Examples
of Web 2.0 technology being used for social and business application
are all around us. New technologies are appearing all the time.Everyone in this course is responsible for writing 2 blog posts, with each
being about 3-4 paragraphs long.
Your
post should introduce the class to a new technology as well as its
potential business application OR summarize and reflect upon an
innovative technique using an already established Web 2.0 technology
(like the Wheat Thins campaign.) You will be responsible for one of each kind.
Through Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and point-of-sale data sharing programs, the internet provides various cost saving opportunities to supply chains. Although the idea of data sharing was new, businesses were able to quickly capitalize on the benefit offered through point-of-sale programs which linked their company’s production information with vendors. This allowed manufactures to keep inventories low while reducing costs associated with carrying inventory at manufacturing, plant, and dealer locations. Wal-Mart was one of the first adapters of this process. They were able to perfect the just-in-time (JIT) model by linking their buying processes to their outside vendor’s computers. When stock levels became low vendors were notified immediately by the point-of-sale systems which were directly connected to the cash register scanners at different store outlets.
ReplyDeleteThrough social media channels merchants that use EDI can also promote items that they have an overabundance of stock or they sell to sites such as overstock.com to offload.
Recently, Chicago and the majority of large cities in the United States have been introduced to apps such as Uber and Lyft. These companies have revolutionized the way we call for and pay for cabs and have introduced the concept of ridesharing. Essentially any driver can sign up to work for Uber and Lyft providing they meet specific strict requirements and they are then connected to users through mobile phone apps that track down the location of cars available and call them to a specific location through the use of GPS technology.
ReplyDeleteThe user can choose whether to call a private driver (someone like you or me who doesn't have a taxi but is hired by the company to use his car to share rides with passengers) or a taxi. And in some cases you can choose to call a black car or even an SUV should you have a large group.
This can all be done from a smartphone. You select the type of car you want, where you want to be picked up and you can track your car coming to you with an estimated time of arrival. You can see your driver's name, his car model and how many stars he has been rated by other riders who have been serviced by him in the past. The app has your credit card info already uploaded so once you reach your destination all you have to do is simply get out of the car without the hassle of even having to pay.
This makes getting a ride so much easier in areas of the city where you can't hail a cab. It's also all handled on a smartphone without the necessity of paying. And if you use a private car, rates are cheaper than a traditional cab!
As far as its business application with other business let me illustrate how I have cooperated with Uber as the owner of my own events company. Whenever I set up events that will host hundreds of people, including tens of thousands of festival goers for example, I coordinate to have Uber as a sponsor for that event. Uber gives me a special code that my attendees can use for reduced fares that night only, making it easier for them to get to and from the event, reducing the risk of drinking and driving while still bringing Uber a lot of business they might have otherwise lost to traditional cabs. All this information is posted to potential concert goers and confirmed attendees prior to the event through the use of multiple social media channels including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more. It really is a win-win situation for all parties involved: my company, my customers (who become Uber customers too) and Uber!
Social media apps like Twitter and Instagram have allowed the public health industry to spread their message.
ReplyDeleteRecently, I was part of a national collaborative called “Step Up. Get Tested.” Our goal was to raise awareness about HIV and encourage people to get tested. One of the key objectives of the collaborative was to host several mobile testing events throughout Chicago.
The collaborative launched www.stepupgettested.com which includes a list of participating agencies, an events calendar, and can link users to local public health facilities. The collaborative used Twitter and Instagram to promote mobile testing events in advanced and encouraged people to share the post with their own social network. Social media posts were tagged with the hashtags: #sugt14 and #nhtd. During the mobile testing events the collaborative would also use social media apps to check in “live” at neighborhood health facilities that were offering free testing services. These social media posts were an easy way to gain exposure for the events and draw traffic towards the testing event.
While drafting the right post might take a little time and effort, if executed correctly, social media posts can help any organization to spread their message without spending a dime.
NEW TECHNOLOGY
ReplyDeleteRecently, Amazon had a patent approved for what they defined as a brand new forward shipping method. In essence they are building algorithms that estimate and calculate people's potential future buys by seeing what they search for and where their mouse cursor hovers over the most and the longest to estimate a buyer's interest on a specific product.
Then based on that information they will begin shipping those items to forward operating shipping posts that they will establish near every major urban area. Therefore rather than waiting for a consumer to make their purchasing choice and then shipping the item from one of their major warehouses, they will attempt to predict who will purchase what, establish smaller shipping outposts all over the US and begin shipping those items there so that when the person eventually buys the product, it arrives to destination faster.
This technology is still in the works but it is now patented by Amazon and within reason. They are also looking at using unmanned drones to deliver items to their customers in the near future. Both these technologies could go hand in hand in establishing a new shipping technology method for Amazon and for companies to follow.
Of course the business application this has is clear and obvious. Companies will be able to ship much faster for lower costs. If the person does not in the end purchase the product, it is estimated that either someone else will or the product can be offered at a discount to that specific customer through targeted ads on the Amazon website or through email newsletters or even given as a gift if the person in question is a regular customer. From a marketing standpoint the idea is brilliant as it keeps customers interacting with the website and happy with its fast service.
The business application is innovative in terms of the application of technology. . I am not comfortable, however, with tracking personal purchases for the purposes of establishing buyers' interests. In my opinion, this is a form of voyeuristic marketing masquerading as a "forward shipping method."
ReplyDelete