Cash or no cash? Sweden is facing some difficulties with this discussion. Or rather the facts.

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bloombergFor some time the Nordic countries, specifically Sweden, have been known for being the first who want to scrap cash altogether at some point in the not so distant future. Perhaps they have gone too far? At least that is what Bloomberg reports – because there seem to be increasing challenges connected with it. After all, it is not so easy to replace a full blown eco-system with another one. Read the full report, which I find most worth reading, right here.

The Future of Payments: Which Game Changing Technologies Will Affect the Retail Industry

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payments journalWhile our industry – like any other – is facing massive disruption (or re-invention rather in most cases), some changes could lead to a dramatic shift in how things are being done. From a Consumer perspective mostly. The Payments Journal has written a summary and analysis of what is coming up, or better may be coming up, and identifies autonomous cars, augmented reality and AI so mention some. The underlying technologies being available, some being the same as for mobile payments – just that it does not happen on a phone. I find this a piece much worth reading. Find the whole article here. 

„Digital Marketplaces Unleashed“ – a book worth reading.

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dmu-coverIt´s been my pleasure to contribute a chapter to the new book „Digital Marketplaces Unleashed“, which is published by Springer on October 13th, with my dear co-author Björn Matthies.

This collection of different views on how digitalization is influencing various industrial sectors addresses essential topics like big data and analytics, fintech and insuretech, cloud and mobility technologies, disruption and entrepreneurship.

The technological advances of the 21st century have been massively impacted by the digital upheaval: there is no future without digitalization. The sale of products and services has left the classical point of sale and now takes place on a variety of channels. Whether in the automotive industry, travel and traffic, in cities, or the financial industry – newly designed ecosystems are being created everywhere; data is being generated and analyzed in real time; and companies are competing for mobile access channels to customers in order to gain knowledge about their individual contexts and preferences. In turn, customers can now publicly share their opinions, experiences and knowledge as User Generated Content, allowing them to impact the market and empowering them to build or destroy trust.

 

Intelligente Kunden-Selbstbedienung für besseren Service – Guter Beitrag im Bank-Blog

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Prof. Nils Hafner - Quelle: hafneroncrm.blogspot.com

Prof. Nils Hafner – Quelle: hafneroncrm.blogspot.com

Jeder von uns kennt es – Ansprechpartner werden reduziert und durch angeblich Nutzbringende digitale Dienste ersetzt und dann heißt es: Wir haben die Zahl der Filialen reduziert, um den Service für die Kunden zu verbessern. Oft genug ist dies aus Sicht des Anbieters gedacht im Sinne der Kostenreduktion. Aber die digitalen Services sind dann nicht sehr gut gemacht, vor allem nicht vom Kunden her gedacht, der sie ja nutzen soll. Mich hatte insofern der Beitrag von Prof. Nils Hafner im Bank-Blog sehr gefreut. Ich empfehle die Lektüre. Denn gut gemacht sind digitale Services für die „Selbstbedienung“ einfach Klasse!

WEF: How Europe can build a Silicon Valley

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wef_0There is lots of intelligence at the World Economic Forum – but this piece I like in particular for many reasons. Mostly, because it is honest and realistic. It simply just does not work that some city or metropolitan area tries to be the „Silicon Valley of XYZ“ by proclamation. Too many ingredients make the actual Silicon Valley what it is and next to public-private partnership and the close-tied web of relations, the cluster, the special openness to change, itarations and – yes – failure. Adoption of change and embracing of change. And let´s be fair, also the Silicon Valley is subject to change and has been time and time again. Currently the hottest companies leave the traditional „Silicon Valley“, named after the Semiconductor-Companies there, to be headquartered im San Francisco. So really we should talk about the greater San Francisco Bay Area. There will not be two areas of this kind on this planet, because you simply cannot replicate everything AND fill it with life, just because it is a political will. And especially this won´t work for a city or even one single European nation. So I like the analysis provided in this great article of the World Economic Forum: How Europe can build a Silicon Valley.