The Fine Print Exposed

As Black Friday approaches, let’s take a look at the fine print.  The following article takes a dive into the world of holiday deals.

http://www.cio.com/article/637580/Holiday_Free_Shipping_the_Fine_Print_Exposed?source=rss_news 

Best Buy:  First up is Best Buy.  Did you know that free shipping doesn’t include "laptops, netbooks, iPads, iPods, Dynex TVs, video game consoles, major appliances, compact refrigerators, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, grills, outdoor furniture, pergolas, fitness equipment, and electric vehicles”?  What else is there to order?

Staples:  It turns out that Staples’ ad on having a camera shipped directly to your door actually means shipping directly to your neighborhood Staples.

Sears and JC Penney’s:  You can get free shipping as long as you have the coupon code, in its entirety.

In conclusion, maybe free shipping isn’t all it’s built up to be. 

The Rise of the Robots

I read an article today about the Kiva Robots.  These “moving orange tortoises . . .scurry around warehouses and bring shelves of clothing, electronics, car parts—whatever a retailer sells—to specialized workspaces called packing stations”.  From there humans pack up the items and put them into trucks. These robots actually seem smarter than humans.  In their spare time, they will reorganize inventory based on work flow placing more high demand items in easier to reach places and lower demand items deeper in the back shelves.

As we saw at our site visit to Associated Grocers, the warehouse process can be incredibly efficient.  I wonder what it would be like if the robots took over there.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_47/b4204047877696.htm  

Today's Panel

The speakers in today’s panel were very interesting.  It somehow always amazes me when I hear them use terms straight from class. 

I believe it was with the outsourcing to Chili example that brought up something that interested me.  How do you encourage your IT staff that outsourcing is better for the company when they feel they can handle the project themselves?  Looking at Porter’s 5 forces, how do you make your IT staff feel like they have value when you are passing off projects to outside companies?  I think a lot of this plays on the article, “Six IT Decisions Your IT People Shouldn’t Make.”  While your IT staff should not make the final decision on when to outsource, sometimes it is best to hear their side or include them in the decision.  This may allow them to realize for themselves that someone else can do the job better.

It can be a sticky situation, but the firm must rely on their core competencies. 

Outsourcing II

I did some research on outsourcing to go along with our class discussions.  Did you know a typical IT organization spends about 5 to 6 percent of its total IT budget on outsourcing? Many argue that the size of the company doesn’t matter; big or small companies are reaping the benefits of outsourcing.

The most popular IT functions to outsource are data center operations, disaster recovery and Web site systems.  This goes along with our article for the week, “Six IT decisions your IT people shouldn’t make”.  GTECH Corporation, which runs the government lotteries, is charged up to $10,000 per minute that the system is unavailable.  Disaster recovery is a serious concern.

I think outsourcing will continue to grow and therefore, will continue to impact the way we do business. 

"Outsourced"

Well we all know “Outsourcing” has made it big when it has it’s own show on NBC.  The first episode starts out with a guy coming back from vacation to find that every cubicle in his office is empty.  His manager is sitting at the front of the room eating some sort of bbq substance.  He quickly learns that the whole company is being outsourced to India and he must pack up and move right away.

The characters in the show are actually pretty funny.  There is one episode where the “bullies” (this is a group who does a higher grade of outsourcing) show up and cause a scene in the cafeteria.  The part that is so funny is the fact that each of them can speak in different accents from around America.  It was really interesting to think about though.  Next time I call to place an order, I could be talking to someone in India who sounds like they live down the street.

Looking at the Cisco case from class, we see that outsourcing has really changed the landscape of some companies.  While Cisco used outsourcing to encourage innovation, we learned that it didn’t work so easily and that it actually provided several disconnects in the company.  I guess the question is when do you outsource and if you do, why?  And lastly, does is always work?

Guest Speakers

I really enjoyed our guest speakers in class on Friday and not just because it was a good break after our statistics exam! 

It was very interesting to hear them use the terms that we learn in class as their everyday language. 

A few things that I had never really thought about before were hospitals and airlines using technology the way that they do.  I was amazed to hear Dr. Mills point out that mistakes do happen and technology has really helped to cut down on some of those mistakes.  I’m sure it was quite a challenge to get everyone on board.  I know at my job we have people who still refuse to use a computer.  They do everything by hand!

 

I also enjoyed seeing all of the technical systems in an airport.  It must be nice to have someone walking around to check you in.  I can’t stand the long lines!  Also, there is a technology that just helps the ramp workers get from point A to point B. 

All of these new innovations have made these businesses very efficient and have also opened the doors for new opportunities. 

Social Networking Overkill?

Rumor has it that Facebook may be building a phone.  As we’ve talked about in class, Facebook must be feeling the pressure to expand deeper into the IT world. 

Let’s discuss some pros and cons from the article, “The Five Pros and Cons of a Facebook Phone.”

Pros:

·         Everything is already built – I think the author get this one right.  It is definitely true that we love to text rather than call.  This could definitely be the basis for the phone.

·         Social Feeds are Popular – Every phone nowadays has its own form of a social feed.  Why not take the biggest social network of them all and put it into a phone?

·         Facebook has Sex Appeal – Well that’s one way to put it.  I think what’s really going on with this pro is that Facebook is recognizable.  You can look at the format without any text and know exactly what you’re looking at.  It’s reached a level of brand recognition.

Cons:

·         Other Apps Shut Out – The article brings up a good point.  A phone needs apps, something more than just a social feed.  Is Facebook ready to give up that space to others?

·         Privacy Concerns – Facebook has had problems with privacy violations before.  What makes this time different especially if the phone can do a whole lot more than just socializing?

·         Facebook Will Surely Get Old and Tired – I’m already tired of Facebook!  I was on for maybe less than a year and that was that.  I guess I’m an active rejector.

Facebook is trying to open its doors to a new playing ground.  I guess we’ll just have to see how well it works.