Category Archives: Web/Tech

What bloggers,speakers and writers can learn from Andy Rooney

Andy Rooney of 60 Minutes CBS passed away on Friday, Nov 4, 2011 at 92.

[ Note: This post is from November 6, 2011. It was updated on March 25, 2021 with a video to get a sense of the iconic broadcaster Andy Rooney why may not have seen him on Television]

Affectionately called America’s “grouch-in-chief” and a “curmudgeon” Andy had a lot of contribution to the success of CBS 60 minutes over the years with his signature ending piece on “a few minutes with Andy Rooney”. He was able to put an interesting spin to almost anything from why you have cotton in medicine bottles to his famous essay on doors. Here is what bloggers,speakers and writers can learn from Andy Rooney:

Beware- your customers do their own research ! Of doctors, AT&T and Blackberry

Everyone of us has customers whether internal or external to the organization and the easy research on the Internet  is something we need to factor in to our customer service and  customer retention efforts. Let's think about doctors,AT&T wireless and Blackberry. Talk to doctors and they tell you how frustrating it is to deal withContinue reading “Beware- your customers do their own research ! Of doctors, AT&T and Blackberry”

Google is a teenager at 13 and the largest free searchable database of the world

Today Google turned 13 and is just a teenager as a concept- the potential of which we do not fully comprehend despite Google explaining it's philosophy  pretty clearly. No matter what your question, today Google has search results that are relevant to you. How does Google do that- so well and so quickly ? WellContinue reading “Google is a teenager at 13 and the largest free searchable database of the world”

Diffusion of discontent: Why Netflix lost only 4% customers but about 20% share value

Diffusion of innovation used to be a slow phenomenon on the positive side (seen from the organization's point of view- hey the market and product awareness is growing) till you had the Internet and social media. On the flip side of diffusion of innovation is the phenomena of diffusion of discontent which probably explains whyContinue reading “Diffusion of discontent: Why Netflix lost only 4% customers but about 20% share value”

Internet search is serious stuff:why Google Flight Search will be a great travel distributor

When you are searching on the Internet,for anything, you are in a serious mood. In advertising and psychology theory this is called the central route to persuasion part of the Elaboration Likelihood Model. You are thinking much more about whatever you are searching compared to watching an Ad on TV, which does'nt get you toContinue reading “Internet search is serious stuff:why Google Flight Search will be a great travel distributor”

Competing in a knowledge economy: Thomas Friedman on Innovation -but how ?

Friedman's new book with Mandelbaum extols Americans  to innovate at every level to get back to the growth and prosperity path. The question is how? Every one is in a "locked" in mode – locked in to the supply chain and distribution channel and of course to the production process."Lockedin"worked till about the late 1990'sContinue reading “Competing in a knowledge economy: Thomas Friedman on Innovation -but how ?”

Just stopping AT&T and the T-Mobile merger is not enough-US cell phone industry needs to change and become an engine of economic growth

The US cell phone needs to change and become an engine of economic growth. Merely stopping AT&T and the T-Mobile merger is not enough. The industry needs total overhaul and I am saying this from a recent visit to India where the cell phone is changing the economy as the motor car changed the economyContinue reading “Just stopping AT&T and the T-Mobile merger is not enough-US cell phone industry needs to change and become an engine of economic growth”

Are you caught up in a commodity business like HP ? Try branding and digital distribution

Every business is feeling like a commodity business, all the buyer seems to care about is price and this was brought to sharp focus with HP exiting the hardware business. The HP brand was great but what margin can you really make at final retail prices of $500 for laptops. So branding does not workContinue reading “Are you caught up in a commodity business like HP ? Try branding and digital distribution”

Organizations get global but Governments struggle local : French downgrade and London riots

Americans secretly admire French style and wine but publicly deride French fries – so its particularly unsettling that a French credit downgrade  is affecting Wall Street and millions of Americans' retirement savings. And then you have the London riots where Prime Minbister Cameron is talking about learning how the leadership in Boston (USA) and BelfastContinue reading “Organizations get global but Governments struggle local : French downgrade and London riots”

Netflix pushes US distribution for streaming Internet video and DVD on way out

As discussed in an  earlier post  Netflix  offering only streaming video  in global markets seems to be spreading to the US market and has outraged Netflix subscribers. Netflix wants subscribers to spend  about $16/month if they want both DVD and streaming- a 60% increase in contrast to paying $7.99/month for either service. A definite nudgeContinue reading “Netflix pushes US distribution for streaming Internet video and DVD on way out”