All companies face many blockers to delivering a modern customer journey with "digital" buzzwords pinging around every major organisation in the world. Making that leap to transform the customer journey into a truly digital interaction requires a huge commitment and potentially too daunting for many to make a start. The realities are unless companies can operate successfully in the mobile and social commerce universe they will die, there are bound to be exceptions but the number will be very small. Maybe the local ice cream van with a legendary reputation will never need trouble themselves with the issues of accepting PayPal through a tablet but they will be in the minority.
So what must companies address to make the transformation a success?
Culture
A digital organisation needs commitment and understanding from the top down with advocates who can converse on the value this adds at the most senior level not merely playing lip service to ticking some box in a digital audit.
Innovate
Companies need to be able to connect the thought leaders to the delivery areas and be able to strike the right balance between transformation strategic change and disposable test and learn initiatives.
Invest
A digital transformation programme needs major investment irrespective of the size of organisation and it needs to be centrally held allowing the digital capabilities to be built for re-use and not absorbed into the latest profit making project that results in a single purpose.
Collaborate
Working across internal and external boundaries companies will need to work in a collaborative style making the most of external partners and ensuring internally that the vast gaps between divisions are quickly bridged.
Measure success
Have a clear vision articulated that can be referenced throughout the transformation and track progress against this ensuring you have a powerful PR machine selling the benefits that have been realised as they emerge to ensure impetus in maintained and commitment does not drop.
Wednesday 23 July 2014
Thursday 10 July 2014
Blue Chip Holidays - letting the end customer down
Blue Chip Holidays (www.bluechipholidays.co.uk) are a small UK based company promoting luxury properties across the West Country, Yorkshire & the Isle of Wight. Their website provides a good range of top end properties with lengthy descriptions and numerous photos to build confidence in those using them for their well earned holiday. A polished e-commerce website with a corresponding UK telephone number allows new and repeat customers to book their holiday accommodation.
Booking a holiday is a complicated process even more so if you are trying to book for more than one family as you juggle dates, needs and wishes so confidence in the people you are booking with is paramount. But what happens if things go wrong and you don't get the luxury holiday you have been promised with accommodation that is not a suitable standard? Blue Chip to the rescue and resolve your issues? Unfortunately not. Checking the small print (always your first port of call when holidaying) reveals the following with respect to your trusted Blue Chip Holidays booking agent.
"9.1 The Agent works closely with the Owner to ensure that all properties within the Promotion Material are fairly and accurately described. Occasionally an Owner will make changes to the set-up of their property after publication of the Agent’s Promotion Material for which the Agent cannot be held responsible. Where these changes materially alter the nature of a booking the Agent will contact the Tenant in writing informing the Tenant of the nature of the changes."
This should mean you have every confidence that what you see is what you get and Blue Chip have earned their money. From a recent experience where a property was not as described with photos taken some years earlier of a property Blue Chip Holidays quickly pass the buck to the Property Owner claiming no responsibility and placing all the blame with the Owner. Something to consider if you are thinking of using them to market your property as well as booking with them. A good customer experience? If the property hasn't been checked by Blue Chip they are surely failing to meet their own terms and conditions, so if you experience similar issues then check the small print and consider if the customer experience matches the luxury tag. If not unfortunately this is an epic fail and a word of warning.
Booking a holiday is a complicated process even more so if you are trying to book for more than one family as you juggle dates, needs and wishes so confidence in the people you are booking with is paramount. But what happens if things go wrong and you don't get the luxury holiday you have been promised with accommodation that is not a suitable standard? Blue Chip to the rescue and resolve your issues? Unfortunately not. Checking the small print (always your first port of call when holidaying) reveals the following with respect to your trusted Blue Chip Holidays booking agent.
"9.1 The Agent works closely with the Owner to ensure that all properties within the Promotion Material are fairly and accurately described. Occasionally an Owner will make changes to the set-up of their property after publication of the Agent’s Promotion Material for which the Agent cannot be held responsible. Where these changes materially alter the nature of a booking the Agent will contact the Tenant in writing informing the Tenant of the nature of the changes."
This should mean you have every confidence that what you see is what you get and Blue Chip have earned their money. From a recent experience where a property was not as described with photos taken some years earlier of a property Blue Chip Holidays quickly pass the buck to the Property Owner claiming no responsibility and placing all the blame with the Owner. Something to consider if you are thinking of using them to market your property as well as booking with them. A good customer experience? If the property hasn't been checked by Blue Chip they are surely failing to meet their own terms and conditions, so if you experience similar issues then check the small print and consider if the customer experience matches the luxury tag. If not unfortunately this is an epic fail and a word of warning.
Thursday 3 July 2014
Impact Hub in kings cross Open for creative thinking
Spending the day in London at an event often means descending to the basement of a vast hotel to lose track of time as you are subject to artificial lighting and painfully sterile rooms. For an alternative experience the impact hub in kings cross ( http://kingscross.impacthub.net ) offers beautifully crafted surroundings. The impact hub is a social enterprise helping individuals and organisations with areas to collaborate and work offering membership packages to suit all levels of usage. This gives flexibility to larger organisations and a wonderful meeting point for smaller firms wishing to retain a professional engagement without losing inspiration or unique identity.
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