Here in the US, examples are endless… Netflix killed Blockbuster, zappos.com killed DSW, Flickr killed Kodak.

What’s the moral…think about a business strategy that is healthy and functioning. Now apply the latest internet/cloud-based IT trends and think about how to reinvent the industry.

Unsure what IT trends are out there? I think I know of a free workshop worth attending…

Northern Ireland’s Business in the Community presents a workplace conference on “Tomorrow’s People Today”. 7. October in Belfast from 9-3:30 -

Learn how responsible organisations are working to develop a fully engaged workforce.

Companies currently committed to practices which enhance employee performance and well being will be showcased. They include: Google, Deloitte, Northern Bank and Firstsource

It’s refreshing to know that the ideas expressed above, clear to good corporate managers, are being showcased here. Whether you are a manager, an employee or an SME now growing an organisation – take advantage of a window into the practices and subtleties of managing your team to ensure future success.

For more information: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Business-in-the-Community-Northern-Ireland/129426860616

Thanks to Business in the Community for making programming like this available. It means SME’s and start ups can take advantage of cutting edge information and training without high priced consultants.

Can technology help you understand your customers better? Help you with detecting trends, buying behavior? Can technology help you discover why customers don’t buy from you? Or why they start to buy and then stop.

Yup pretty much. Datasentiment http://www.datasentiment.com and made in Northern Ireland.

Shameless plug I know but you did bring it up. Glad someone else is thinking about it.

Regards
Jase

Technology doesn’t have to be expensive to help you run your business and you often have the technology you need in the software you are already using. As you say CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems are great for providing the structure for ensuring the sales cycle is followed and tracked. Even MS Outlook or Gmail can give you this if you have the discipline to enter the data.

Today’s post is about the Millennials entering the workforce. Take a look when you can.

And, as always, feedback is very welcome.

Kevin

Enjoyed reading the article above. Technology is certainly transforming the way the majority of organisations do business and creating scalability to smaller companies which they could never have achieved 15 years ago.. or probably even 3 years ago; going forward this will only increase.

Technologuy has a massive impact on our business… firstly, looking beyond the internet and the myriad of online networking sites or opportunities to take costs out of the business through automation, for me Contact Management Systems are a fantastic use of technology if used correctly. With a few simple clicks we can access information on clients, set reminders, follow up on meetings, schedule calls etc etc.

We have been using Social Media in our business DNG Financial Services and DNG Mortgages for about 5 months now and it has had a very positive impact. It has allowed us to increase our Brand Awareness for little more than an investment of time, reach out to customers in geographic areas that traditionally would have been very difficult for us to do so and most importantly build rapport and engage with current clients and potential customers of the future in a way that could never have benn achieved before.. at least so easily.

In the 3rd quarter of this year, with a little.. ok a lot of help from individuals much more experienced than I which is not hard.. in Web Development, Optimisation, Social Media and marketing online we hope to significantly move our business forward in terms of branding and awareness.

Technology has us excited and our challenge will be to keep pace with it.

It was interesting that you mentioned the relatively short periods of time companies spend on the Fortune 500 list as compared to years gone by. Personally I think that will become shorter and shorter for the next few years (10-15~) and then there will be a reversal to how it was before but that’s a different conversation.

I also think that technology offers a very real opportunity to the youth in society, they have grown up with technology and can adapt much quicker and I can forsee that the number of millionaire’s under 25 will increase significantly in the coming years if they can match their skills to commerciality.

Additionally, for business owners, new challenges will arise in how these savvy young technlogy driven individuals should be managed. In the past if you were caught on FaceBook in work it was a wrap on the knuckles, in 5 years will it be a wrap on the knuckles if you are not on it?

Best wishes

Daniel McVicker