kicking off a Facebook version, supplement, or enhancement (call it whatever you like) to its World News Tonight.  Interesting new approach.

http://adage.com/article/digital/abc-kicks-social-media-version-world-news-tonight/296024/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

The 1-minute-long news summaries will appear every weekday, starting today, on the show's Facebook page. In what the company said was a first for a network anchor, "Facecast: The One Thing" will be hosted by David Muir, who took over the evening newscast from Diane Sawyer in September.

Three other stories caught my eye, finally, and are worth noting.  Digital coupons are catching fire in the Supermarket vertical.

First is the Golub Corporation promoting the new Groupon app:
http://supermarketnews.com/marketing/price-chopper-promotes-new-grocery-app

Next is Meijer with their new mPerks rewards campaign:
http://www.chainstoreage.com/article/meijer-readies-digital-coupon-promotion

Finally is SpartanNash with their digital coupons:
http://www.progressivegrocer.com/industry-news-trends/wholesalers-distributers/spartannash-digital-coupons-hit-15-redemption-rate

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

**UPDATE** Corrected a typo stating the three stories are worth "noting" vs. "nothing".

Beacons and the Growing Mobile Gap

Several articles stood out to me today, all in the same vein.

First is a concept the author refers to as "post-beaconing" or using data from beacons to provide personalized interactions at a differed date/time.

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/237959/post-beaconing-begins-location-info-captured-now.html?edition=77785

Next is another retailer using iBeacons this season:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/new-seasons-market-leverages-ibeacons-enhanced-payments-for-customized-consumer-experience

eConsultancy is out with a paper about the single customer view and the feasibility of this approach:

https://econsultancy.com/blog/65746-the-single-customer-view-is-it-really-achievable

Finally is a brief write-up of a couple new Forrester research papers:

http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/research/19139.html

Here is a snippet from that piece:

“I think most brands agreed in 2014 that mobile is strategic but when it comes to integrating mobility into their marketing strategy, few are really measuring all the business implications,” said Thomas Husson, Paris-based vice president and principal analyst of the marketing and strategy client group at Forrester as well as one of authors of the reports.

“In 2015, we expect the gap to increase between brands who will see mobile as just another channel and the leaders who will invest in re-engineering their business to deliver mobile moments,” he said.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0166 Future for Supermarkets

Great little entry on SupermarketNews.com:

http://supermarketnews.com/blog/supermarkets-are-dead-long-live-supermarkets

Here is a snippet from that piece:

The old British phrase after a monarch dies is, “The King is Dead, Long Live the King.” It’s meant to emphasize continuity.

The same can be said here. Old supermarket operating models (and some operators) may die, but the best players are already embracing new directions that will evolve and sustain supermarkets as a retail segment.

I completely agree with his assessment.  The changing landscape will force change on the part of the retailer and will not be friendly to those who refuse it, but the future looks bright for those willing to tackle the challenges of today.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Uber Now Delivering Fresh Food

Have you heard of Uber?

Then again, why would you be reading my blog if you hadn't?

Uber

Mobile payments, through Uber.  Prepared food delivery, through Uber.  What's next, grocery delivery, through Uber?  This little story on Supermarket News tells what you need to know:

http://supermarketnews.com/blog/why-uber-matters-food?eid=forward

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Apple Payments - NFC, Amex, MasterCard, and VISA?

Wow.

The rumor mill is certainly churning with anticipation building ahead of Apple's announcement in Cupertino on September 9.

The biggest news I'm hearing that doesn't concern a wearable device such as an iWatch regards the following (all rumors until Sept 9):

• The new iPhone will contain a NFC chip to enable payments in close proximity.
• Apple has signed a deal with VISA for mobile payments.
• Apple has signed a deal with both MasterCard and VISA for mobile payments.
• Apple has signed a deal with American Express for mobile payments.

Wow.

Pretty intense rumor mill regarding Apple finally embracing NFC technology, something I've been extremely skeptical of to date.  You can't just ignore a firestorm of rumors though so September 9 should be fun, as we expected it would be.

Here is one excellent article by Karen Webster worth reading if you follow mobile payments:

http://www.pymnts.com/news/2014/whos-on-your-2014-fantasy-payments-team/#.VAW2hcVdX9Z

The American Express rumor:

http://recode.net/2014/08/31/apple-9-9/

The MasterCard and VISA rumor:

http://www.paymentssource.com/news/emerging-payments/apple-said-to-team-up-with-visa-mastercard-on-iphone-wallet-3019019-1.html

How many days left until the event?  Once again Apple has succeeded in building interest for their product launch.  Seems to be a strong feed of information from the supply chain yet again but the main points may have nothing to do with the hardware this time.  That is an opportunity for Apple to regain some of its vaunted secrecy ahead of a product launch.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

**UPDATE** Good article here that lays out the entire story:
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/what-is-nfc-and-why-does-it-matter-for-the-iphone-6-96456683964.html?src=rss

**UPDATE #2** Another good article on this story stated merchants will decide whether or not Apple's foray in to payments will be successful.  True, unless consumer demand forces acceptance, a difficult trick to pull off.
http://blogs.forrester.com/denee_carrington/14-09-04-merchants_will_decide_the_fate_of_apples_mobile_wallet

More Beacon News and Coupons

Beacons, beacons, beacons.

And iBeacons.

The drumbeat goes on and on.

Mobile marketing automation company Swrve announced beacons:

http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/2105815

Now Epicurious app users will be interacting with beacons as well:

http://appadvice.com/appnn/2014/08/epicurious-users-will-now-experience-apple-ibeacon-technology-in-stores

So how is big data helping?

http://smartblogs.com/food-and-beverage/2014/08/06/why-big-data-is-a-big-deal-for-supermarkets/?utm_source=brief

Tying it all together is the ability to provide personalized offers, coupons, in the new mobile world.  Just in time couponing is a marketers dream right?

http://www.clickz.com/clickz/news/2358929/mobile-coupons-to-reach-more-than-1-billion-consumers-study

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant