MOBILE DEVICES: MOVING FREE

I have chosen this topic from the technology trend line but it could have been easily on society or philosophy stream as well.

This topic is very interesting for me and I am sure that I am not alone: there are a lot of people who have heard about applications and intergrated everyday usage of mobile devices, but, to speak franckly, few of people use all the possibilities that they could.

I am sure that the nearest future will open for us much more wide window of daily utilization of mobile devices. So, I hope I make a contribution in our common body of knowledge by making closer this wonderful invention. Besides, all I will be talking about, is not our future anymore - it is our present.

Mobile devices
Nowadays this category includes a wide range of facilities that help us in communication and information management. The most spread and popular are mobile phones, PDAs, notebooks. In fact, these days we are watching a swift convergence of communication and information tools searching to create one digital assisting device. A lot of experts say, we could hardly have in the nearest future one omnipresent device with all possible tools. But nevertheless, the primary device is likely to be a mobile phone with a broad range of communication services based on mobile connection and internet access.

Currently, getting information from the Internet on mobile phones is rather a difficult, frustrating experience; huge part of web-sites is not designed with a mobile services in mind. So viewing and interacting is rather problematic. But web services will make it easier and we hope it will not take much time.

According to “CHI2000 Workshop on mobile device user interfaces”, communication devices will be very soon the largest consumer product segment in the world.

The whole world goes into the internet and the greatest move is that internet impetuously goes mobile. It creates a great demand as well as a lot of business possibilities, so both consumers and brands feel excited.

Nokia’s marketers consider mobile devices becoming a primary media channel in future, especially as GPS is offered on these devices.
Internet services through mobiles have been already used a lot in Asia, for example, 76% of users in Japan, other continents are not so quick, 12% in the US, (www. trendwatching com, 25.02.2008 access), but for sure, we will not delay too much.

Let’s have a look at a mobile device through the frame of modern communication world. I will try to explain my reflections on these trends and provide with somme already existing examples.

1. The most important property for me is that communication networks become global; borders are being wiped off, people are sharing information, ideas, experience, knowledge. This is mostly a trump of the internet but combining with mobile tools is opens really new world sensation. “Being connected” becomes a constant habit. We are getting used to be on line 24 hours. We pretend that we do not mind any more physical space.

2. We are watching a ubiquitous convergence of communication and information processing. In several years, convergence of voice, data and text which will surely facilitate usage of mobiles.

3. Mobile devices are to be used anywhere and anytime. Some laps of geographical covering are rapidly installed; the technical restrictions are on pushed off. On some Lufthansa and British airways flights some passengers can enjoy experimental on board wi-fi access, using Boeing’s Connexion Technology. Other airlines – Japan airlines, SAS, Gulf air are looking for similar possibilities.

4. Mobile devices penetrate more and more all the sides of our life. I think, in the nearest future nearly every important activity will be able to be performed or be supported by mobile services (Won’t we become too dependent on it?):
- Everyday communication which has already become our instant habit, a little bit exaggerated by some of us, as for personal as for work purposes;

- Physical moving in space and decision making can be massively supported by navigation and context relevant services. New applications become more useful for pedestrians to supplement now prevalent driving direction systems. As we know, Nokia is planning an acquisition of mapping software company Navteq (Business week.com, January 10th, 2007), while Sony Ericsson chose Google as standard search engine for all their internet capable phones. Application like Yahoo search on Mobile, AOL Mobile Search, Technorati Mobile, 4INFO will be often seen during the nearest years.
Reservation and ticketing systems won’t be long to offer their services through mobiles.

- Banking services have already gone into internet and now can be used though mobiles from any physical point. The key point is to pass from passive bank information access to common active billings and payments.

- Planning of our daily activity is permanently supported by all possible information systems and search engines.

- Shopping cleverly: wonderful tool for anyone of us. Access to the major consumer data bases allows comparing prices, getting the information of a product, asking for a buyer support etc.

Here let’s move to another greatest usage of well known invention – barcodes, which contain cryptographic data and can be scanned through codes readers.
27% of Japanese consumers currently use a barcode reader in mobiles to compare prices through theirs mobiles. Since 2004 Amazon ScanSearch, propose the Japanese shoppers scanning barcodes of products, then finding similar products on Amazon.co.jp, comparing the price, and if lower, buying straight from Amazon via their phone.
Some of mobile have been already equipped with QR code (vertical and horizontal crypts) readers. With a single shot, the information is decoded, directing the phone's web browser to further details on a product. So, the following actions will be (or, for some people, are) common to do through mobiles: compare the prices in shops, watch video manual, buy tickets, heave a virtual tour, check the product ingredients or history etc.

Next huge part of our mobile life is entertainment and media. As we spend so much time accompanied by mobiles, of course, we need to have music, images, videos, TV, news channels, info’s access, games etc. In addition to highly developed music and games mobile software we will enjoy the dynamic and real time events on our small digital friend.
A wonderful example is Shazam – interactive music web-site which proposes audio recognition service. When a user hears a song he likes but doesn't know the name of, he can dial a number and point his phone to the music source to receive a text message (SMS) with the name of the artist and track.

In the United Kingdom and Europe most broadcasters start to connect with mobile companies to run mobile test applications; magazines and newspapers convert their content to reachable through mobiles.

Face to the consumer

To my mind since a pretty time we do need a personalized device for our communication and time management. A consumer needs to have more possibilities to choose and install applications he really needs in his everyday life. So the next step is an individualized sale: not a mobile brand with a standard range of tools, but personalized choice of functions and objectives, than choice of device type, than installation of personalized applications and at least sale through a selling point or internet shop.
Companies could organize their work through a general communication tool distributed through mobiles of the employees. They could introduce on line personal and company shared office organisers, reminders, as well company controlling systems. Business applications for internal corporate communication may also safe a lot of money and time assuring at the same time employees’ mobility in space and time.

To fill in our lacks

As mobiles are always with us they could have a great impact on health support services. It is very convenient way to assure disabled people and to integrate them as much as possible in the society. For example, for those who can not speak, is easy to look at the keyboard and follow letter by hix look. Thus a mobile camera catches eyes movement and registeres words and phrases, then pronounces them via voice generating application. This type of support is already in use on PCs; going mobile will allow disabled people communicate normally where they are.

Mobile device could serve as health monitoring and alarm system, especially for ageing people, with an automatic call to a chosen number (family, friends, medical unit) in case of emergency. Actually mobile service could open a huge variety of medical utilisation and we will all need it one day.

Moving free

I feel very excited about mobiles. They give me an illusion of freedom. As if I should not be stick at home or in the office to anymore, just because of computer of telephone output location. I could be anywhere and at the same time always with you. Mobile application will give me the possibility to work efficiently, act correctly, plan my day, be with my family, friends and colleagues and all that – moving free.

For me the greatest step that will change (and is already changing) life and work style is an access to networks, communication and information systems from any world point. It is slowly becoming my well establiched connection to the world.

InnoCentive: innovative mind share

InnoCentive company was founded in 2001 by Jill Panetta and Alhpeus Bingham to provide an e-platform to help companies to find new innovative solutions in different scientific and business fields.
Now located in Massachusetts, USA.

In 2007 InnoCentive gains a USD 1000 000 award from a non-profit foundation “Prize 4 life” for a favor of an important biology solution.

The InnoCentive web site provides a market place for “seekers” to make an appeal for help:
http://www.innocentive.com/seekers-innovation-management.php

And invites “solvers” to suggest their solutions:

http://www.innocentive.com/solvers-contract-research.php

The problems are split into several categories as:
Chemistry
Life sciences
Math and computer science
Business and Entrepreneurship
Etc

The best solution is rewarded by a seeker-company, in the range of USD 10 000 – 100 000.
The site establishes good intellectual property protection for both sides, and Seekers and Solvers through confidential registration and agreement submitting, and manages the whole process of intellectual property transfers.

InnoCentive provides as well a consultancy services to help companies formulate in the best way the task or problem to propose it to Solvers community. They can also advice on appropriate award range, and as a moderator, can reject the low estimated award or to screen the suggestions and make the selection of Solvers interesting ideas.

The idea of organizing the competition for best problem solutions is not new, it was applied offline since a long time, a lot of companies organize awarded competitions for resolving some particular problems.

But only nowadays, with cheap global communication and developed e-platforms, it became a real power. The world wide database, as InnoCentive one, enables creation of intellectual community, dispatched in different continents, but with the same prompt data access, so the distance between those who are facing a problem and those who can suggest innovative solutions became shot and easy.

The greatest thing is that everyone can try to suggest the innovation, never mind professional background, social status, and nationality.
The questions raised are if the intellectual property rights are always respected from both sides (especially if a seeker and a solver have a very long distance between, it is difficult to survey…). For a solver it is always challenging to start to work on project if it takes a lot of efforts, time and may be investments and he is not sure to be accepted and rewarded, but every competition is always like that…
For a seeker the screening of different ideas and suggestions is always an excellent sources of further development in addition to the best chosen solution.


According to Karim Lakhani, a Harvard Business school professor, who made the observation of InnoCentive site about 240 participants examine each problem, about 20 % of problems are solved.

A surprising phenomena: the solution are very often given by people not experts in the problems field. So we can say that an external outlook can provide an excellent breakthrough, out of traditional way of researching in a certain field.

We can say that InnoCentive is a very powerful engine to stimulate people for innovative solutions and provide an excellent communication tool between institutions and researchers never mind their geographical location and basic qualification.

Nevertheless, this type of sites could hardly replace R&D departments: some problems are just too complicated or specific, and demand huge preliminary investments.

Some other sites providing the same range of services:

Nine Sigme : http://www.ninesigma.com/
Yet2.com: http://www.yet2.com/app/about/home

YourEncore: http://www.yourencore.com/

As to the further development, InnoCentive could create more partnerships programs with non profit organisations and foundations: to detect the main problem types, to turn them into appropriate request and to create special current or permanent communication and solution tools for them.

InnoCentive could organise the search or make the appeal for specialized scientific and research laboratories, governmental institutions to post some non strategic parts or options of their general investigations for solvers community.

Why not changing the type of problems? It could be interesting to develop a competition platform for creative ideas where for example a government can make an appeal for the best solution of architectural projects, ecologic or traffic solutions that are usually under local companies or authorities’ consideration.
A creative music, literature, theatre of event making concepts could apply for different particular demands.

NOW, IN JANUARY

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR

Social entrepreneur: a person or organization that focus their activities on social impact on groups or society as a whole, take responsibility not only for business performance and own profitability but for social changes and rise. Usually they act through non profit or governmental institutions, but some of them are performing in private sectors.

I think the expansion of SE is considerable. To my mind, we can not establish a real fact of global business turn, but nevertheless, social entrepreneurship development is on true growth. Organizations as Achoka institute are active worldwide since more than 20 years but only now we can speak about global movement supported and promoted by major business school in the US and Europe. From one hand, it proves that business has accumulated enough financial and intellectual means to make social emphasis in activities, from the other hand, society becomes more and more concerned about the responsibility for global problems (as for example ecology, that is impossible to face within a single group or even a single country).
I think, the fact that SE becomes supported by business schools is a turning point, as they can promote social responsibility in new growing business society. In any case, it means another higher level of business maturity.

So far, it is even more important to use modern applications, techniques, strategies and intelligent approach to develop social business component to stimulate targeted groups and to develop in whole respect of their environment, without discredit neither business intentions nor the social idea as a whole.

VENTE PRIVEE

Vente-privee.com

Vente Privée is a leader in private e-sales companies, was founded by Jacques-Antoine Granjon. Since 20 years he made a success as a wholesaler off line by selling out end of brands’ series for small supermarkets and discount chains. The new conception of 2001 supposed selling of brands’ end series through the internet during time limited sessions and with limited access.

In 2006 Vente Privée organized around 470 sales events; in 2007 the estimated number was 700. The society is very profitable. The turnover nearly doubles per year, as well as the number of supplying partners is growing very fast.

http://www.vente-privee.com/vp3/aboutUs.aspx

The name Vente Privée is due to the principle of limited access for purchases: subscription is obligatory through a reference person’s e-mail. The sales are usually hold in 3 days sessions where brands’ end-stocks sale out with considerable discounts.

The business model of private sales allows big suppliers to stock out their warehouses at the end of the series and moderating seller (Vente Privée) to suggest their selected publics enjoying the brand items for considerable discounted prices.

The sales are released on “event” basis, creating the appeal of exclusiveness and cut down prices.
Nowadays the sales are hold by invitation and take place up to 15-18 times a week.

The range of the products sold is very wide, nevertheless the main sales are still in men, women and children clothes. Discount range can fall down to 70-80 per cents, in general the price are really very interesting, but the chance to seize a grand brand article can be afforded for those who perform purchasing within several minutes since the sales session starts at 7 a.m….

Vente Privée makes huge investments for internal logistics. New warehouses are bought in advance to assure the future sales turnover. New logistic system allows to stock out the warehouses 2-3 times a day. The expansion in other European countries has started by Germany and Spain. For future logistic improvement Vente Privée considers the partnership with DHL.
The main disadvantage Vente privée reproached for is an important delay of delivery that can reach 3-4 weeks.

Presentation options are on reinforced by 8 collaborating teams of shooting and 18 freelance photographers producing about 400 references by week. About 400.000 euros were invested in the own music studio where about 700 music items have already been created.
Vente Privée makes further focus on regularly renovated animation. The next ambition of private sales is to create an appeal for selected customers to visit regularly the site and create a club ambience.

Customer relationships department counts about 50 persons, assuring right interaction between the privileged auditorium and private sales club. Vente Privée has its supporting blogg (moderated by Cecile de Rostand) as well as an external call center in Lille.

http://www.vente-privee.com/vp3/Blog/BlogHome.aspx

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Pivate sales market

The idea of private sales is widely used in European market, Vente-privee.com has several serious competitors in the same business model, as
Achat VIP is the most challenging competitor, providing great discounts and a good selection of articles.
http://www.achatvip.com/nous.php

Espacemax is mostly focused on mode, luxe and design; discounts could be surprising but the number of sales session achieves 2-3 only.
http://www.espacemax.com/log/index.html?fuseaction=login

Surinvitation.com – the launch of TF, at first to support TV sales, then became a successful entry for privates sales options. Product range is variable - prêt a porter, shoes, jewelry, cosmetics, home facilities etc.
http://www.surinvitation.com/index.php?tpl=4

Some other sites using the private sales option but focused on other product areas:
Vente Unique: specialized in quality design furniture and decoration articles.
http://www.vente-unique.com/

Voyage privée: based on the same principle of sales in limited time session; during 2-3 days provides holidays options with considerable discount.
http://www.voyage-prive.com/qui-sommes-nous.php

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Future of ventes privées
Private sales go through the tough competition period. As number of sites and products turnover increases, everyone adapts the initial concept to the current market response.
1. Product range tends to diversify – good way not to be dependent on one category’s sales.
Luxury sales are opening the door to more common brands.
2. To protect the concept of privacy some sites declare to stop the subscription. I think it would be interesting to monitor if they do.
3. High competition pushes the companies to create more and more sophisticated presentation, editorial and animation components. “Event” model and animation takes even greater importance than ever.
4. To gain new customer French “private sellers” launch their expansion to other European countries. A lot of spots have been already created, but the crucial point – logistic and CRM services will face a lot of work to set up an appropriate network.

More explanation for Vente Privee development is here, in the interview of the company CEO - Jacques-Antoine Granjon for Journal du Net:

http://www.journaldunet.com/itws/it-granjon-lecteurs.shtml

FREEMIUMS

The idea of FREMIUM BUSINESS MODELS is to provide basic services for free and charge for advanced or high quality options. The freemium business model was first articulated by venture capitalist Fred Wilson in 2006 (Source: wikipedia.org)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeemium

Here are the comments of Fred Wilson on freemium business model:

http://avc.blogs.com/a_vc/2006/03/my_favorite_bus.html

The conception is mainly applied for online services, as entertainment, web services and applications, publishing and editorial information etc.

Here are the reflections on free music business model:
http://avc.blog.com/a_vc/2007/06/the_free_music_.html

Another option for free services:
Some other companies could be mentioned in discussion of Freemiums: thier business models envisage free services but other revenue sources as payment for product.
Google provides incredibly powerful search engine for free and get paid by advertisers.
Flickr - huge photos’ data base providing photos for free during one day.

Companies using FREMIUM business model:
Skype is the most well known example of freemium: basic computers interconnection is free, other types of communication are charged. (www.skype.com)
SixApart provides with its basic blogging LiveJournal platform for free and charge for premium version an annual subscription. (www.livejournal.com)
Last.fm - free internet radio and music community portal; premium acounts are charged. (www.last.fm)
Nuvvo – branch of boiling and heating systems company, established e-learning courses for their products: up to 10 pupils and 25 mbytes are free, then – different charge options.
Stardoll – a digital doll creator and on line community for pre-teens;
MySQL – open source database soft wear;
Great number of research and editorial sites provides basic information and articles for free and detailed investigations and reports for subscription fees.
Beautiful examples are Mc Kinsey (www.mckinsey.com) and Business week review (www.businessweek.com).

Freemium advantages:
- Business model allows easily test and validate a product or service;
- Easy to introduce a product, once it has taken its niche, it is difficult to displace it;
- Encourages rapid adoption of a product or services for hesitating clients;
- At free basic products - no competition in pricing policies

Freemium disadvantages:
- The goal to convert a user from free user to paid subscriptions is hard to achieve;
- Impossible to move free features away, users will never accept that;
- Free and charged services should be balanced; clearly identify revenue sources to make profits

Easy Group miracle

The EasyGroup, founded in 1998, is the holding company controlling the "easy" ventures; it is privately owned by Stelios Haji-Ioannou. The "easy" format is to take away the frills in something to make it cheaper overall, and use the yield management system of supply and demand; so known as discounters.

Some EasyGroup subsidiaries have been more successful than others; the most actually successful division is EasyJet ; there are some less well-doing, that have been losing during the last several years such as EasyInternetcafe or Easycar.com.


1.Easy groups try to minimize costs for their customers cutting off all the supplementary services and minimizing a service package.
Here is the explanation of EasyJet policies which is cloned and adapted for other Easy groups:
http://www.easyjet.com/FR/La/Dossier/infopack_companyoverview.html

2.Targeted customers – modest price categories who could sacrifice the comfort or usual service package for the cheapest offer or accessibility.
3.Most part of reservations and services access is provided through the internet that allows avoiding the heaviness of distribution chains, reduces costs and increase customer flexibility. A lot of activities being put into the internet make known e-management profits.
Here is the example of EasyJet costs’ reduction management and considerable service flexibility for a customer:
http://www.easyjet.com/FR/La/Dossier/infopack_internet.html

4.Some services being too expensive for some clients groups are now accessible for lower price but for modest service package (as for example cruise line for young and middle aged groups, traditionally considered as vacations for seniors).
5.Strategic partnership could be very promising as Easy group implementations is well known for their limits of reasonable charging as though attract the consumers for cheap prices.
6.Yield management could offer really cutting off prices in low demand period. Flexible pricing can compensate the expenses by increasing rates in high demand period as is not evidently realized by a client.
7.Strong orientation for promoting low prices has created a strong brand, recognized by customers worldwide.
8.The business model seems sustainable as it focused to adapt sales to consumer behavior finding the possibilities for very low prices. Nevertheless a lot of Easy subsidiaries used to be not profitable or nowadays make modest revenues.
9.As to the business model growth, Easy ventures spread all over the Europe and the USA in franchisees, the form mostly used for Easy product extension.
10.A lot of business thinking introduction in Stelios’s ventures become standard and world widely used for example yield management approach (used almost everywhere in airline companies).


Yield management conception

It is defined as the process of improving corporate revenue through the implementation of strategic pricing and inventory control. The approach was elaborated in 80s in the USA by Delta Airlines and nowadays is used worldwide. Revenue management is also a widely used term for unit price optimisation according to previous sales and forecasts.

The approach is applicable for services and faces the following business peculiarities:
1.Nonflexible product inventory
2.No possibility to stock the products
3.Based on previous sales, the capacity to forecast consumer behavior and as a result - consumption.
The conception is widely used by Easygroups in its subsidiaries.
Marketing advantage of the yield management
The yield approach favors easy adaptation to the product life cycle and other marketing strategies. Flexible schemas of services rates allow to optimize easily pricing during the product life cycle, change a pricing strategy under pressure of competitors, introduce a new product with entering low price to create a consumer awareness etc.

EasyInternetCafe

Let’s have a look at EasyInternetCafe, chain of cybercafés in Europe and United States. The company was founded in 1999 in London and was later followed by several cyber cafes in New York. Originally, the EasyInternetCafes were called EasyEverything, to reflect the fact that just about everything can be found on the Internet. The name was changed EasyInternetCafe in October, 2001. Easy Internet cafe was the first online business for Stelios Haji-Ioannou.

The EasyInternetCafes opene the biggest Internet cafe in the world in New York City’s Times Square (opened in November 2000), originally with 850 PCs (it now has 648).
As is the case with other Easy group companies, EasyInternetCafe aims to deliver the best value for money services. The stores are built and operated on the principle of ‘economics of scale’: most stores are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and each has an average of 350 PC’s:
http://www.easyeverything.com/mission/index.html
Even thought the cafes are ideally located (Times Square, Manhattan, NYC, for example), the rates at the cafes are very competitive and the minimum purchase may be as low as $0.50.

The EasyInternetCafes are run by individual franchisees. In fact, EasyInternetCafe is today one of the most important Internet cafe franchises in the world.
http://www.easyeverything.com/hosting/index.html

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The EasyInternetCafes were the subject of yield management approach as it answers classical criteria for that sort of services:
Cafes are large, but their capacity is nevertheless limited; the Internet services are highly perishable product, once an access hour is over, there is no possibility to regain it and put in inventory or resell it.
From the other hand there is a possibility to forecast the consumer behavior, as demand differs by time of day, day of week, but also across other time and season.
Fixed costs are stable, no matter how many persons are there in a café, the bandwidth is the same.
The chain offered a dynamically priced product, which was a breakthrough in customer service management: as the occupancy (the number of customers) in the store increases, so does the rate per hour they pay.
From the other hand that could provoke some confusion from a customer understanding how much he will pay: prices are flexible while the access is provided by days:
http://www.easyeverything.com/offer/index.html
In addition, lowest prices and franchisee management could be often a source of true neglecting the clients:
http://www.easyinternetcafe.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14
Meanwhile, it was reported that a very high percentage of customers thought that Easy cafes represent good or excellent value for money.
Financial issues
Nevertheless, despite the huge amount of cyber points, venture is lost an estimated USD 150 millions in the years 2000- 2003.
The analysts measured that a customer would not go out for internet purposes only, so that pushed the management to create partnerships with fast food outlets.
According to the FT, the company leased expensive freehold property.
The management is blamed as for operational faults, as the cafes were too large - economies of scale don't materialize if they are half empty; company purchased sophisticated and expensive information technology; staff overheads were excessive. By mid 2001, with cash running out and the original partners like HP being not prepared to advance further funds, immediate action was necessary:
•EIC issued 1.5bn £1 shares at a 1p (£0.01) each. This immediately devalued the holdings of the original shareholders to almost nothing. Many employee shareholders were badly affected.
•head office staff were cut from 60 to 20 and store staff by 75%.
•excess space at front of stores was sub-let.
•unprofitable stores were closed.
•a franchising plan is being developed.
The future will reveal whether the above actions are sufficient.
CyberFuture
Some points are to revise:
-there are more and more people have Internet access at home, even more - free points at their work or study places; we could expect the expansion of internet access by mobiles or affordable options of satellite access;
-targeted clients should be more attentively defined and so café’ locations could be changed;
-how the idea of internet access could be combined with other services or attractions – searching for other strategic partnerships;
-revise the customer perception of dynamic pricing? Do they accept it or they find it irritable? Do they understand that a cafe is uses dynamic pricing or are they confused at paying a different price on each visit?
-how does its pricing compares to the numerous flat rate schemes of unlimited access that becomes evidently even cheaper than any hours access?