Cambridge Business Association
The End of Business as Usual
Book

The End of Business as Usual

Rewire the Way You Work to Succeed in the Consumer Revolution

Brian Solis
Wiley, 2011
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Recommendation

Before the Internet and social media, consumers who didn’t like a store told a few friends, sent an angry letter or just never bought there again. Businesses had the power. Today, unhappy shoppers complain on social media and potentially can do great harm. Companies must wake up to the power of connected consumers. One top US airline describes itself as “customer-centric,” but a word cloud depicting its customers’ online conversations in a graphic shows the most popular terms include: “worst, fail, hate, delay, waiting, awful, cancelled and nightmare.” That can be ruinous. Companies must engage proactively with their online audiences, and their audience’s audiences, to protect their reputations. Best-selling author, digital analyst and futurist Brian Solis explains how. His comprehensive report helps new and veteran corporate leaders understand the digital revolution, and suggests tactics for exploiting this radical transformation. getAbstract recommends Solis’s far-reaching overview to executives and entrepreneurs looking to leverage social media and the web.

Summary

“Digital Darwinism”

The telephone company’s local business directory, the “Yellow Pages,” was once essential for local companies. But Craigslist, Fourscore, Angie’s List and Yelp took most of its business. Blockbuster, Tower Records, Borders and Circuit City dominated their markets but lost the digital war. Each succumbed to digital Darwinism – the radical evolution of consumer preferences and performance. The tools are ubiquitous: computers, smartphones, webcams and tablets. More than five billion people now connect via cellphones. Two billion people utilize the Internet. Power has shifted from brands to “connected consumers,” who have become an information network.

Facebook

Facebook, the popular social network, has a huge presence on the Internet. In 2010, Facebook was the “top-visited website” and its name was the top Internet search term. Each month, Facebook users spend more than 700 billion minutes connecting with other people. “Checking Facebook has become an indispensable ritual for the social and connected.”

Facebook is ubiquitous online. More than 2.5 million websites integrate with its social network. Companies must engage with consumers...

About the Author

Digital analyst and futurist Brian Solis reports on disruptive technology and its impact on business and society. His bestsellers include What’s the Future of Business?

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