Robert Scoble and Shel Israel have the beautiful job of getting paid to travel the world to see what new technology is being developed and how it can be used to solve problems and transform lives.
In researching their latest book, Age of Context, Scoble and Israel discovered five technological trends, or disruptive forces, that are changing the way we live our lives as consumers: mobile, data, sensors, social media, and location. Most organisations in Australia are aware of these forces and have experienced them in isolation; but what is interesting is the potential you get when you combine them to create an integrated customer experience.
Meet the customer of the future
Imagine Jeff, a 40-something HR executive for a large company. He is on holiday overseas with his wife, Tina, and wants to take her out for a romantic dinner because its their wedding anniversary. Jeff has no clue where to take her, so he decides to crowd-source ideas through Twitter on his mobile phone.
Jeff reviews the suggestions he gets back from his followers and compares them to an app on his phone that rates local restaurants. The app also has the ability to make bookings, and Jeff does so after finding a suitable restaurant. Now all he has to do is turn up on time with Tina to have a nice dinner.
Meanwhile, at the restaurant, the staff have received Jeffs booking, and, by looking at his social media profiles, they realise that hes a first-time customer to the restaurant and is in town with his wife for their anniversary. They go to work setting up a highly personalised experience to make sure that Jeff and Tina have a night to remember, and perhaps rave about it to all their friends and family back home.
The full article can be downloaded below…
