The human backstage of tech businesses

In a recent episode of Intelligence Squared, Martha Lane Fox and Mishal Husain, reminisced about the early days of the Internet and, specifically, Lastminute.com, the pioneer travel and leisure website, launched by Lane Fox and her business partner, in 1998. The journalist Mishal Husain recalled: “I remember so well that the first two websites … Continue reading The human backstage of tech businesses

Showing customers the care and effort that goes into creating the perfect experience

Last Sunday the teen scored a goal for her ice-hockey team. She celebrated. The team celebrated. The team’s supporters celebrated… But it was all in vain, because the referee did not see the goal, and, so, he disallowed it. It doesn’t matter that the puck went over the line. The referee didn’t see it. It … Continue reading Showing customers the care and effort that goes into creating the perfect experience

Research has consequences. Sometimes, negative ones.

I have been working on a research proposal looking at the impact of artificial intelligence on a particular profession. It’s a multidisciplinary project with various angles on the issue, and mine is what that means for the customer experience. It is possible that the results from our project could end up showing that a particular … Continue reading Research has consequences. Sometimes, negative ones.

Opportunities and challenges for brands in a digital world

The online environment is marked by uncertainty. Trusted brands can thrive in this environment. But what does it take to create a trusted brand, online? This presentation explores the opportunities and challenges faced by brands, in the digital world.

What is a good meal? What is a good algorithm?

If I gave you free reign of the larder, and asked you to prepare a good meal, what would you cook? Something rich and creamy, to help me get through this long week? Or a vegetable laden pie, to help me get my 5-a-day? It depends on your definition of good, right? Meals are not … Continue reading What is a good meal? What is a good algorithm?

Personalisation vs customisation – Do you know the difference?

“Personalisation” and “customisation” are two terms often used in marketing, to refer to ways in which customers are treated as individuals. In some cases, the two terms are treated as synonyms, which is wrong because, really, “personalisation” and “customisation” solve opposite problems. Here is an overview of the main differences. Personalisation In the … Continue reading Personalisation vs customisation – Do you know the difference?

How did the 2008 financial crisis impact on financial exclusion?

Ten years ago, the UK was in the grips of a major financial and economic crisis, triggered by the ‘credit crunch’ experienced in the previous year (1). Major financial institutions like Northern Rock or Lehman Brothers went bankrupt, others like the Royal Bank of Scotland required government intervention to stay afloat, and most – if … Continue reading How did the 2008 financial crisis impact on financial exclusion?

Apple Watch Series 4 will appeal to older customers; and that is a great marketing move

At its latest event, on 12thSeptember 2018, Apple announced a new version of its smartwatch. The Apple Watch Series 4 includes features such as a display that has 30% more usable space than the previous versions, a fall detection mechanism which sends out an alert if the user remains immobile after the suspected fall, and … Continue reading Apple Watch Series 4 will appeal to older customers; and that is a great marketing move

New paper: Big data, big decisions: The impact of big data on board level decision-making

If you are interested on the impact of big data on business, you might want to check a new paper that I co-authored with Alessandro Merendino, Sally Dibb, Maureen Meadows, Lee Quinn, David Wilson and Lyndon Simkin; and which has just been published in the Journal of Business Research. This paper reports on a research … Continue reading New paper: Big data, big decisions: The impact of big data on board level decision-making

Today’s marketers: increasingly specialised, in agile teams, with varied backgrounds, need to embrace experimentation, and be ‘whole brain’

Future Proof is a podcast hosted by Julie Kollman, who is Chief Research Officer at Kantar Consulting, and Andrew Stephen, who is the L'Oreal Professor of Marketing at Saïd Business School (Oxford University). In the latest episode, the hosts are joined by Kantar’s senior partner, Mark Visser, to look at how the job of a … Continue reading Today’s marketers: increasingly specialised, in agile teams, with varied backgrounds, need to embrace experimentation, and be ‘whole brain’