The digital and physical worlds continue to merge. As the adoption of the Internet hits its apex, more mobile and other devices become connected at higher speeds to the web and as applications deliver interesting ways for people to benefit from the convergence of these and other mobile technology trends, augmented reality is going to become more mainstream.
The implications to organizations and business models are significant. Health, fitness and wellness business, which I write about, will experience increasing impacts from the application of these unique augmented reality solutions, many of which are going to be unanticipated.
Check out this application platform, Layar . Layar is a mobile platform for discovering information about the world around you. Using Augmented Reality (AR) technology, Layar displays digital information called “layers” in a user’s field of vision through their mobile device. Watch the video to see what I mean.
So what do you think ? Have you tried mobile augmented applications ? Let me, Bryan O'Rourke, know what you think. What will augemented reality mean for the fitness and health club business ?
I had a great few days this week with some of the key leadership of MFA. The new executive director Ken Germano, along with other board members and participants, engaged in a fulfilling workshop on the future of the association, conducted by Bill Shannon, the former Chairman of ACE, among his other accomplishments.
I can't get into details, but I do expect great things to emerge from MFA in the coming years. One of the activities Bill engaged in was asking us to vision 5 years down the road. Technology is obviously a major component of the wellness revolution and during the chats with leaders in the medical fitness business, I raised the topic of Google Health. This FREE solution is robust and enables people, physicians and other service providers to enjoy access to medical records among many other features. Check it out here. Interestingly it hasn't been succeeding. In a June 2010 article, John Moore asked about Google Health's future:
Since its initial launch to much fanfare, Google Health has struggled to be relevant. Since its formal launch in May 2008, Google Health has not dedicated the resources to build out this platform into a truly engaging ecosystem of applications to assist the consumer in managing their health or the health of a loved one. Rather than build out new features, support a broadening array of standards, focus on the necessary business development that is required to establish partnerships, Google has taken a laissez-faire attitude to this product/service never dedicating more than a handful of engineers to the effort and most often flexing in outside vendors, such as IBM who built the module to bring in biometric from Continua compliant devices.
As a patient it is interesting to me how Google health seems so unknown to so many. The diagnostic group Qwest offers an interface for medical records with Google Health , yet not one of my doctors uses it or even knows about it. When I've brought up Google health in the past in the fitness business or with medical fitness professionals not a single person has been aware of its capabilities, which are significant. That confuses me.
I've included a video on Google Health below and wonder: Why is the solution not being adopted by more care proviers ? Where Is Google Health In The Evolution Of Wellness ? Please let me, Bryan O'Rourke, know your thoughts.
During my upcoming IHRSA presentation on using technology to improve member sales and retention I'll touch on 5 key technology trends. I'll also be sharing some of these concepts and more during the FILEX presentation in April on the future of the fitness industry.
Let me know what you think. How are these trends impacting your fitness or wellness business ? Contact me Bryan O'Rourke and please share your thoughts.
My friend Michael Scudder Skyped me this am and asked if I had seen the news on Borders, who just filed for Chapter 11. His skype text said,
Good morning, Bryan! I assume you saw that Borders declared bankruptcy this morning. You called that shot a couple of years ago. Indications for the bricks-and-mortar fitness industry??
I wish I were that smart Michael. However, it is true that the head winds contributing to the book industry's reinvention, ala Borders, are also being faced by the Bricks and Mortar fitness industry.
THE key component of business model viability is this: can an organization consistently create and deliver something at a certain cost and sell it at a higher price ? This is a challenge for many industries and it is instructive to watch what is happening in the book store business today as the "middle men", the publishing and retail book store industries are getting squeezed. The entire book industry is starting to experience what every business is going to experience: tremendous upheaval as creators have more options to create and distribute goods and services. Thus alternative solutions to customer needs are reinventing markets and business models.
Geoffrey Fowler and Jeffrey Trachtenberg wrote a great WSJ article titled, "Vanity Press Goes Digital" , which dissect the shift occurring in book creation. Here is a excerpt:
But some publishers say that online self-publishing and the entry of newcomers such as Amazon into the market could mark a sea change in publishing.
"It's a threat to publishers' control over authors," said Richard Nash, former publisher of Soft Skull Press who recently launched Cursor Inc., a new publishing company. "It shows best-selling authors that there are alternatives—they can hire their own publicist, their own online marketing specialist, a freelance editor, and a distribution service."
In the fitness industry, as with many other industries, there are similarities to the book business. If you are skeptical of what I am saying realize history includes many examples. Long before there were iPads and Kindles were other disruptive technologies like the printing press and Guttenberg Bible. turned the world on its head. We are here again. I think the bricks and mortar fitness business will survive, but there will be increasing competition from alternative digital services and competitors who blend a combination of digital and personal delivery that create unique customer member experience.
So tell me, Bryan O'Rourke, what do you think ? Does the Border's Bankrtupcy relate to the health club industry ? Are changes in the business models for health clubs going to create opportunities and disruptions in the industry ?
Watch the interesting video below and thanks for your thoughts.
If you are in business today you should read on because I am going to share what I think is the most valuable strategic thing you can do to improve your company.
At fitmarc we deliver turnkey group fitness solutions including everything from education to training, and from consulting and marketing to information systems in the cloud (our new club count product is really cool and quite affordable). We deliver expertise and insights based on vast experience and orchestrated from sources around the world. We deliver Prahalad's R=G. For the small price our customers pay they get A LOT of value with Les Mills group fitness solutions. Prahalad professed that wise businesses focus on their customers and rely on valuable vendor partners to help them service their customers. However, not every business embraces this approach with many in our industry being short sighted, stepping over dollars to pick up dimes. They actually believe that the vendor relationship is about the cheapest price or that they can do everything on their own or get away with. In Prahalad's view and in mine this is a huge strategic error.
What do you think ? When you do business with vendors, do you see them as global partners delivering value beyond price ? Are you operating your business as an N=1 R=G or do you only seek the cheapest thing you can buy or get away with ? Contact me Bryan O'Rourke and share your views and please check out my slideshare presentation below on managing group fitness programs and learn more about our new Club Count solution.
