IT and New Possibilities for Business Development, Marketing, Organization and Leadership

Presentation by Anders Lundkvist, anders.lundkvist@bat.se

MANTECH - IFL

Sannäs, Januari 18, 2001

[home] [conference documentation] [about_bat][our_friends]

This presentation was based on my research and practial work with Customer Conversation and Online Support Systems.
In the developement of my doctoral thesis I welcome any feedback, suggestions or comments.
Let's have an online conversation. Send an email! anders.lundkvist@bat.se

Sources for this documentation:

Learning through Online Conversations. The Case of Online Support Systems (1999) by Lundkvist. Paper for the session "Knowledge management, information systems and philosophy of knowledge". International Conference on Management of Information and Communication Technology, 15-16 September 1999, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Interactive Media face Artificial Consumers (1998) by Gatarski & Lundkvist. Published in The Journal of Marketing Communications.
Det interaktiva företaget (1998). Wikström, Lundkvist, Beckérus.
And many many other webpages, books and articles...

	I started of talking about som the things going on at home, at the office, in school, and the diffusion of borders. Time is becoming even more critical as we work at home, and maybe even doing our banking or shopping at our work, through the net. Furby: http://www.furby.com from Tiger Electronics I talked about what is going on at my home, with too many wires and cables. Wireless at our office with Wavelan from Lucent is heaven.
	New ways of living demands new solutions: Check out Streamline: http://www.streamline.com I demonstrated the Cyber Pen, used by the ISO in Denmark.
	Modern Market Communication As an simple illustration I used the concepts of P - producers who communicate to C - customers. That is still what Market Communication means to many companies and marketers. Read more on modern Market Communication in Interactive Media face Artificial Consumers (1998) by Gatarski & Lundkvist. Published in The Journal of Marketing Communications.
	Think valuestar instead of valuechain Read more about the valuestar in Det interaktiva företaget by Wikström, Lundkvist and Beckérus.
	Students that are applying the valuestar in practice. Check out the Popwire. http://www.popwire.com
	The Beta Economy Modern Market Communication is much about integrating customers into the generation and development of products. I showed a few examples on modern cases, where companies have succeeded in creating communication platforms that enable partners and customers to participate in feedback and re-development of products. Do not create products. Create intelligent communiction platforms that enable multi created products!
	The challenge of integrating feedback into the organization Modern software companies have a tradition in conducting long series of tests before releasing new software. Then software companies depend heavily on engaging partners and customers as beta users. The more feedback you get, the better product you will get. The more feedback you get, the greater market you will create.
	Examples of modern organizing in creating value Apache http://www.apache.org/ Linux http://www.uk.linux.org/diary/ In these examples it is evident that users and customers are acting as contributers and co-producers.
	Let your customers vote for your new solutions! Why can´t this way of mobilizing customer support to your company, be a way of making priorities on the market.
	The Art and Act of Online Conversations Conversation is art that needs to be learned. And few companies have learned their lesson. Conversation extends market communication beyond the traditional P to C and focuses on the generation of content. But, customer conversation also involves the opportunity for customers to engage each other.
	Customer-to-Customer Communication I gave an overview of different ways customers are able to position themselves in respect to products and companies. And they are all important to modern companies. Love sites Complaint sites Hate sites The lesson learned is that if you can't take care of your own communication act, there are plenty of others do it for you.
	Love sites In 1993, I interviewed the marketing departements of Swedish car companies. None had ever heard about the opportunity of car owners using electronic media to exchange ideas and solutions. But, from SAAB in the US, I learned the story of Scott Paterson, a true SAAB fan. Edsel might have been a giant market failure, nevertheless fans around the world have created their own community from a shared interest in these cars. SAAB Network http://www.saabnet.com/ Edsel Owners Club http://home.ici.net/customers/edsel/home.htm Classic Volvo What strategies are Volvo and Ford going to implement?
	Complaint sites I used these examples to emphazise how important it is for companies to relate and position themselves in respect to their customers. If the company itself does not act, there will be others creating a complaint site for the company. Untied Airlines http://www.untied.com/ Complain http://www.complain.com M c S P O T L I G H T http://www.mcspotlight.org/ On Line Complaints Department http://www.bitchaboutit.com/ Hate sites Chase Manhattan Bank http://www.chasemanhattansucks.com/ Wal-Mart http://www.walmartsucks.com Kampanjen Telia Suger http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Field/3783/telia.htm

	Artifical Interfaces in Online Support Systems I gave a short overview on different applications that is used to automate customer support and other functions. Broadvision http://www.broadvision.com Servicesoft http://www.servicesoft.com Neuromedia http://www.neuromedia.com enter "microsoft agent" as your first question
	Could an artificial seller be more "human" than a human seller?
	Examples on conversation techniques in human to computer communication. Netsage http://www.netsage.com Portico http://www.genmagic.com/ Emergent Design http://www.emergent-design.com See BotSpot for more examples of bots.
	My contribution The real opportunity provided by online media, is the enhanced communication not only with specific customers, but to the networks of customers, clients and contributors. It is by engaging these customer networks in a development of ideas and products, that companies will be able to thrive in the Beta Economy. This is where on-line conversations and communities of clients are drivers of product development in modern companies! More reading at customers.com.
Contact: Anders Lundkvist BAT - Business Art Technology AB Lästmakargatan 3, 111 44 Stockholm, Sweden URL: http://www.bat.se email: anders.lundkvist@bat.se phone: +46 (0)70 723 53 90	Anders Lundkvist School of Business, Stockholm University S-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden URL: http://www.fek.su.se