Product

Technology Platform – Go Wide Or Go Deep?

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We come across the “Go Wide or Go Deep?” question regularly in our outsourced product management engagements. (Should the term “outsourced product management” intrigue you, see Who The Heck Outsources Product Management?). Let’s take a typical scenario: An IT company has developed a technology platform without reference to any specific segment. The going in position of … Read more

Pixie Dust Sampling – Or How To Commit Harakiri By Lying With Big Data

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I recently saw the following post on LinkedIn: “95% of banks in the study have created innovation labs.” This figure seemed extremely high to me. I did a quick-and-dirty survey of three banks in my circle. Not one of them has an innovation lab. Nevertheless, I didn’t conclude that the author of the post was … Read more

How Blockchain Can Crack The Holy Grail Of Loyalty Programs

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Loyalty programs give reward points to consumers for making purchases and let consumers redeem their reward points for gifts. By their very nature, reward points look like an alternative currency and quack like an alternative currency. Blockchain lets them pass the Duck Test and become a alternative currency aka alt-coin. I’ve heard of platforms that help … Read more

AI In UI – Low Hanging Fruit For Slashing SAAS Churn Rate

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SAAS users experience frequent UI changes. The sales order button suddenly moves from top left to bottom right of the screen. The funnel report disappears from the splash screen. I could go on and on but the point is, frequent changes in UI drain productivity and escalate training costs. Beyond a certain extent, they might … Read more

Open Banking Needs A Blockchain Boost

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Ever since Open Banking was launched in January, the media has gone on an overdrive, warning bank customers about data breaches and urging them to be cautious about sharing their data with TPPs (Third Party Providers). Fintech thought leader Chris Skinner accused the media of kissing “the banks’ backsides”. But it’s not as though the media … Read more

Rideshare: Exhibit A For New Age Digital Business

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In How Rideshare Startups Flipped A Switch To Create A Billion Dollar Business Overnight, I shared my thoughts on how rideshare startups have gone against common wisdom in many areas and used digital – aka SMAC (Social-Mobile-Analytics-Cloud) –  technologies to create a billion dollar business virtually overnight. But it’s more than just technology. Before I elaborate, let … Read more

PSA: Insist On Receipt When You Pay By NEFT, UPI, FPS Etc.

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When you pay someone, you expect to get a receipt for the payment. Especially when that “someone” is a business. Receipt – or “proof of receipt of payment” – must be issued by the Payee / Merchant so that you can use it to independently prove that the Payee / Merchant has received your money. … Read more

The End Of Google Search Is Not Nigh

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I go directly to the websites of my favorite brands whenever I shop online e.g. Amazon for products, Cleartrip for flight tickets and hotels, Housing for real estate, Play Store for mobile apps, Product Hunt for software and websites, StockImages for images, and so on. I can’t remember the last time I went to Google to … Read more