Technology: friend or foe?

My last blogpost ended with the introduction of Technological, as the T in a PEST analysis, which requires more than a couple of sentences to explain. I have chosen the cute, harlequin ladybird as the “pest” to illustrate technology because it captures the conflicting qualities of technology. On the one hand, like the ladybird, technology is attractive and generates positive emotions. But, on the other hand, like the ladybird, it can quietly cause great damage to your business if not monitored carefully.
The Harlequin ladybird originated in Asia and was first sighted in Essex in 2004. It is an invading species which has decimated the population of the native, British, two-spot ladybird which has been eaten by the harlequin. So, what are my concerns about technology? Here’s a summary of the pro’s and con’s which you should consider whilst developing your marketing strategy.

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I have shared my views about online shopping previously in Reasons for small businesses to be cheerful; Lessons in marketing from high street woes. I fear that customer connection may be the equivalent of the native two-spot lady bird which has been devoured by the harlequin of technology. To discuss how best to stay close to your customers’ needs, please contact [email protected] and visit my website to access its free resource centre.