There are some simple yet inexpensive ways for firms to maximize customer reach using digital marketing. One of them is to ensure one’s social media updates get shared by own clients/ users. Another is to enable customers to contribute to the company blog. A photo contest with goodies attached always works. Some freebies attached with referring other customers via e-mails always helps. Online surveys are essential. Also, existing and potential customers alike must be induced to share online critique on product or service.

Big data has proved to be an excellent addition to the armoury ofbusiness research. It can help improve customer surveys in several ways. Goals can now be clearly defined in precise analytic terms. It is now possible to execute tailor-made reporting depending upon clients’ requirements. The analytics derived are not just numeric and in figures but indeed also involve textual analysis. The survey thus designed must include pointers to demarcate real loyalty against perceived one.  

Skyline is the leading specialist from India, offering busines analytics & big data courses.

Our respective mothers are our first teachers in life. Even great business leaders possess traits handed down to them from infancy by their mothers and some of these traits proved central to their business successes. Some such lessons must be noted. An entrepreneur mentioned about his mother’s teachings on not looking back with ‘Ifs’ and ‘Buts’. Another learnt complete honesty. One other inculcated his mother’s philosophy of servicing people right on top. Another focused on the art of listening. Similarly, an entrepreneur developed resistance to criticism because of his mom’s teachings. Someone focused onvaluing core principles rather than peripherals. An entrepreneur got to things by always posing interesting queries. Another practiced the experimentation trait handed down by his mother. One entrepreneur credits his quest for the true purpose to his mother. Another forever puts his best shot. There is one entrepreneur who will always stick to her beliefs and values. Finally there is an entrepreneur who is less obsessed with power but more interested in developing business relationships.  

While honesty is a very important trait for successful people, too much of it can lead one to trouble at the workplace. There are certain aspects one must never disclose about oneself in order to succeed at work. In case one is not happy with the work, it must never be admitted. Perception about others’ incompetence must never be openly revealed. Salaries must remain personal. Beliefs on religion or politics must never enter office discourse. Activities on Facebook must never involve office colleagues or clients. Sex life must remain strictly personal. In fact there must never be discussions on colleagues’ sexual habits or interests. One must never give the impression of coveting someone else’s work profile. It might add a tinge of glamour to harp about the wild side to their lives during college days, but this piece of news can do no favours at work space. Alcohol or other intoxications must be strictly outside work and not be discussed within office. Politically incorrect jokes may be commonplace among a peer group but can lead to major troubles at work. Finally if they wish to climb up the ladder of the firm, they must never ever give the impression of job hunting.

Outsourcing is an often derided term associated with causing irrevocable harm when done at inopportune moments. If properly strategized though, it increases productivity by enabling managers to focus on more creative aspects. There are some aspects all firms must consider thoroughly before engaging in outsourcing. One has to study the return on investment and never outsource core operations. There are some aspects, outsourcing of which may lead to reduction in business reputation. These must obviously be avoided. Innovative processes must never be outsourced. There must be regular communication between the central firm and the outsourced activity locations. Finally, one has to realize that outsourcing is a calculated risk and there is no guarantee of success. Once these steps are followed, rewards are usually not far off.

Enterprise architects are amongst the best paid professionals and rank among top echelons in the IT industry. Yet their future roles are set to change. In sometime, they will be judged on the process of using data rather than just the end results. Big data, business intelligence and IoT (internet of Things) will all need to worry about the ethical dimensions as well. EA (Enterprise Architecture) is however a very disciplined field and that is something which will be valued even more in future. EA thus aggregates and compresses the vertical and horizontal relationships in a business. Algorithms will become even more integral part to the overall economy and they will need to be of even shorter time frame than at present. There will develop a complex yet comprehensive methodology to circumvent chaos and be able to predict matters more accurately. Thus we see that EAs will very much be integral part of the next era. Nomenclature may change to Enterprise Options Analysts, or Digital Transformation Specialists but the core product will remain similar.

Traditionally consulting and outsourcing have been seen as divides or approaches towards problem solving. Yet there are reasons why consulting firms need to work more closely with BPOs. Consultants need to solve problem, yet do no know where to look for them. Where better to start than a BPO. While consultants deliver value, often clients cannot gauge the tangible results which they understand better when outsourced. BPOs themselves require consultation while maintaining budgets. While BPOs create value, their staff members usually do not understand strategic requirements. Consultants need to understand that they are part of service industry which BPOs do. Times are changing so curriculum needs to be rewritten. Even the newer consultancies can project themselves as service providers without damaging brand value. There needs to be greater people-process-technology integration. In the long run, consultants are trusted more than outsourced entities, thus this integration will bring greater credibility to the world of BPOs.