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Unfriend Social Media Content?

19 Oct

As we have noted before, we spend lots of time on social media. And sometimes, we commit blunders! So here’s a question for you. Should YOU unfriend social media content?

Consider these prior posts: Do You Protect Your Reputation?   Social Media Policy for Employees.   Does Social Media Use Harm Your Career?   Don’ts for Businesses on Social Media.  What People Want from Brands On Social Media.

 

Unfriend Social Media Content? TMI

Sometimes, we realize as soon as we hit the enter key that we should not have posted certain content. Other times, we may not know that our content is improper until someone points that out. Still other times, we never recognize that we have improper content. In those instances, no one points it out to us. And this can be a BIG problem if a potential employer sees improper content. It may be even worse if our present employer notices such content.

Trend Micro is a leader in secure content and threat management. Its headquarters are in Tokyo. The firm operates in more than 30 countries around the globe. The Security Intelligence Blog represents the official blog of TrendLabs, the research, development, and support arm of Trend Micro. “Researchers, engineers, and other experts in various security threats work 24 hours a day, seven days a week to deliver solutions to the plethora of threats that confront users and businesses on a daily basis.”

One TrendLabs blog post covers the risk of placing content on social media. The infographic focuses on the risks of social media content. “You have the right to remain private. Anything you post can and will be used against you.” The infographic includes Facebook, Google +, LinkedIn, Mixi (from Japan), Pinterest, Sina Weibo (from China), Tumblr, and Twitter. Click the infographic for a larger view.

 

Unfriend Social Media Content? TMI: Too Much Information on social media.
 

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Artificial Intelligence Predictions

18 Oct

Artificial intelligence. Virtual reality. Augmented reality. This post focuses on artificial intelligence predictions. However, let us begin with definitions of these concepts.

As summarized by Scott Jennings for Qlick:

“Artificial Intelligence (AI). A computer acts similar to human learning and decision making. It works via an expert system or a program. An example is a digital personal assistant on an online store. It works with a customer. It learns from that customer. And it recommends for that customer.”

“Virtual Reality (VR). It is an artificial, computer-generated simulation. It might recreate a real-life environment or situation. An example is a 3-D store shelf that adapts based on past purchases.”

“Augmented Reality (AR). It adds computer enhancements for meaning and interaction. An example is those who digitally view rugs in diverse colors and styles.”

 

And according to Brian J. Dooley, reporting for TDWI (Transforming Data with Intelligence):

“Firms can combine virtual reality and artificial intelligence. VR is an emerging technology that modern businesses track. But it tends to remain at the lower end of the interest scale. On the other hand, many enterprises consider AI important. However, between AI and VR connections are deeper than they appear. And their integration provides a new range of experiences and options.”

“Applying AI to VR allows AI-based continuous image recognition . It can report results in a VR display. In security, this can adopted for identity detection. It could flag images or people for a security guard.”

 

Evans on Marketing Posts

These are among our posts on emerging intelligence technologies:

Artificial Intelligence Predictions. Now, we can add shoe (foot) tracking to the list of research techniques used by retailers.

 

Artificial Intelligence Predictions by SEVEN Experts

In 2017, Inc. interviewed 7 tech billionaires to see their AI predictions for. Do YOU agree with the predictions made by these leaders?

 

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Closing the Customer Experience Gap

10 Oct
Customer experience includes all interfaces that firms have with people. A great experience leads to  satisfaction and repeat business. Accordingly, closing the customer experience gap is vital.  
In this post, we add to our prior coverage:

 

Closing the Customer Experience Gap

In sum, the American Marketing Association observes:

“The gap between what customers expect and brands deliver is big. Some brands get part of customer service right. But few connect across the whole journey for seamless conversation. To enhance relations, brands must deliver value. How can firms offer consistent quality service?”

“Brand reputation and success mean treating shoppers well. And offering them all they need, as they need it. To that end, they will use data to enhance the experience. They will grasp customer needs and wants. They will be connected at each stage of the purchase process. Firms cannot market ‘at’ people.”

Despite this, some firms are weak. Jana Barrett writes for Business 2 Community:

“Firms are bad judges of customer experiences. Bain & Company surveyed 362 companies. Eighty percent said they delivered ‘superior customer experience.’ According to customers, 8% did. In the age of hyperconnectivity,  firms should be more in tune. But in reality, a wide gap exists.”
 
Barrett offers tips. “(1) A great experience is seamless. It works across channels and devices. (2) A great experience is proactive. It anticipates customer needs. (3) A great experience is receptive. the firm seeks feedback. (4) A great experience is human. It’s built on relations. (5) A great experience is dynamic. It adapts to shifting preferences.”

The video is a good summary from Business 2 Business.

 

Improving the Customer Shopping Journey

McKinsey has a “CEO Guide to Customer Experience.” It includes the customer shopping journey.

“What do my customers want? Savvy executives ask this. And leading firms know they are in the customer-experience business. And they know how they deliver is as vital as what they deliver. This guide taps the expertise of McKinsey and others. It explores customer interactions. In addition, it looks at steps to improve customer-centricity. See the infographic.”

 

Closing the Customer Experience Gap. This CEO guide explores the basics of customer interaction. It covers steps to be more customer-centric. See the infographic.

 

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AOL Instant Messenger RIP

9 Oct

After 20 years on the market, AOL will discontinue AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) as of December 15, 2017. To that, we  say, AOL Instant Messenger RIP. Rest in Peace.

AOL Instant Messenger RIP. After 20 years, AIM is being shut down on December 15, 2017. There is too much newer technology for it to compete successfully.

Why is AIM being eliminated? One big reason is the growth of chat and other messaging services. As a result, AIM is obsolete. Today, many companies also offer online chat for shoppers.  For example, see this post. Using Live Chat Software to Enhance the Online Experience.

 

The Hey Day of AIM

In looking back at 1997, keep these factors in mind. The Internet was in its infancy. E-mail was emerging. There was no chat software. People connected with modems, not through broadband. The opportunity for the new service of “instant messaging” was enormous. Enter AIM.

As Josh Constine reports for TechCrunch:

“Initially, the chat experience was built into AOL desktop. AIM launched as a standalone app in 1997. Its iconic Away Messages were the ancestor to modern tweets and status updates. It battled for supremacy with ICQ and messengers from Yahoo and Microsoft MSN.”

And these are Scott Neuman’s observations for NPR:

“For many of us, AIM conjures up memories of dial-up modems, the sound of a ‘handshake’, and the phrase ‘You’ve Got Mail.’ ‘AIM tapped into new digital technologies and ignited a cultural shift, but the way in which we communicate with each other has profoundly changed,’ says Michael Albers, of  Oath Inc., a subsidiary of Verizon that bought AOL.”

At its peak in 2001, AIM attracted 100 million subscribers. In 2017 terms, that number may seem small. Think Facebook. But in 2001, this figure was huge. And as late as 2006, AIM accounted for a 52 percent market share for instant messaging market in the United States.

Nostalgic? Watch this YouTube video.

 

 

AOL Instant Messenger RIP

In sum, Neuman notes:

“Eventually text messaging, Google’s GChat, and Facebook took over. At the same time, AIM never fully figured out the shift to mobile. That led to AOL’s fall from grace, going from being valued at $224 billion in today’s money to $4.4 billion when sold to Verizon in 2015. For context on the business AOL let slip away, WhatsApp sold that same year to Facebook for more than $19 billion.”

How low has AIM fallen? As Rani Molli reports for Recode: “As of August 2017, AIM had about 500,000 unique monthly visitors in the U.S., according to data from measurement company comScore. That doesn’t tell us exactly how many users AIM has, but it gives us a good idea of its audience.”

 

 

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