Web 2.0, Enterprise 2.0, Business 2.0, voice 2.0... The term “2.0′′ is the most commonly used Internet buzzword. It is so current to be “2.0′′” that to distinguish ourselves, we want to be “3.0′′... whatever that is. In this admirable new world of Online we are so tied to technology that sometimes we forget the simplest and most important things. And no matter how you go, branding, marketing, advertisation, online, offline... “it’s all about the customer”. And speaking of 2.0, there's a new client out there... Customer 2.0. I don't know what you think, but I... I want to talk to him. Professionally, everything I do these days is so I can talk to him and him.
Who is Customer 2.0? It's new and alive! He's one of the most demanding clients we've ever had to deal with. You know why? Because the 2.0 customer expects us, the market, to grow and appear.
Customer 2.0 calls us to make your Internet experience fun, social, addictive. If he uses our services today, there's no guarantee he'll use them tomorrow. This customer is brand loyal, but my website will draw your attention if he does so to his community; his group; his tribe.
- Welcome to the age of oblivion!
And don't expect this Customer 2.0 to be happy with your simple site (much different from a simple site!). He learned web design in high school, learned all about the new ways of unionizing. He learned all about how to aggregate content, how to make his own “mashups”. It is a generation that divides between Googles (the coolest and smartest) vs Yahooyanos (less aggressive, less knowledgeable but equally intelligent). For this client... we either have to offer you something really new or you will feel offended, either by the lack of “professionalism”, or by “trust”.
For your site to be your meeting point, it is mandatory to offer “competence” and “irreverence”.
One thing is certain... all this fashion of “2.0′′, depends and is pushed by this “client 2.0′′”. The first step in realizing this world 2.0 is the knowledge of this new customer. Before we work on any idea, project, business, it is important to start by listing the needs of this new client and reacting to their needs. Then, and only then, to implement. And forget about the traditional IT project. This 2.0 client is also the “ 2.0 Beta customer”. He's willing to test and participate in development. You're not willing to wait.
-
- Rule number 1 of “world 2.0′′: Do first, correct and improve next. **
And in fact... no matter how many turns you get to the definitions of Marketing, IT, Branding, Sales, etc.... It's all so simple, so basic. It all comes down to the old man: “The customer first!”
- Back to the basics 2.0?