Instant Information.
This week saw the launch of Google Instant, an improvement to the ubiquitous search engine that could save the world’s Googlers a combined eleven hours per second. News coverage of the update was extensive, and the hype around the press conference emphasised just how omnipotent the brand has become. When I started TeleAdapt eighteen years ago, searching for information on the world’s telephone plugs meant a few frustrating hours in a stuffy library, and Google didn’t even exist. Search engines have transformed my business and social life as it has for millions of others. With Google, or its competitors, you can find the answer to almost any question at the click of a mouse as someone else has normally suffered the same problem and published an answer! When my iPhoto library looked like it had been corrupted beyond repair, a few minutes on Google quickly solved the issue – and I didn’t waste any time on a helpline describing the problem.
Apps On Tap.
Following my passion for rugby, I recently developed an app for the iPhone with the help of Gareth Curtis from appfidelity. I found Gareth by typing ‘iPhone app developer UK’ into Google, and three months later he had created Rugby Scorer for me. I met Gareth in person for the first time last week, although we have spoken via phone and email many times since I first contacted him. Since we started developing Rugby Scorer in May, it has been downloaded by over 3,500 users. Considering the recent boom in app creation, this is a healthy number of new users, and shows that we have discovered a niche. Again, my problem was shared by others and in this instance Rugby Scorer is the answer to that problem. We receive feedback on a daily basis, with users offering their thoughts and suggested improvements. Overall, the feedback has been constructive, and will help improve the service for rugby spectators. Because the app is downloaded electronically, I have no face-to-face contact with the users, so feedback sent via emails is vital to Rugby Scorer’s development. Discussion threads in online forums also act as excellent barometers of public opinion. However, meeting Gareth underlined the importance of human contact. In just a couple of hours we were able to iron out issues that could have taken months to resolve via the phone or the laptop. Although useful, emails are no substitute for pressing the flesh and sitting down for a good old-fashioned chat. Next week, I will be travelling with a group of fellow CEOs to Shanghai on the HSBC Business Thinking Thought Exchange programme. I am looking forward to discussing problems and opportunities with them face-to-face.
It’s Good To Talk.
In our 2.0 world, social media and user interaction keeps producers in constant dialogue with their consumers. Companies must talk with their customers to see how their product can be improved or altered. How that interaction is used varies from company to company. For instance, some hotels respond to customer complaints on TripAdvisor, whereas other hotels think replying to a complaint gives credence to the problem and tarnishes the company image. But interacting with customers is an integral way to identify your company’s strengths and weaknesses. Type a hotel name into Google and one of the first results will probably be from TripAdvisor. Although the website is currently under fire for the way it operates, it remains a valuable link between customers and consumers. Hotels cannot dismiss it as an unreliable nuisance, because customers do use the site and will notice unanswered complaints.
Google means that the public can find information in a split-second. Businesses must ensure that the information their customers find is positive.
Re-invigorating Rugby.
though, change is key to progression. Many companies seek to alter and improve their profile via social media sites and with blogs like this one. I read an interesting article about the 
