What Does It Mean When Most Mobile Content Execs Don't Use Their Own Services?

from the eat-your-own-dog-food dept

Thu, Oct 4th 2007 1:26pm — Mike Masnick

I vaguely recall a very similar study making waves a few years ago, but can't find any trace of it right now. However, a recent study of executives working in the mobile content space found that more than half of those surveyed don't actually use the mobile content they're pitching. Now, there can be plenty of questions about the methodology here, and it's not entirely clear from the wording if they asked specifically about the mobile content from that particular exec's company, or mobile content in general. However, when your own executives can't be convinced to use the product they're supposed to convince others to use, there's a problem. If anything, it suggests that there's been too much hype in "mobile content" and a bunch of execs have jumped on the bandwagon, not because of an interesting product, but because of the hype. That's unfortunate. Mobile content should be a big deal, but it's not as simple as some may think -- and if you have bandwagon-riding execs, a lot of time, effort and money is going to get wasted.

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Filed Under: mobile content

13 Comments

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Brian Harris, 4 Oct 2007 @ 1:45pm

Demographics.
i would image that most mobile content is being targeted at 14-30 year olds and that most C-Level execs don't really fit in their.

I can't image it's uncommon for someone to sell a product they don't use. It's another thing to sell a product that you don't know anything about...
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Nick (profile), 4 Oct 2007 @ 2:14pm

simple:
I means they don't gots the passion for the product.
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RandomThoughts, 4 Oct 2007 @ 2:23pm

Some very senior executives at technology companies don't read their email. They have their assistant print it out for them. I know senior executives at consulting firms that do this also.

I forget who, but something like the CTO for Sun or some company like that doesn't have a computer at home or use a mobile devise, not because they don't understand it but because they don't want to always be high tech.
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Andy, 4 Oct 2007 @ 2:39pm

No biggie
I don't think it means anything.

If I am the manufacturer of a Cream to treat itching in 'sensitive places', does that mean I have to use it?
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- anonymouscoward, 4 Oct 2007 @ 2:41pm
  
  Re: No biggie
  I think it means you had a reason to create the product, but now it's working great for you.
  
  :P
  
  j/k
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zomg!, 4 Oct 2007 @ 2:44pm

What does it mean when someone posts a shocking he
but then fails to have anything substantial to say in the actual article?
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zomg!, 4 Oct 2007 @ 2:47pm

It got cut off
lame. It was supposed to say:

"What does it mean when someone posts a shocking headline"

oh well, i lose at teh internets.
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Gary, 4 Oct 2007 @ 2:47pm

Your observation is very traditional.

There used to be regular surveys that pointed out that most of the executives of the Pennsylvania Railroad were chauffeured to their offices in Philadelphia's 30th Street Station despite living on the railroad's Main Line.

The punchline was always "no wonder service is lousy".
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Mark, 4 Oct 2007 @ 5:08pm

So What?
How many Guess and Lucky Brand Jeans executives wear their product? Especially the very aged ones...
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jhunter, 5 Oct 2007 @ 7:16am

too much
Mobile content is cool, it just costs too damn much. Why am I going to pay $15 month so I can download music videos to my phone when I can get them for free if I just wait to get home? God forbid I try and get the internet on my PDA at $40/month. These are things the mobile carriers should give away to try and attract more customers. I'm month-to-month now and would go right now and change carriers if one would give me Internet on a PDA at a reasonable cost, until then I'm just staying with Verizon because I don't have a contract.
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Derek Kerton (profile), 5 Oct 2007 @ 11:37am

Goes Deeper
Being a Wireless Expert in Silicon Valley, I see a lot of execs for other wireless firms and startups. There is a certain level of competition to have the latest phone or gadget, largely as "status symbols". Not status as in wealth, but status as a geek.

That said, I usually have my share of geek chic. But it's usually the case that the people with a new Smartphone or gadget on their belt DON'T know how to use it. They use it as a phone, and perhaps the email that was configured by their IT department, but I often get negative responses to the following:

- What 3rd party apps do you recommend?
- Have you installed any 3rd party apps?
- How do you like the mapping/GPS capability of that device?

I'd say about half the people I meet are fellow geeks who have played extensively with the device, and half couldn't really care less. As for me, getting a new gadget is a bittersweet occurrence, as I'm very likely to spend the entire night playing with it. Entire meaning, "Damn is that dawn?" is how it usually ends.

That said, I'm not sure I've seen any correlation between 'ability to do job' and 'ability to use their device'. It seems that passion is beneficial for certain roles, but many management roles don't require it. Even though it would be an improvement, not every person at your company NEEDS to be passionate about the tech.
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Adrian, 6 Oct 2007 @ 1:28am

Interesting but not unexpected
It is bound to happen. One of my friends works at one company and has 2 personal mobile phones, each on a different provider than the one she works for.
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DP81, 8 Oct 2007 @ 12:02pm

I agree that it is important for company execs to be familiar with how their product works and what users can do with it. While it is true that you can understand something without actually doing it, I feel gaining knowledge of user experience can only really be addressed through a company actively using their product along with its customers.

I work with WidSets, which is a free platform for obtaining and creating widgets that expedite access to mobile content. The company execs helped create the original platform/widgets and continue to use them. We know user experience is critical to driving adoption of mobile content, so the company makes it imperative that everyone use the tools and help create new ones.
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