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Preparing for an Uncertain Media Future: Even Challenging Scenarios Offer Ways To Grow

In the midst of tremendous disruption, it is impossible to tell where the global media industry is ultimately heading. But a recent analysis from the Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG) explores four possible future scenarios for the media industry. While they do not “predict” the future, the scenarios help build our understanding of possible outcomes — and how various industry players could be affected.

The Shape of Things To Come: Four Scenarios

We explored the ways certain industry developments could swing future outcomes. Combining these drivers into logical groupings (consumer behavior, regulatory requirements, technology, and macroeconomic conditions), we were able to define the following four scenarios, as shown in Figure 1. These scenarios are differentiated by consumer demand, industry structure, and content supply:

  • Dark Ages — low demand, consolidated industry, and relatively low content supply
  • Survival of the Fittest — low demand, fragmented industry, and high content supply
  • Golden Age of Content — high demand, consolidated industry, and controlled content supply
  • Wonderland — high demand, fragmented industry, and high content supply

Obviously, each of the scenarios will have different winners and losers. The financial impact and the implications for players across the industry value chain will substantially change by scenario. And in each scenario, distributors and infrastructure providers will need to consider different types of investments. Consequently, each type of player will need to adapt its competitive responses to the future scenario taking shape.

Figure 1.   Four Future Scenarios Are Based on Various Groupings of Industry Drivers.

 cisco-ibsg-four-future-scenarios-based-on-industry-driversSource: Cisco IBSG, 2013

Following are examples of how two future scenarios could play out: Read More »

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Next Phase of Transforming the Mobile Experience

Like a lot of us in IT, I’m into electronics. I enjoy visiting stores to get the actual hands-on experience of the product – but I admit I rarely buy on the spot. Why? I want to make sure I know what I’m buying, and frankly, that I’m getting the best deal. I either have to do research beforehand – read reviews, check prices, and clip coupons -- or search on my mobile device while I’m in the store. Depending on the results, I could either be heading to another store or heading home to make the purchase online.

This week, Cisco introduced a new way to transform that in-venue experience through Connected Mobile Experiences Web engagement. This enables organizations to communicate with opt-in mobile users – shoppers, guests, visitors -- through their mobile browser, right there in the venue.

Location-aware menus, banners, and icons as well as content-aware search enable organizations to provide venue-specific information – such as nearby dining or amenities -- as well as any information the user may find valuable based on their context: where they are, how long they are there, whether they are a new or repeat visitor, or even what sites they are visiting. This customized communication can dynamically change when the user’s context changes.

Imagine merging the online with the brick and mortar shopping experience – if I’m standing in a particular area looking at a product, the location-aware menu can provide me a link to user reviews of that particular product. And if I’m searching online for the best price, imagine the store issuing a web notification for a price match minus 5% -- I’m sold! Read More »

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MGM Resorts International Bets on Cisco; Double Downs on Wi-Fi Connectivity

Planning your summer travel and vacation destinations? Where are you headed and what kind of resort experience will you consider ideal? At this year’s Interop Conference in Las Vegas, the Cisco Enterprise Networking Group unveiled its new marquee customer – MGM Resorts International – who has upped the wireless ante to ensure its visitors have access to the information they need, literally at their fingertips.

At MGM Resorts, they continue to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation to deliver the best possible experience for their guests. John Bollen, MGM Resort’s Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer, is always looking for ways to take what they do and make it even better. Read More »

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Ghosts, Kyrie Irving & Cisco’s Global IT Impact Survey Infographic

How well do IT and Business align?

How well do IT and Business align?

This morning at Interop Las Vegas Cisco SVP/GM Rob Soderbery introduced the crowd to his vision for the Cisco ONE Architecture, played some hoops with NBA All Star @kyrieirving, and introduced the new Cisco Global IT Impact Survey.The Cisco Global IT Impact Survey was taken by more than 1,300 IT decision makers in 13 countries, and was commissioned to measure the impact of IT professionals on the decisions that shape their businesses.  It also delved in to how those IT professionals viewed some of the big trends the industry is facing -- SDN, IoT, BYOD, etc. -  while also measuring the relevance of the network itself to businesses. Read More »

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Viewpoints: Industry Experts Share Their Perspectives on the Financial Services Industry

Cisco’s Financial Services Industry Marketing team is pleased to welcome a monthly contribution from industry professionals sharing their insights and observations on key trends in the Financial Services industry. The opinions expressed in these posts are those of our welcomed guests and may not reflect the opinions of Cisco.

Silva McSwain-Campbell Combined

Jerry Silva, Principal at PG Silva Consulting, is a 25 year industry veteran and thought leader in retail banking. He recently had the opportunity to discuss what comprises a high quality customer experience with Kelly McSwain-Campbell, Customer Experience Director at US Bank. In this role, Kelly is responsible for working across the enterprise with all lines of business and channels to help ensure teams deliver a differentiated customer experience that builds stronger and deeper relationships.

Delighting the Customer: Simple Works

As a banker and technologist, I’ve spent a lot of time dealing with systems that manage customer self-service channels like the ATMs and online banking, or with the systems that bank staff uses to interact with the customer. As a consumer of banking services myself, I’ve always been interested in the people side of services delivery and how banks can deliver quality experiences at the branch and the attended contact center.

I recently had a chat with Kelly McSwain-Campbell, SVP and Customer Experience Director at Minneapolis-based US Bancorp, and asked her for some insight into today’s challenges and how she manages to delight the customer in spite of the increasing complexity of the banking environment. Organizational and technology complexity sometimes work to hinder our ability to provide an excellent customer experience and we as bankers sometimes find ourselves even more distant from our customers.

But during my discussion with Ms. McSwain-Campbell, she made it clear that given the challenges with managing customer expectations across the multiple delivery channels, she is focusing on simple but effective ways to stay connected with customers at each point of interaction. We spoke about three areas that can ensure customers continue to enjoy the best banking experience possible. Read More »

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