The G r e e n
After the US presidential election top NYTimes columnist Tom Friedman wrote the key to future US success was for President Biden to deliver real stimulus that enables all Americans to realize their full potential. Moreover, to make sure that the $1.9Tn relief package; and his coming $3Tn green/infrastructure proposal actually deliver as promised.
Zoooooming
As corporations plan to bring workers back to the office, interior design experts Perkins+Will expect expanded gathering spaces and fewer personal workstations. The #BeyondCovid scenarios look uncannily like collaborative workspaces from progressives in the 90's
New York's new
Remote work is here to stay. Manhattan may never be the same. NYC, long buoyed by a fantastic flow of commuters into towering office buildings, faces a cataclysmic challenge, even when Covid concludes. A new mobile 'office is where you are', 'decentralized age' has dawned. This case study by NYTimes' Matthew Haag is convincing....
WMT double up
Walmart's chief customer officer Janey Whiteside was appointed 3 years ago to revitalize the tired brand and forge closer relationships with customers. Now she's hired 2 women executives to improve creativity and the entertainment experience.
Compu'center cuts
UK's #1 international IT reseller Compucenter has consolidated its position in Germany with the acquisition of a logistics operator in the public and enterprise market based in Cologne. Strange move into client's delivery systems?
Microsoft moves
Mighty Microsoft is on a merger roll. It's in talks with a third major player in the video gaming and AI/voice activated technology space to wrap up multi-$Bn deals. It expects close its second largest acquisition this week. Watch this space...
Best Buy: too much
Best Buy, the $44Bn electronics retailer has launched a new plan to hold on to shoppers in the crowded market dominated by Amazon. Crazy high price given Prime costs $119 and provides a broader products range. Missed opportunity to attract, match and provide destination services?
Fellowes' fine air
Much admired hygiene & wellness products maker Fellowes Brands has launched a new TV 'Work from Work' campaign to prepare businesses for a safe return of workers to central offices. Smart thinking as it drives awareness of Covid's airborne dangers in all populated workspaces inc. WFH...
Pantum Printers
China based printermaker Pantum, is accelerating its US market expansion and plans to launch new products on Amazon in the second half of 2021.
MTS providers'
Chaos and confusion reigns in the rapidly declining print & copy market. The D2C consolidation trend evident in recent years seems to be reversing given the lack of success, now we are seeing regional MPS players being acquired by larger MTS providers. Here is the latest example in Europe...
Goog & Shopify's
Shopify (ceo Tobi Lutke, pic left)the specialist MCommerce platform for business supply dealers grew 100% in 2020 to $120Bn in GMV sales. Now Google is partnering with it and adding new tools to revive its own failed efforts to rein in the new 'Goliath', Amazon
Depot's d a t a
Diminishing Office Depot Europe customers' personal data was exposed for 10 hours reported the Website Planet team. The unprotected database was quickly rectified, but could have been used by cyber-criminals to perform phishing attacks.
Konica contras
Konica Business Solutions has announced it will transfer select sales offices to its independent dealer channel, starting in the western US. This is a reversal of current direct to consumer (D2C) market trends by brandmakers and particularly MPS vendors e.g. Xerox, Ricoh & HP. Will these players rethink their unsuccessful direct strategies too?
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