The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman was one of the best books that I have read in a long time. It's futurist and realist at the same time as while he wrote it before many of the things that he described became common knowledge, yet by the time you pick up the book from the shelves, those things wold have indeed become common knowledge. Innovation at the speed of writing I suppose!
I am going to take this opportunity to provide some of the most current business practises to support his notion of a flat world. However, unlike Mr. Friedman who writes from the point of view if converging technology, I am going to give examples of how desperate businesses and corporations have become precisely for the reason that the world is flat and with it competition has coming knocking on their doors at a speed and from directions that they never dreamt off.
EXAMPLE 1
Southwest Airlines : It has a Chief Apology Officer (not his official title, thank God!) whose job is to go to the ground and find out from passengers about what went wrong on a particular flight and shooting off a very personalized letter of apology to each and everyone. The reason : Apologize before some other airline grabs the disgruntled passenger. I hope somebody from Malaysia Airlines is reading this!
Example 2
Ford Motor company is using brain scans to literally watch on computer screens what turns on its potential customers. A new car model is rolled out in front of sample target customer groups and by varying its colour etc, Ford researchers are able to identify the parts of our brain, called the Reward Circuit, which will light up when we anticipate something pleasurable. In other words, the automotive industry has become so competitive that the traditional giants of the industry are no longer relying on traditional methods. They are using every possible tool at their disposal to the beat the competitor. What more, today their competitors are not only European, Japanese or Korean models but also Indian and Chinese made cars. So cut short the process! Why ask the customer what he likes when you can ask his brain?
Example 3
Samsung is building huge showrooms which will be stocked with all its latest offering. Each show room will be able to accommodate hundreds of customers at any one time. The catch : They can't buy any of the products showcased but they can use them! You are thinking of buying a new oven? Take a walk into the showroom, bake your biscuits. If you like the oven, you can buy it at their regular outlets. You want to know how a new Samsung handset will feel if you are calling your teenage son half way across the world? Use any of the handset displayed, make that long distance call at no charge and if you like it, you know what to do!
Example 4
There was a time when thousands of eager Indian students trooped into American universities to gain their much sought after MBAs. Today, American and European sudents are applying into Indian universities. It will intreresting to see the American universities' next course action.
Well, I am going to keep out for more flattening experience! Its a exciting world!
I am going to take this opportunity to provide some of the most current business practises to support his notion of a flat world. However, unlike Mr. Friedman who writes from the point of view if converging technology, I am going to give examples of how desperate businesses and corporations have become precisely for the reason that the world is flat and with it competition has coming knocking on their doors at a speed and from directions that they never dreamt off.
EXAMPLE 1
Southwest Airlines : It has a Chief Apology Officer (not his official title, thank God!) whose job is to go to the ground and find out from passengers about what went wrong on a particular flight and shooting off a very personalized letter of apology to each and everyone. The reason : Apologize before some other airline grabs the disgruntled passenger. I hope somebody from Malaysia Airlines is reading this!
Example 2
Ford Motor company is using brain scans to literally watch on computer screens what turns on its potential customers. A new car model is rolled out in front of sample target customer groups and by varying its colour etc, Ford researchers are able to identify the parts of our brain, called the Reward Circuit, which will light up when we anticipate something pleasurable. In other words, the automotive industry has become so competitive that the traditional giants of the industry are no longer relying on traditional methods. They are using every possible tool at their disposal to the beat the competitor. What more, today their competitors are not only European, Japanese or Korean models but also Indian and Chinese made cars. So cut short the process! Why ask the customer what he likes when you can ask his brain?
Example 3
Samsung is building huge showrooms which will be stocked with all its latest offering. Each show room will be able to accommodate hundreds of customers at any one time. The catch : They can't buy any of the products showcased but they can use them! You are thinking of buying a new oven? Take a walk into the showroom, bake your biscuits. If you like the oven, you can buy it at their regular outlets. You want to know how a new Samsung handset will feel if you are calling your teenage son half way across the world? Use any of the handset displayed, make that long distance call at no charge and if you like it, you know what to do!
Example 4
There was a time when thousands of eager Indian students trooped into American universities to gain their much sought after MBAs. Today, American and European sudents are applying into Indian universities. It will intreresting to see the American universities' next course action.
Well, I am going to keep out for more flattening experience! Its a exciting world!
