Brian Solis's Blog, page 41

WTF – What’s the Future of Travel and Tourism

In 2016, I was invited to speak at World Travel Market (WTM) in London. The book, X: The Experience When Business Meets Design, was brand new and perfect for the event.

Why?

Travel and tourism are experiential and as such, they are the epitome of experience businesses. The challenge however is what modern experiences do customers seek in an era of digital Darwinism?

My goal at WTM was to help delegates see the present differently to then see the future differently.

In the first video, I’m hosted by my friend Ros Atkins of The BBC (@BBCRosAtkins). We still talk to this day!

In the second video, I’m interviewed by the WTM team. If you’re in the “experience business,” then please watch and share…

These ideas are especially poignant in a post-pandemic economy.

WTF (What’s the Future) Keynote

The Future of Travel

World Travel Market London, Senior Director, Simon Press, said: “Brian is a well-renowned speaker so I am delighted he is presenting at WTM London. “The travel and tourism industry has been overhauled by many disruptive companies in recent years. “The pace of change within the travel industry is only going to get faster so Brian will help delegates understand how such change may affect them.”

 

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Somewhere Between Rome and Paris— A Story About Finding Balance Through LifeScaling

This picture was taken somewhere between Rome and Paris. I was lucky to make this flight. A story from April, 2018. Behind the scenes of developing LifeSCALE: How to Live a More Creative, Productive, and Happy Life. 

The car was to pick me up in Rome at 4:30 a.m. for a 6:40 flight to Paris. There, I would eventually connect to San Francisco. I wasn’t looking forward to it, but I knew I could sleep over the Atlantic.

I was in Rome for only a day-and-a-half but it seemed like so much longer. Time stood still. I spent my last evening with new friends enjoying a wonderful dinner, live jazz, and nearby sites. No one wanted it to end. Alas, I arrived at my hotel very late (or early depending how you want to look at it). In what seemed like a good idea at the time, I dozed off for a bit to rest before the pickup. Then, I was startled by the blaring ring of the loudest phone ever. I jumped up to answer it in what I thought was first ring.

“Your driver is waiting,” said the front desk.

“Please tell him, I’ll be down in 15,” I politely responded while thinking “oh no!”

I raced to get ready. Thankfully I had packed the evening before.

As I sat down to get situated and fasten my seatbelt, I looked at my phone and the time said 5:30 a.m. “Wait…what!?” My pickup was 4:30, here it is 5:30 and I have a flight that takes off at 6:40. Mamma mia! Where did that hour go?

I now realize that the call (first ring) were most likely continous calls in the attempt to wake me up. I overslept. I made someone unecessarily wait at a very early hour.

I was lucky to make that flight.

When I landed in San Francisco, I immediately texted two of my dear friends and asked them to dinner. I shouldn’t have made it home at that time and I wanted to enjoy champagne, great conversation and even better company to close the chapter on that experience.

Time Flies

Life all too often flies by. I struggle with it, the balance, the hustle and “busy” of it all.

I wrestle with the why and to what extent of all of this and their relationship to how I’m supposed to measure happiness and success. A mentor long ago once asked me, “if you had a choice, would you want to be rich or famous?” The young me quipped, “why can’t I have both?”

I now realize that she meant something different. “Rich” isn’t just about wealth. And “fame” isn’t just about status. Happiness and love, real happiness and love, are more important than we appreciate. But understanding them will open our hearts and minds to see and live the world in a much more productive, gratifying and aspirational way.

I’m starting to learn to unlearn.

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SXSW 2021: The Path Forward for Healthcare Innovation and Digital Transformation

Brian Solis, Global Innovation Evangelist at Salesforce, joined Ron Kim, SVP and Chief Technology Officer at Merck, and Manoj Narayanan, Chief Technology Officer at Real Chemistry, to explore “Five Things to Know About Digital Transformation in Healthcare.” The session was an official part of SXSW 2021 programming.

Hosted by Jo Ann Saitta, Global Chief Digital Officer at Real Chemistry, the panel explored digital and human dimensions of what the future of healthcare innovation should be in a post-pandemic economy.

Digital has inspired patients to become…impatient. 

Highlights

LIVE NOW: Hear about digital transformation in healthcare? 4 experts join us as we tease upcoming research report with HCPs and patients: @briansolis, Ron Kim (CTO of Merck), @manoj7698 (our CTO) and @j_saitta (our Chief Digital Officer). https://t.co/qWCXK8SYuR#realchemSXSW

— Aaron Strout (@AaronStrout) March 17, 2021

"Digital transformation can improve communication with all stakeholders. It’s an opportunity for a renaissance." @briansolis, Global Innovation Evangelist, @salesforce #RealChemSXSW #W2OSXSW

— Real Chemistry (@RealChemistry_) March 17, 2021

"We talk about the patient experience but we don't put them in the centre of what we do" SO true! @briansolis #sxsw #realchemsxsw #pharma

— Alexandra Fulford (@pharmaguapa) March 17, 2021

"It’s a matter of intent. We have to challenge ourselves to approach technology and make it more valuable to patients. Patients want things faster and more personalized. Technology should make us more proficient in delivering experiences." @briansolis (@salesforce) #RealChemSXSW

— Real Chemistry (@RealChemistry_) March 17, 2021

"The spirit of SXSW is all about possibility, entrepreneurship, humanity. These are all things that have been missing from healthcare" Harsh but sadly true @briansolis #realchemsxsw #sxsw

— Alexandra Fulford (@pharmaguapa) March 17, 2021

@briansolis talking about how we come to #sxsw as individuals & we go through personal transformation at the event & we leave inspired & more confident. Sooo true! After my 1st SXSW I quit my job the day I walked back into the office because of my experience #realchemsxsw

— Alexandra Fulford (@pharmaguapa) March 17, 2021

After #sxsw we go back into a really rigid industry & we have to drive change. Healthcare is all about care & we have to shift from "we can't do that" to what is possible. So agree – we need to shift the mindset of the industry #realchemsxsw #pharma @briansolis

— Alexandra Fulford (@pharmaguapa) March 17, 2021

"It’s shifting from 'the doctor will see you now' to "the patient will see you now.'” @briansolis, Global Innovation Evangelist, @salesforce #RealChemSXSW #W2OSXSW

— Real Chemistry (@RealChemistry_) March 17, 2021

Thanks for sharing your expertise on the digital transformation of #healthcare: our client, Ron Kim (@Merck), @briansolis (@salesforce), and Real Chemistry's @j_saitta & @manoj7698. #RealChemSXSW #W2OSXSW pic.twitter.com/X9GGSlRTaQ

— Real Chemistry (@RealChemistry_) March 17, 2021

This was an exceptional session. So much insight into improving the #patientexperience and #doctorexperience through #digitaltransformation!

#SXSW #RealChemSXSW https://t.co/e63OCd7pgD

— Brian Solis (@briansolis) March 17, 2021

You were brilliant!

— Aaron Strout (@AaronStrout) March 17, 2021

 

 

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Generation C and the Need for Design Thinking

by ARINYA TALERNGSRI, Bangkok Post

In today’s fast-paced marketplace, shorter product life cycles, extreme competition, extensive unpredictability and demanding customers are among the factors compelling companies everywhere to become highly responsive to change.

Because change is the new normal and business reality regardless of which industry you are operating in, the only way to stay relevant is to be able to respond to change fast enough.

Meanwhile, the voices of customers are growing louder, as they share their needs, likes and dislikes virally online, meaning that companies have to frequently redesign products, services and strategies to stay competitive.

We have talked before about how Millennials have very high expectations of every company and every product or service that they use — and zero tolerance for anything that is hard to use or deal with. Everything must be simple, easy-to-use, and right the first-time. Ideally, experiences should be personalised and deeply authentic. The thing is, I don’t think it’s just the Millennials who feel this way these days: we all have the same expectations regardless of age.

You don’t have to have been born between 1980 and 2000 to live on your smartphone or embrace social media. In fact, I don’t think young people are the only ones who seek out purpose in their careers, not just money, or who want to make a difference. The reason is that we can all become part of ‘Generation C’ now.

You’re probably familiar with other generations by now — from Baby Boomers to Generation X or Generation Y. So what exactly is Generation C?

Depending on whom you talk to, the “C” in Generation C can refer to everything from “collaboration” to “community”,“computerised”, “content” and the most fundamental answer, “connectivity”.

Brian Solis, a renowned digital analyst, once observed: “Generation C represents a connected society based on interests and behaviour. Gen C is not an age group — it’s a way of life.”

That’s right, there is no cutoff date. You can be 18 or 80 and still belong to Gen C. Nor is it defined by socioeconomic status, ethnicity, geography or any of the classic demographic markers. Simply stated, what sets Gen C apart is connectivity, in its fullest sense.

This highly connected generation will virtually live online, comfortably participate in social networks with several hundred or more contacts, binge-watch on-demand shows, get their news on mobile devices, and communicate through texts and tweets.

As a consequence, this generation will expect fast, reliable connectivity. Through technology, they have more control than ever, and with this control comes new expectations, and these expectations demand prompt satisfaction, personalised service, and even individual attention.

Now that you everyone can be Gen C, what are implications for business?

Certainly, I’d say it’s the end of business as usual and the beginning of a more human and more personal era of doing business. Every business has to face the challenge of meeting the increased expectations of connected customers.

To thrive, brands must unlearn the traditional marketing techniques and relearn what they know by thinking like the customer and bringing the experience down the personalisation of each and every individual. This can be done by using Design Thinking.

When you look at the companies that have reset our expectations, the ones that have created this culture of utility, ease and convenience, they have one critical commonality — they all use Design Thinking. This is the process and mindset of human-centred design that places your customer at the heart of what you do through deep and genuine empathy.

The heart of the process is in understanding the problem by empathising with customers. This means going out and watching people using the products or services or tackling the issues that you’re interested in fixing — living in their shoes, and seeing through their eyes. This process is so powerful because people aren’t very good at telling you what they need but they’re really good at showing you if you know how to look.

All in all, Generation C is everywhere. The digital transformation and all the cultural changes that have accompanied this increase in connectivity have surely cut across traditional demographics. Hence, great solutions can be found through true empathy with customers; a genuine desire to understand their world and its challenges and find solutions is the only option businesses can pursue if they want to stay in business.

UPDATE: Since the pandemic, Generation-C has now evolved into Generation-N (Forbes | Fast Company).

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Digitizing Your Customer Experience

Brian Solis is set to keynote “Digitizing Your Customer Experience” organized by Traction on Demand. Please join on March 18, 2021.

Build lasting brand loyalty and impressions in 2021 with the latest tech solutions on Salesforce Service Cloud.

Today, creating a memorable customer experience is essential. Aligning your services with your customers’ ever-evolving needs will not only generate revenue, but build and retain loyal brand ambassadors. Join us to learn how providing a seamless digital experience—from start to finish—will allow you to focus on your future profitability, employee engagement and ultimately, develop trust with your customers.

Join us on March 18 to learn how you can use the latest tech solutions with Salesforce to elevate and improve your customer experience in 2021.

Key takeaways:

Learn how chatbot communication has become an integral part of creating lasting digital impressions
Enhance your customer experience through integrating Service Cloud Voice to unify voice calls, digital channels and CRM data
Understand the importance of measuring the impact of field service implementation
Learn the importance of evolving your Field Service business model to better serve your customers
Develop strategies for creating websites that engage the customer from their first click
Explore ways to improve customer loyalty, profitability and engagement through goal setting

As the opening keynote, Brian’s session takes place at 9:00am pacific.

Effective, Efficient, Experiential: Building Lasting Customer Loyalty

How customer-focused is your service roadmap? With 80% of customers agreeing that experience is as important as product or service, it’s imperative that your digital services take a customer-first approach.

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Forbes: In the Rush to Go All-Digital, Prioritize Employee Experiences

Forbes featured an in-depth piece by Brian Solis about the importance of prioritizing the employee experience for the all-digital, success-from-anywhere world.

Companies everywhere are accelerating digital investments in customer experience (CX) – but designing for employee experience (EX) is the next competitive advantage. Engaged and productive employees are instrumental to the success of delivering exceptional customer experiences and driving organizational success.

By The Numbers:93% of executives prioritizing EX report that their teams have the tools and technology to do their work efficiently.Yet, fewer than a third (31%) said employee experience is a high priority at their organizations.42% of executives say EX is important to their organization’s commercial success.Organizations with higher-than-average employee engagement exceeded the financial performance of their peers by 73%.

At Salesforce, we know there’s never been a more important time to prioritize EX. Now more than ever, employees depend on having the right technologies and tools to be successful. That’s why today we’re launching new Work.com Employee Experience tools that increase productivity and deliver fast and secure technology support, including:

Employee Workspace gives employees a single, connected space to access the apps, resources and information they need to work productively and connect with colleagues.Employee Concierge is an intelligent help desk that lets employees find answers to questions quickly, with access to knowledge articles and AI-powered recommendations.IT Service Center, developed in partnership with Tanium, empowers IT agents to quickly resolve problems and keep devices secure and compliant, ensuring employees stay productive from anywhere.

As companies leverage EX in the rush to go all-digital, Brian Solis, Global Innovation Evangelist at Salesforce, recommends these six steps:

Lead the way forward and organize for success. Define what success looks like. Develop metrics that everyone can align with to measure success.Organize a team to lead EX that directly plugs into the leadership’s vision for where the organization is headed and why, a future motivating state for customer and employee experiences, and what success looks like for everyone.Empower managers to encourage and motivate their teams.Empower teams to excel through technology that keeps up with the best experiences that customers remember, value, and seek.Train employees on new expectations, internally and externally, and augment their work through AI, automation, and systems that free up resources to be more creative, collaborative, and engaging for customers.Create an organizational culture that unifies the company around an upgraded set of vision, mission, and values. Create a sense of belonging where everyone feels like they play a part in achieving success.

Source: Salesforce News & Insights

Dive deeper on employee experience and Work.com by reading about how Salesforce is reimagining employee engagement and IT productivity .

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destinationCRM Explores Customer Intent, Features

By Linda Pophal, destinationCRM

Customer or buyer intent refers to the motivations that drive consumer behaviors—not simply what they want, but why they want it. The ability to discern the whys behind the whats is obviously important to marketers. The more they can understand the motivations of their customers, the better they will be able to produce the goods and services that best meet their needs and effectively communicate the right points to compel the desired action—a sale.

Writing for ClickZ, contributor Brian Solis, an expert on technology and its impact on society, argues: “No matter how nonlinear, complex, and unique, today’s customer journeys are defined by customer signals, activity, and are rich with intent. To modern marketers, these signals represent opportunities to deliver relevant, useful, and real-time experiences that help customers take their next step.”

Brian continues his work on micro-moments by introducing its COVID-19 evolution, ignite-moments, delivering “wow” and personalization in each touch point in the digital customer journey.

Continue the journey here…

Also please watch Brian’s keynote on the subject below…”Delivery Light in Digital Customer Experiences.”

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Multi-tasking is not a superpower, it’s a weakness – without mastery, digital distractions are causing more harm than good

It’s 2021, the second year in a row that SXSW is not being held live in Austin.

During the last, live SXSW, I launched my latest, and first personal book on individual empowerment to overcome our social dilemma. Algorithms have certainly earned their wages lately as it’s time for the virtual edition of SXSW 2021 and I’m flooded, thankfully, with memories of 2019.

During the craziness of the Lifescale launch at SXSW 2019 in Austin Texas, I met the international team from Mount Bonnell Media. They invited me to record a quick video on an open balcony in the busy convention center, and I was more than happy to step outside and join them. Their audience after all, is one that’s near and dear to me…young entrepreneurs (and all entrepreneurs honestly).

I wanted to share our discussion with you here…

More from SXSW 2019

How to Be the Best You with Esther Perel, Brian Solis, Marie Kondo & More [Video] by Nicole Cappabianca, SXSW

Brian Solis’s New Book Premiered at SXSW. Here’s Why It Should Be On Your Reading List by Drew Rossow, Hackernoon

Brian Solis on rewiring the connected generation by Larissa Gomes, The Current Daily

Scaling Life to Find Your Purpose – Lifescale with Brian Solis, a podcast with Minter Dial

SXSW 2019: você está perto de fracassar — e o seu celular é o culpado by Elisa Campos, Época Negócios

Brian Solis at SXSW 2019, Genosse (Russia)

Brian Solis SXSW 2019 Keynote

Brian Solis, Author, Keynote Speaker, Futurist

Brian Solis is world-renowned digital analyst, anthropologist and futurist. He is also a sought-after keynote speaker and 8x best-selling author. In his new book, Lifescale: How to live a more creative, productive and happy life, Brian tackles the struggles of living in a world rife with constant digital distractions. His model for “Lifescaling” helps readers overcome the unforeseen consequences of living a digital life to break away from diversions, focus on what’s important, spark newfound creativity and unlock new possibilities. His previous books, X: The Experience When Business Meets Design and What’s the Future of Business explore the future of customer and user experience design and modernizing customer engagement in the four moments of truth.

Invite him to speak at your next event or bring him in to your organization to inspire colleagues, executives and boards of directors.

Follow Brian Solis!

Podcast: WTF (What’s the Future!?)
Twitter: @briansolis
Facebook: TheBrianSolis
LinkedIn: BrianSolis
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Speaking Inquiries: Contact

 

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Speaking To and Through People You Hope to Inspire: Analog-to-Digital Street Flyers That Hit Different

This is the week of SXSW 2021. Even though it’s a virtual event this year, it is still a special community bound by the spirit of entrepreneurship, creativity, ideation, friendship, and tacos (+ BBQ, queso, pedicabs, and late nights!)

Since this is a very special week, I wanted to share a story with you that I don’t think I’ve ever talked about.

Every year, going back to, 2007 I think, JESS3 and I would legally (on plastic coverings) post creative signs and posters around Austin during SXSW. Each year would have a special theme. This story, focused on positivity, with no intentions or desired outcomes, other than to inspire and challenge festival goers in random moments. Whether they were waiting for an Uber/Lyft, Pedicab, a crosswalk signal to change, or standing around talking to friends or checking their phones, SXSW attendees were sure to see our work.

Here’s the story of 2017 and 2018…

JESS3 and I have worked on progressive projects going back to 2007 with our first (and one of the earliest viral infographics) The Conversation Prism. In the years following, we published The Twitterverse, The Social Compass, Behaviorgraphics, The Brandsphere, The Ideation Cycle, and so much more.

In 2017-2018, took a step back from our digital-first roots to experiment with an analog-first program. At SXSW those years, we developed a series of old-school flyers and plastered them around Austin, TX (in designated areas and according to the rules).

We did this with no specific promotion in mind. We just wanted to connect with those walking around the city (not looking at their phones), get them to think if even for a moment and hopefully share the message through them to their digital networks.

It was not only a lot of fun, but also enlightening. We talked to and through people and it was unforgettable. We saw the impact on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and the stories we heard and overheard IRL.

I hope there’s more to come…next year, I hope!

The entire album is here and here.

Inspired by X: The Experience When Business Meets Design and LifeSCALE

 

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A Virtual Ode to SXSW 2021 and Celebrating Its 2022 Comeback

This time each year, I, and tens of thousands of others, would make the journey to Austin for the annual SXSW festival.

On Thursday, I would organize the “Twas the Night Before” (formally “The Calm Before the Storm” party.

On Friday morning, Stephanie Agresta and I (aka The Techset) would officially open the Techset lounge, which would stay open until the following Tuesday.

On Friday, the official SXSW/Techset kickoff party would start the night.

On Sunday, Daylight Savings would kick in and make those days longer, and somehow, the nights longer too.

And every single day and night, I would take up residence at the Four Seasons and either the Corner Bar at the JW Marriott or the lounge or both.

I, we, will miss it being live this year. We certainly missed it, and everyone, last year. But if it’s one thing we learned about SXSW over the years, is that it’s more than an annual event, it’s a community that goes with us everywhere. It doesn’t just end when the convention center doors close. The SXSW spirit lives on in all we do, in the connections and relationships we foster,  the products we invent, the businesses we launch, the art we unveil, and the ideas we unleash.

I’d argue, it’s part of what we’re seeing on Clubhouse today.

In 2018, my friends at Gapingvoid and I collaborated around a special token of our gratitude for SXSW. This was before NFTs were a thing. Maybe we need to rethink this!

In all honesty, we just wanted to celebrate the knowledge, art, music, cuisine, culture, community, and the weird vibe we give and get!

At the time, I wrote this upon the release of this special memento…

If you’ve ever been to SXSW, you know it’s a special experience. For an event that’s been growing since 1987, it still feels unique and vibrant and meaningful.

2018 was my 11th year.

11 years of coming to SXSW.
11 years of “jumping the shark.”
11 years of annual trends that change the world.
11 years of converting online friends into real world besties.
11 years of wisdom thanks to the benevolence of speakers and attendees.
11 years of weird (read amazing) culture, art, food and music.
11 years of personal discovery and growth.
11 years of watching a city come of age.
Thank you SXSW. Thank you Austin.
Until next year.  xo
#stayweird

2019, shortly before the official launch of LifeScale, hanging out with BOSE, experiencing audio sunglasses (Frames), and enjoying my Unagi ride

LifeSCALE book launch at SXSW, 2019 (party photos here)

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