Tomorrow I'm going to begin helping someone who is looking to professionalise his networking skills. He's a consumate networker, socialiser and someone who naturally connects people he knows.
This is a precious skill that few totally master and where many, in our times of rapid change, information overload and multiple relationships across working and personal lives, ignore at their peril.
There is value in it, if done properly. Where someone can give, there must be take.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Treasury to probe 'participation TV'
It was simply a matter of time before the converged regulator started looking at premium rate services on the TV - after years of criticism over chat and sex lines, premium rate communications was legitimised by Big Brother, Pop Idols and their peers, spreading to seemingly half of the commercial TV schedule at one point.
When Juice Associates created BT Agilemedia the business plan was compelling with the key risk being an intervention from the regulator. Even then we felt the regulator would not take draconian action, rather develop new codes of conduct and guidelines, which is the right thing to do.
When Juice Associates created BT Agilemedia the business plan was compelling with the key risk being an intervention from the regulator. Even then we felt the regulator would not take draconian action, rather develop new codes of conduct and guidelines, which is the right thing to do.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
A new start
Easter has come and gone and whilst we're still in the midst of the holiday break, it's always so refreshing to talk to people after everybody has been off work for a few days. Massive issues and pressing problems have receded and become slightly more manageable as perspective has its wicked way with the nations executives.
There's a lot to be said about taking a break, either from work or from a problem or challenge.
I feel more people seem to be actually taking their holidays now. When I was first working, people would routinely only take 50-70% of their holiday time, sometimes losing it at the end of the year becausde they were too busy to take time off. Now that everything moves so quickly and employer loyalty has diminished, employees take their breaks and enjoy the time. A client of ours has recently revamped their benefits package. An increase in holiday allowances seems to be the biggest hit with the team.
For more topical issues, the weekend is the biggest fixer. It often intervenes when people don't know what to do with a problem and they come back monday with a solution or an idea.
Time heals.
There's a lot to be said about taking a break, either from work or from a problem or challenge.
I feel more people seem to be actually taking their holidays now. When I was first working, people would routinely only take 50-70% of their holiday time, sometimes losing it at the end of the year becausde they were too busy to take time off. Now that everything moves so quickly and employer loyalty has diminished, employees take their breaks and enjoy the time. A client of ours has recently revamped their benefits package. An increase in holiday allowances seems to be the biggest hit with the team.
For more topical issues, the weekend is the biggest fixer. It often intervenes when people don't know what to do with a problem and they come back monday with a solution or an idea.
Time heals.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Dixons Pushed off the High Street
Wow.
'The internet’s impact on traditional retailing reached new heights on Wednesday when Dixons announced it was abandoning the high street brand to concentrate on being an e-tailer.'
With just 3% of the groups revenues coming from online sales, this is a bold move but just shows how the internet is affecting retailing.
John Coleman, CEO of House of Fraser, once said to me that the internet wouldn't really affect the high street but that if it ever reached 5% of total sales then it would have a massive impact everywhere. Wrong, then right.
'The internet’s impact on traditional retailing reached new heights on Wednesday when Dixons announced it was abandoning the high street brand to concentrate on being an e-tailer.'
With just 3% of the groups revenues coming from online sales, this is a bold move but just shows how the internet is affecting retailing.
John Coleman, CEO of House of Fraser, once said to me that the internet wouldn't really affect the high street but that if it ever reached 5% of total sales then it would have a massive impact everywhere. Wrong, then right.
What do we really do?
At a board meeting yesterday, I saw a small management team rediscover what their business is about.
A frantic four or five months of investment, recruitment and revenue growth led them to slightly lose focus of what they want the business to deliver against an attractive strategy that could lead to a great business.
It was the workload that made them think 'what are we doing here?' It only took a brief conversation to get them back on track and any minor changes to plans are easy to implement with a small team.
Blow that up to a much bigger scale and one can see how a slight drift in focus or disconnection amongst a management team can lead to paths diverging and how difficult it is to get everyone back on track quickly.
Strategy teams are no longer the thinkers and analysts of the business. They must be the guardians and mentors of the people, helping to keep everyone on track and helpingto make adjustments as the strategy evolves. They must be able to perusade and execute as well as baffle and amaze.
A frantic four or five months of investment, recruitment and revenue growth led them to slightly lose focus of what they want the business to deliver against an attractive strategy that could lead to a great business.
It was the workload that made them think 'what are we doing here?' It only took a brief conversation to get them back on track and any minor changes to plans are easy to implement with a small team.
Blow that up to a much bigger scale and one can see how a slight drift in focus or disconnection amongst a management team can lead to paths diverging and how difficult it is to get everyone back on track quickly.
Strategy teams are no longer the thinkers and analysts of the business. They must be the guardians and mentors of the people, helping to keep everyone on track and helpingto make adjustments as the strategy evolves. They must be able to perusade and execute as well as baffle and amaze.
Beware of Virgins
The combination of Virgin Mobile, NTL and Telewest could send a cold chill through their competitors in the UK. Whether they're incumbents like BT or young upstarts like Bulldog, they will all have been pushing their strategy teams to thell them the answers.
It's not going to be al plain sailing for the new Virgin team. They are in the proecss of finally integrating Telewest - something that the companies and industry has been talking about for at least five or six years - and those that have been in the 'merger but really a takeover' situation know that this is by no means a smooth road and can take some time.
Neither Telewest nor NTL has a great history of customer services with NTL consistently being in the news for their cock-ups. This will have to be sorted.
The young, enthusiastic and ambitious team at Vrigin Mobile will have to contend with competent peers that don't have real innovation and customer orientation in their blood. Virgin have no network to worry about. They are retailers. NTL and Telewest, like other network operators, have always been obsessed with their networks but maybe they've overcome that..
Finally, the synergies of the quadruple play proposition, which is such an attractive part of the deal could work against them if they are not careful. Convergence, that horrible term, could either inspire or disable them. Packaging what they sell today and tomorrow at a pricing, packaging and ultimately a technological level could give them a huge advantage over their competitors if they get it right. The biggest concergence issues are found in how converged propositions are presented to the customer as cohesive, simple and understandable offers that provide value for money and a sensible upgrade path for customers.
Whatever, the brand guys will have great fun. Apparently, sources outside BT suggest BT is reviewing it's brand image, partially due to the prospect of having one of Britain's most cherished brands up against them with brands such as Bulldog and CPW developing by the day.
It's not going to be al plain sailing for the new Virgin team. They are in the proecss of finally integrating Telewest - something that the companies and industry has been talking about for at least five or six years - and those that have been in the 'merger but really a takeover' situation know that this is by no means a smooth road and can take some time.
Neither Telewest nor NTL has a great history of customer services with NTL consistently being in the news for their cock-ups. This will have to be sorted.
The young, enthusiastic and ambitious team at Vrigin Mobile will have to contend with competent peers that don't have real innovation and customer orientation in their blood. Virgin have no network to worry about. They are retailers. NTL and Telewest, like other network operators, have always been obsessed with their networks but maybe they've overcome that..
Finally, the synergies of the quadruple play proposition, which is such an attractive part of the deal could work against them if they are not careful. Convergence, that horrible term, could either inspire or disable them. Packaging what they sell today and tomorrow at a pricing, packaging and ultimately a technological level could give them a huge advantage over their competitors if they get it right. The biggest concergence issues are found in how converged propositions are presented to the customer as cohesive, simple and understandable offers that provide value for money and a sensible upgrade path for customers.
Whatever, the brand guys will have great fun. Apparently, sources outside BT suggest BT is reviewing it's brand image, partially due to the prospect of having one of Britain's most cherished brands up against them with brands such as Bulldog and CPW developing by the day.
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
I just lost my first observational post...I'm called an internet pioneer by some but I still can't make sure that I don't lose ten minutes' worth of intellectual property.
The post was about how many people still have no idea what the internet is about - which doesn't surprise me as they shouldn't really need to know in any detail - but it also shows the lack of basic thinking that goes on in the minds of management teams.
'Let's have a portal' was one comment from a client that has an idea but can only frame it in internet terms as that's what people seem to do now. Another is the redesign of a website that is throwing up all sorts of issues regarding strategy and execution within the business. The web exposes the undergarments of a business and if the team can't decide what it does, customers will - nothing.
One of the few favourites that resides in the browser in my mind was a Doonesbury strip (posted above or below, not sure yet) that says 'build and they will come'. Gary Trudeau (sorry about spelling) has wonderful insight and I hope he doesn't mind me reproducing his strip to highlight my point. Big up to him.
Failing and falling
So far so bad. Is blogging just a thing for bored people with nothing to do? I thought that of business networks where everyone that wanted to contact you were needy, underemployed people or corporate employees desperately searching for some fresh air and daylight.
My blog was justified by wanting to know how all this works and what's behind people doing it. My personal, inner justification is probably procrastination as I could do my daily entry to avoid something else.
So my second blog in five days at least leaves room for improvement.
My blog was justified by wanting to know how all this works and what's behind people doing it. My personal, inner justification is probably procrastination as I could do my daily entry to avoid something else.
So my second blog in five days at least leaves room for improvement.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Welcome to my world
I have been fascinated by blogging since it started and after having recommended it to people I felt I should put my money where my mouth is and do it myself.
This is going to be my blog and Juice Associates's blog. We come across a lot of people and things across our little network of interesting people so this may be the best way to share it.
Is a daily updates a challenge? We'll find out.
This is going to be my blog and Juice Associates's blog. We come across a lot of people and things across our little network of interesting people so this may be the best way to share it.
Is a daily updates a challenge? We'll find out.
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