EOC: Week 4: There's an App for That

Some Smartphone apps nowadays are just plain stupid and a complete waste of time. Others, however, are revolutionary and definitely serve a purpose. There are weight loss apps, coupon apps, gas station-finding apps, sound effect apps, flashcard apps, Photoshop apps, mobile banking apps, notepad apps, Netflix has an app, there's even app that lets you know if you're too drunk to drive home and orders a cab for you. There's an app for everything!

If I were to design an app, I would have one be that my phone never be able to die. Even if I drop it in the toilet (which often happens to Smartphone owners, unfortunately), if it gets run over by a cement truck, I want my phone to either stay alive or have all my memory saved on my phone somehow, so I can just transfer it to another one. I want an app that stores EVERYTHING that's on my phone...including all the apps I already have. I want a guarantee that I won't have to ask my friends for their cell phone numbers if something happens to my phone.

A second app that should definitely be in an App Store is one that finds your car. Luckily, many of these already exist. And isn't it such a great idea? I can't begin to count how many times I've actually lost my car in a parking lot. Beeping the lock key or the panic button don't do any good because the keys have a certain radius the buttons work in, and outside of that radius is moot. So let me find my car ANYWHERE. What if it gets stolen? I want to know where to go to kick the ass of the person who tried to get away with stealing my car. I don't want to have to ask, "Dude, where's my car?!".

Lastly, I want an app that will let me input my entire family medical history. How am I supposed to know if some relative had this disease? Well, let me pull out my phone and find out. That would make filling out paperwork at a doctor's office much more efficient and accurate, and that would help make sure that I get the proper medical care. How would I get that history inside the app? A simple questionnaire, similar to those given in waiting rooms at the doctor, would be all that's required. Quick and simple. And isn't that what app buyers want?

EOC: Week 3: Making Money for Good

Some companies, let's face it, don't care so much about the world in which their consumers live. There are many, however, that in fact do care about their customers! (Shocking, isn't it?)
A prime example of that is Avon, which has created the Avon Foundation for Women. In fact, "Through 2010, Avon global philanthropy has donated more than $800 million in more than 50 countries for causes most important to women." These causes are represented by the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, their Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program, and also their continued support for relief efforts during times of natural disasters and emergencies.
In regards to the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, "Avon has raised and donated nearly $700 million to breast cancer programs around the world. The money supports breast cancer research and helps women access quality care." This clearly shows how much Avon recognizes vital needs and uses their products and services to fill these needs.
http://www.avoncompany.com/corporatecitizenship/breastcancer.html
For nearly forty years, Target has been committed to giving back to the community. Their self-titled "Commitment to Giving" has consistently given 5% of its income to support communities in various ways, including their Take Charge of Education program, and partnering with art organizations and educators to help Target customers and their families take part in cultural events nationwide.
Coca-Cola is all about sustainability. They consider it their corporate responsibility to make a positive difference in the world. They accomplish this by putting quality ingredients in their products (and heaven knows Coca-Cola has MANY products...), encouraging healthy living by providing healthier products, constantly developing sustainable packaging (such as reducing the amount of materials used to create packaging without sacrificing quality), and creating healthy and positive work environments with "internationally respected human rights principles".
All three of these companies, as well as countless others, make it part of their corporate mission to give back with the money they get from sales. More companies should take a step back and look at the world around them, not just the tiny bubble in which they live and make tons of money. Maybe then they would see that the world has so many great needs, many of which can be filled by company and, in the long run, global commitment and support.

EOC - Week 2: Boston Consulting Group - Video Games

The state of the economy has hit many markets very hard, but none quite so hard recently as the video game industry. The arrival of the decline in market value has come about rather quickly. In fact, "As recently as six months ago, the video game industry was racking up strong growth even as other businesses reported sharp declines in sales and profits" (Kane, WSJ). While families have been buying games for as much as $70 (or much more, if you include the console and accessories), there has been an abrupt halt in sales. In 2009, video game sales reached $20.2 billion with the releases of such top-selling game consoles as the Wii, which sold 3.1 million units even though there had been "some rumblings that the Wii had started to lose some of its steam"(http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-10435516-52.html#ixzz1JXZUPqN0).
The way I see it, there is much possibility in the future of video games, especially in new kinds of technology. Just look at Microsoft's Kinect hardware for the Xbox 360! The idea that 'you are the controller' has definitely found its place in the video game market. The Kinect has been called "the fastest-selling consumer electronics device in the world, having reached 10m sales in just a couple of months" (http://www.siliconrepublic.com/new-media/item/21385-microsoft-is-bringing/). I think gaming consoles such as the Kinect are going to be a star in this market. It's an entirely new product with high growth rate. I'm sure other companies are scrambling to figure out how to top the Kinect. Wii was first to put real control in your hands (not just simulated by the old school controllers of PlayStation and others). Kinect topped it by getting rid of the hand-held controller all together!
What is definitely dead is the era of Gameboy. I haven't seen any ads for any Gameboy games, systems, or accessories. I think the Gameboy is antiquated already. It was huge when I was growing up. But even then, it was only for maybe 6 or 7 years. Then we got PlayStation. Then we got to business.
The future of gaming is all in the technology. Who is going to be the next company with the next big thing to revolutionize this already continuously revolutionizing industry? Only time can tell.

EOC - Week 1 - Great Customer Service

A company is nothing without its customers. Scratch that. A company is nothing without satisfied customers. This truth lies in the fact that "Satisfied customers are more likely to be loyal customers" (Marketing: an Introduction, pg. 14). Why would a company want to spend precious time and money on continuously and constantly having to re-market to new customers? If it's really a good company, like Zappos or Apple, it will value customer satisfaction more than the customer's dollar. I had great customer service at a Sprint store recently, immediately having horrible service at a different Sprint store. Long story short, I needed a replacement for my phone. Store #1 was giving me such a hard time, telling me I could not get a new phone right away, even though I had insurance and a warranty on the phone. They failed to fix my broken phone to my satisfaction, so I decided to go to a different store. Store #2 IMMEDIATELY gave me a brand new phone, fully programmed, free of charge. After my ordeal with Store #1 (which, not entirely ironically, is now out of business), it is safe to say I will go to Store #2 from now on.

EOC - Week 1 - My Voice

As a photographer, it is my job to show the world in the most beautiful and authentic way possible. Every click of my camera's shutter is another chance to show my point of view, my perspective, my ideas. I hold those things very dear to my heart. As a student, I am in a wonderful position: I am, for the next two years, able to absorb and learn everything I need to know as a photographer, as an artist, and as a person as a whole. Each class adds another tool to my "toolbelt". My goal is to have a varied and full toolbelt by the time I graduate from the Art Institute. I can then use these tools for the duration of my career as a (hopefully) successful Wedding and Portrait photographer. Even more than use in my photography career, I plan on continuing my schooling after the Art Institute. My next goal is to go to business school to earn an MBA in Business Management. I feel that this degree would be, perhaps, the start of a new toolbelt for me that I can use in various areas of my life. The way I see it, there is so much the world has to offer. There are so many things to see, to do, to learn... The Beatles sang it best, "Nothing you can know that isn't known / Nothing you can see that can't be shown / Nothing you can be that isn't where you're meant to be". I completely agree with the Fab Four's idea here: You have the potential within you to do great things, to experience everything that there is to be experienced, to become everything you want to become, and to have the life you want. We are all in charge of our own destiny. I am going to make sure that I totally and completely fulfill my destiny as a photographer. I am in control of that. I am going to make that happen, one step at a time.