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