Monthly Archives: January 2010
Originally posted at Experience Planner blog.
At first glance, the new Apple iPad doesn’t appear to be a game changer. Honestly? What it is, is an upgraded, tricked-out iPod Touch and in typical Apple fashion, they’ve focused on basic functionality the first time out. There is no camera, no HDMI, no USB – not without an adapter, at least – and it lacks multi-tasking.
Apple has created a low-risk product based on their existing technology. So unlike the Apple iPhone, there’s no new real technological or user experience innovation here (i.e., touchscreen tech and an application delivery channel in the form of the Apple App store). I can only assume that Apple created this device at a fraction of what it cost to research, develop and market the technology behind iPhone and iPod Touch.
That being said – I, for one, will be getting in line two months from now to pick up a 16gb Wifi iPad.
Personally, I really enjoy the touchscreen experience. I’ve been an iPhone user for over two years and I’ve craved a larger touchscreen experience for watching films, reading books and playing games while on the go (as I travel for work frequently). I get that now with the iPad and I’ll buy it because of that. Yes – I could have that with a small laptop or netbook, but neither of those device types are built for delivering a portable, high-end media experience.
Nearly two years ago, I wrote about Starbucks as a brand in decline. They were suffering because they had lost sight of what differentiated them from other companies competing for the “third place”: their product and the customer experience.
After years of focusing on cutting costs and driving efficiencies across their global footprint, the benefits of these activities plateaued in 2006 – as reflected in their all-time high stock price, just shy of $40.
They installed automatic espresso machines, introduced flavor lock packaging, ‘templatized’ store layouts and expanded their available selection of merchandise. While this all sounds good, it was implemented at the cost of the customer experience. The automatic espresso machines took all the romance and artistry out of pulling the perfect shot and the machines were so high that they blocked the line of sight between barista and customer. The flavor lock packages of coffee stripped the air of the rich scent of coffee beans. Stores became carbon copies of one another – sharing, for the most part, similar footprints and interior design. And their merchandise selection reflected a weakening focus on coffee.
By the time I wrote my post in 2007, Starbucks had lost 25% of its market capitalization. By the end of 2009, as bad as it was for just about every company, Starbucks shares had dropped to just under $10 – a whopping 75% loss of market cap.
Fast forward to today – something has changed. Starbucks is now a brand on the rise with a renewed focus and commitment to customer experience. Bruce Temkin put it well Monday when he said “Starbucks brews a comeback with purpose”. (Bruce wrote a post about Starbucks’ misfortunes in 2007 too.) Starbucks stock is now trading in the $22 range and is rising.
Originally posted at iMedia Connection on Jan. 6, 2010
I’m proud of Critical Mass’ standard of always seeking the extraordinary. So you can imagine my self-disappointment when I sat down to write another “top 10 predictions for the new year” post…it felt decidedly un-extraordinary.
So, forget about 2010. Let’s talk big. REALLY big.
Here are 10 predictions for the next decade. That’s right, the whole darn decade.
Sure, it’s a little linkbait-y, but this is a fun way to start the new year and could ignite some great conversation. What will happen? And how will you succeed in this new decade?
1) Content Strategy Becomes the New Information Architecture: You’ve probably heard the saying, “Information architecture is to design what content strategy is to copy.” And it’s true, except that content strategy lags about 5-10 years behind IA as an agency deliverable. Expect clients to demand content strategy and hence agencies to staff up with folks who understand that the content on a site is as much a science as it is an art.
2) Marketing Sciences Get Sexy: Forget impressions, views, and hits. These dinosaurs are extinct and today’s darlings (the all-too-vague visitors and clicks to name two) will likely follow them into the ether. Web metrics will get a hell of a lot sexier than bounce rate — expect more about engagement, behavior, real customer insights. And as web metrics become more robust, the interpreters of this information — marketing scientists — will become the oracles of the office. Their challenge will be to not only wrestle this data into a story we can understand, but also to make info about past behavior predictive (or prescriptive) for future behavior. (Expect to see offerings like this proliferate.)
3) Google De-throned As Search King: As Google continues to diversify – phones, browsers, tons of acquisitions, etc. — the amount of time they can focus on perfecting search falls. All this while competitors lick their chops. In ’09, Microsoft’s Bing brought a reasonable alternative to the fore with great ads and some innovative changes, especially for video searches. And with Wolfram Alpha and possibly others in the wings, it’s likely the king of search will end this next decade looking around for all that lost market share.
Happy New Year!
Do you notice anything different?
In our excitement for 2010, we decided to give Experience Matters a makeover. We worked on a few bugs, we considered usability and yes, we changed the design. Critical Mass is all about creating extraordinary experiences, so please feel free to leave us comments about your experience with our blog. Are there things we can do to make it more extraordinary for you?
At CM, we’ve all got that wonderful feeling of renewed energy heading into this new year. Our new look is just the beginning, so please… Explore. Subscribe. Participate.
We are looking forward to bringing you insights and opinions all year long.
