Uberization: Technology is bold!

Uberization…my trip to Budapest

I went on a trip to Budapest and I thought about sharing with you my personal insights on few events, people, groups, and companies that are mistakenly using their energy to combat new technological innovations (uberization) in countries like France and Morocco.

Technology is unstoppable! Innovation is not only shaking old, legacy systems but it’s disrupting the majority of business models. Mistaken are the ones thinking that regulations, blockages, politics, unions, or any type of authoritative or regulatory power will be able to stop the new technological innovations.

Look around to see how Facebook built its business model on a powerful technological platform, connecting people and hence impacting all kinds of decisions, and how Twitter gained universal respect in instant messaging, making information sharing about events very powerful. The news about Dominique Strauss-Kahn (DSK), a French politician, was shared among millions in a matter of minutes. Airbnb became the first accommodation choice for travelers without having to own hotels and buildings, making life easier for commuters around cities. No more hassles of searching, looking for taxis, price conflicts.

Do we need more examples to see and to realize that our economy is being revolutionized? Old business models are soon to be obsolete. Think ahead and fast because many of today’s well-established companies are already disappearing due to their lack of vision. They are failing to integrate technology into their business plans.

I was at a conference a few years back at Schulich School of Business in Toronto when Jim Balsillie, former CEO of BlackBerry, brushed off a question from a student asking him about their strategy in facing iPhone. Six years later, the resultants are dramatic on BlackBerry.

Kodak used to be our first choice for photography! Where are they now? Do you think their customer relationships, their assets or their infrastructure helped them to sustain the business? The emergence of smartphones, smart printers and smart scanners have changed the rules of photography. The trend has become even more revolutionary with 3D printers. The possibilities are endless.

Hotels are now heavily relying on platforms like Booking.com who they’re paying thousands of dollars to bring them, customers, despite their assets.

So, please taxi drivers – think differently? Our Moroccan mobile and phone companies: Please see the future differently and be fast. There will soon be a time when you will be outdated and outpaced by new technological models. The sad thing is that the impact of this belated technological awareness will be significant on jobs and many economies. Our politicians should integrate digitalization in their vision and plans and companies need to stay ahead of the curve if they hope for a seat in this new adventure.

Uberization is a reality and we’re all invited to jump in. When we fail to do so, we will soon be history.