by Brian Zabroski
I joined an interesting conversation over the holidays. Grandpa App was at his favorite watering hole talking about his new iPhone. The others in the conversation had upgraded their phones to smartphones recently. There were the pictures of grandkids, jokes about typing errors and dropped calls. They generally were enjoying their new found technology, with one exception — they didn’t have a clue what they’re doing! The group is in their 60s. They are smart and personable.
I only added one topic to the conversation. When they didn’t understand how to perform a task at their jobs, what did they do? They asked for help. Listen, Toddler App (now four) can move through a mobile device with ease. I don’t expect Grandpa App, who has never owned a computer or anything technical short of a television remote, to “get it.”
I suggested they all meet at the Apple Store with a cup of Dunkins and participate in a free training. Learn and use. Candidly, I really enjoy having a better communication tool with my Dad than anything else he has used in the past. We talk, text and see each other nearly every day. I just don’t want he nor his watering hole buddies to get discouraged with the technology and stop using it.
If you’re new to technology, take a class. Most of these classes are free. Check out: https://www.apple.com/retail/learn/ or Best Buy for Android users: http://goo.gl/ LsOZsL.
This conversation really raised an eyebrow. How many times do we purchase technology with the mindset of using all of the features, but only use a few? A Gartner Study stated 42 percent of features in software (i.e. CRM) are not deployed. Think about that for a moment. You pay 100 percent of the price, but only use 58 percent of the product you buy. There are a few tools that measure the usage and adoption of technology and software: GoodData, Birst, iDashboards and QlikView. They are not free, but will give you an idea of how to improve your technology adoption rates.
The same is true for your house. Are you using all of your television and cable provider’s features? Your phone’s features? I get it. We will not be at 100 percent of utilization, but there are so many neat things we’re missing. Use this time of year to reinvest in your existing investments:
- Download your TV and other technology manuals
- Review your remote control features
- Freshen up on your cable provider’s offerings
- Renegotiate your provider’s contracts
- Clean your technology
- Donate what you’re not using
From cookies to crunches, it’s that time of year that we decide, “This is the year I’m going to be in shape instead of a shape!” For all of ambitious folks, here are a few ideas: Runtastic Six Pack Abs, what a pipe dream, but check it out | Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout, isn’t this the same thing that the Harlan Williams character promoted in There’s Something About Mary? | JEFIT, lots of workout ideas | Argus, activity tracker | Fitocracy, an exercise routine, which can be posted to social media. Not sure why anyone would ever want to post to Facebook, “Completed 3 pullups,” but then again it’ll be better than most of the junk posts I see on Facebook.
A few thoughts about technology for 2015:
- Mobile apps are becoming the norm for nearly any business. Consumers want to consume info via an application. If your business is not planning to build an app then you have a concern. Your competitors are building apps. The means to build an app are easier today than ever. Check out biznessapps.com, which charges a nominal monthly fee to build and manage an app.
- Push notifications and push marketing via mobile devices will become more commonplace. This is the very reason you’ll want your business to build an app. This provides another touch point to connect with your customers and potential customers.
- Mobile site creation for your business will become an important strategy. Are you positioned to handle mobile traffic? Is your website optimized for mobility? Between the ages of 18 to 29, 45 percent of those within this category use their mobile device for Internet searches. Your business website needs to be optimized to handle this traffic.
Being able to handle mobile traffic to your business, as well as to create traffic via mobile technology is yesterday’s news. Redesigning your website should begin with mobility in mind. Consumers expect to consume information via their handheld device. This is your challenge for 2015. Ready for it? We, the consumer, are!
Happy New Year!
Do you have a favorite app you’d like to share? Contact Brian at brian@brianzabro ski.com, on Twitter @BrianZab or LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/brianzab.
Brian, a Corporate Account Executive with NetSuite, has spent nearly 20 years in the telecommunications and software industry. Businesses use NetSuite software to run and manage all of their business applications. It’s web-based, so businesses can access their information from anywhere; It’s flexible, which allows the software to be customized for their business; and, it is built on a single platform, which businesses appreciate since they can often eliminate multiple software solutions. Trending companies, such as Box, GoPro, FitBit and Dropbox use this software to run their business. Reach out to Brian to learn how your business can benefit with this software.