WTF?: What's the Future of Business? : Changing the Way Businesses Create Experiences

"In today’s rapidly changing digital environment, Darwinism is alive and well. __What’s the Future of Business__ doesn't just explore trends and theories; it introduces a dynamic, actionable path to transformation."—__**Evan Greene,**__ CMO, The Recording Academy, Producers of the GRAMMY Awards**Rethink your business model to incorporate the power of "user" experiences** __What’s the Future of Business?__ will galvanize a new movement that aligns the tenets of user experience with the vision of innovative leadership to improve business performance, engagement, and relationships for a new generation of consumerism. It provides an overview of real-world experiences versus "user" experiences in relation to products, services, mobile, social media, and commerce, among others. This book explains why experience is everything and how the future of business will come down to shared experiences. * Aligns the tenets of user experience with the concepts of innovative leadership to improve business performance and engagement and to motivate readers to rethink business models and customer and employee relationships * Motivates readers to rethink business models, products and services, marketing, and customer and employee relationships with desired experiences in mind * Brian Solis is globally recognized as one of the most prominent thought leaders and published authors in new media, and is the author of __Engage!__ and __The End of Business as Usual!__ Discover how user experience design affects your business, and how you can harness its power for meaningful revenue growth What's the Future of Business?: Changing the Way Businesses Create Experiences 5 Copyright 4 Contents 6 Business . . . Meet Design 8 0: Total Recall 10 The Voice of the Empowered Customer 14 So what? 14 What are customers to align with if we don't first define it? What do we want them to be a part of? 15 Are You Experienced? 16 #InnovateorDie 17 1: Sorry, we're Closed: How to Survive Digital Darwinism 18 Disruptive Technology Is a Catalyst for Change, Not the Reason 23 The question is at what point does emerging technology or new behavior become disruptive? 23 2: The Journey of Business Transformation 26 There's a Hero in Every One of Us 29 The Great Myth of Technology 32 This is the end of business as usual. 33 3: Meet the New Generation of Customers . . . Generation C 34 So, how well do you know Gen Y? Let’s find out . . . 38 Widening the View from Generation Y to Generation C 39 Different Times Call for Different Measures 41 4: The New Customer Hierarchy 44 A New Era of Social Service: Promoting the Experiences of Customers 48 The Broken Link of Social Media Customer Service 52 But, if getting closer to customers is a key objective, why do many businesses neglect the first mile of customer experiences? 53 Connecting the Dots in Social Media to Improve Experiences 55 Answer this question: What is the experience you want customers to have? 57 5: The DIM Light at the end of the Funnel 58 Funnel Vision: Without Awareness There Can Be No Consideration 62 The Cluster Funnel 63 6: The Zero Moment of Truth 66 In the moment of truth, how do you fare and what shared experiences are awaiting your customer? 70 7: The Ultimate Moment of Truth 74 The Ultimate Moment of Truth 82 Your work must focus on expressions, not impressions. 82 8: Opening a Window into New Consumerism 86 Discovery Disrupted 90 Opening the Door to a New Generation of Connected Consumerism 91 Opening the Windows to Digital Influence 94 9: The Dynamic Customer Journey 98 The importance of the influence loop cannot be overstated. It affects every stage of the journey, every moment of truth. 104 10: Inside the Ellipse: Embarking on the Dynamic Customer Journey 106 Formulation (Stimulus) 112 Role Model: TOMS 112 Precommerce (Zero Moment of Truth) 114 Role Model: Giantnerd 116 Commerce (First Moment of Truth) 117 If you think that product experiences are out of your realm of responsibility, think again. 119 Postcommerce (Ultimate Moment of Truth) 120 Role Model: Giffgaff 125 11: Improving the UMOT to Optimize the ZMOT 126 12: The Six Pillars of Social Commerce: Understanding the Psychology of Engagement 132 Hear No Evil. See No Evil. Speak No Evil. 136 However, the truth is that new media did not "invent" conversations, experiences, or opinions. 136 The A.R.T. of Engagement 137 The Psychology of Social Commerce 138 Heuristic Number 1: Social Proof—Follow the Crowd 139 Heuristic Number 2: Authority—The Guiding Light 140 Heuristic Number 3: Scarcity—Less Is More 141 Heuristic Number 4: Liking—Builds Bonds and Trust 142 Heuristic Number 5: Consistency 143 Heuristic Number 6: Reciprocity—Pay It Forward 144 If ignorance is bliss, awareness is awakening. 145 13: The Importance of Brand in an Era of Digital Darwinism 146 This has to change. 150 Branding Is More Important Than Ever Before 152 Brand Empathy: Always Improve Experiences 154 Give people something to stand with, something to believe in. 155 14: Why User Experience Is Critical To Customer Relationships 156 Why? 160 The CrUX of Engagement Is Intention and Purpose 161 It's easier said than done, however. 162 Why risk it when you can design for it? 163 The Experience RedUX 164 User Experience Becomes the Customer Experience: Principles and Pillars of UX 166 Medium-Alism Equals FaUX Engagement 167 The JUXtaposition of Empathy and Experience 169 15: Innovate or Die 170 That’s not the strategy we’re going to pursue together . . . 174 CMOs Are at the Crossroads of Customer Transactions and Engagement 175 Through a Telescope, We Bring the World Closer—Through a Microscope, We See What Was Previously Invisible to the Naked Eye 176 So, what's keeping everyone up at night? 176 Customer Engagement Is Not the Same as Conversations 180 Ten Priorities for Meaningful Business Transformation 184 Disruptive Technology and How to Compete for the Future 188 16: The Dilemma's Innovator 192 Innovation Is Blindness: Why Innovation Is Fundamental to the Survival of Tomorrow's Business . . . Today 196 In the circle of life, connected consumerism is the new reality. Those businesses that don't disrupt their own markets will find their markets disrupted for them. 198 In the Battle against Relevance versus Irrelevance: It's Survival of the Fitting 199 17: The Hero's Journey 204 To change takes two things: the aspiration and determination to change. 208 It starts with vision. 209 The Task Force, AKA Steering Committee 210 The Stages of Change 213 The Hero's Journey 217 Stage 1: Inception 218 Stage 2: Tribulation 219 Stage 3: Transformation 220 Stage 4: Realization 221 Thank You 222 #IamtheExperience 222 Notes 223 "In today's rapidly changing digital environment, Darwinism is alive and well. What's the Future of Business doesn't just explore trends and theories; it introduces a dynamic, actionable path to transformation. "In today s rapidly changing digital environment, Darwinism is alive and well. What s the Future of Business doesn't just explore trends and theories; it introduces a dynamic, actionable path to transformation." Evan Greene, CMO, The Recording Academy, Producers of the GRAMMY Awards Rethink your business model to incorporate the power of "user" experiences What s the Future of Business? will galvanize a new movement that aligns the tenets of user experience with the vision of innovative leadership to improve business performance, engagement, and relationships for a new generation of consumerism. It provides an overview of real-world experiences versus "user" experiences in relation to products, services, mobile, social media, and commerce, among others. This book explains why experience is everything and how the future of business will come down to shared experiences. Aligns the tenets of user experience with the concepts of innovative leadership to improve business performance and engagement and to motivate readers to rethink business models and customer and employee relationships Motivates readers to rethink business models, products and services, marketing, and customer and employee relationships with desired experiences in mind Brian Solis is globally recognized as one of the most prominent thought leaders and published authors in new media, and is the author of Engage! and The End of Business as Usual! Discover how user experience design affects your business, and how you can harness its power for meaningful revenue growth Praise for What's the Future of Business? "Solis explores the incredible transformation happening in business today, driven by new social and mobile technologies. In the future, successful businesses will be 'Customer Companies' companies that connect with their customers, partners, employees, and products in entirely new ways." Marc Benioff , Chairman and CEO, salesforce.com "If anyone understands the multi-screen world we're becoming, it's Brian Solis. Your customers and employees expect rich engagement on multiple screens, through dedicated experiences for each, with one integrated brand voice. Read this book." Jesse Redniss ,Senior Vice President, Digital, USA Network/NBCUniversal "Businesses are falling into a mode of management which cultivates silos and is causing them to lose market momentum. Businesses must always compete for the future, and this book shows what to do to stay ahead of your markets and avoid being disrupted by technology to the point that you go out of business." Georges-Edouard Dias , Chief Digital Officer, L'Oreal "Customers are adopting new technology and new 'screens' at an increasingly rapid pace. The challenge for businesses is to create delightful and highly engaging experiences that take maximum advantage of those technologies and devices as they are introduced." Julie Bornstein , Senior Vice President, Sephora Digital "Developing a social strategy based on trends might be fashionable, but it's not sustainable. The consumer demands more. Brian shows you how to innovate or die. Pretty easy choice, no?" Aliza Licht , Senior Vice President, Global Communications, Donna Karan International "The music business has been impacted more than any other media industry in the last decade, and we're still in the midst of our transformation. You have to recognize that change is constant, and an ongoing evolution is the only option. This book encapsulates it perfectly: people are looking for meaningful experiences, and you can only create them by innovating, experimenting, and defying expectations." Paul Sinclair , Senior Vice President, Digital Media, Atlantic Records

Praise for What's the Future of Business?

"Solis explores the incredible transformation happening in business today, driven by new social and mobile technologies. In the future, successful businesses will be 'Customer Companies'—companies that connect with their customers, partners, employees, and products in entirely new ways."
—Marc Benioff, Chairman and CEO, salesforce.com

"If anyone understands the multi-screen world we're becoming, it's Brian Solis. Your customers and employees expect rich engagement on multiple screens, through dedicated experiences for each, with one integrated brand voice. Read this book."
—Jesse Redniss, Senior Vice President, Digital, USA Network/NBCUniversal

"Businesses are falling into a mode of management which cultivates silos and is causing them to lose market momentum. Businesses must always compete for the future, and this book shows what to do to stay ahead of your markets and avoid being disrupted by technology to the point that you go out of business."
—Georges-Edouard Dias, Chief Digital Officer, L'Oreal

"Customers are adopting new technology and new 'screens' at an increasingly rapid pace. The challenge for businesses is to create delightful and highly engaging experiences that take maximum advantage of those technologies and devices as they are introduced."
—Julie Bornstein, Senior Vice President, Sephora Digital

"Developing a social strategy based on trends might be fashionable, but it's not sustainable. The consumer demands more. Brian shows you how to innovate or die. Pretty easy choice, no?"
—Aliza Licht, Senior Vice President, Global Communications, Donna Karan International

"The music business has been impacted more than any other media industry in the last decade, and we're still in the midst of our transformation. You have to recognize that change is constant, and an ongoing evolution is the only option. This book encapsulates it perfectly: people are looking for meaningful experiences, and you can only create them by innovating, experimenting, and defying expectations."
—Paul Sinclair, Senior Vice President, Digital Media, Atlantic Records