New Partners . . . By Director Wayne Hall

January 31, 2008

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SBA are excited to welcome two new key strategic partners – Ecomist and Mule Music. Both partners stand out for taking a solutions approach when attending to client requirements. Where appropriate, integrating SBA services into their total package offering provides both parties with an advantage in the market - and more importantly, a superior solution for their client. 2008 will be spent forging these relationships.

Ecomist specialise in enhancing environments through fragrance. The theory and practice of the way in which various styles of fragrance can be used to created an atmosphere which delivers a better experience for customers in business (and domestic) environments mirrors that of audio, so we figure we have a lot to offer one another and our clients. As businesses strive to further improve their environments and create a point of difference, it makes perfect sense to integrate their fragrance and music strategies. Research is confirming what intuitively makes sense, ie that certain combinations of fragrance & music styles can improve the customer experience, resulting in longer browse time and sales. Go to http://www.ecomist.com.au for more information.

Mule Music have developed a seriously powerful online music service, providing the capacity to load and distribute music tracks over secure networks and manage the scheduling of the tracks either from a central point or from the on-premise location. The delivery is a radio style “forward/store/play” service, meaning that tracks are sent to a client, then stored and played according to a schedule. Consequently the service can be “hands on” or “hands off”, or both, depending on the client’s operational requirements. The management platform offers some wonderful features, including the capacity to be remotely set-up on client software, full day/week/month scheduling of music styles and announcements, different playlists for different sites within a client network, automatic notification of system issues, and sound leveling software, to name a few. Our equation for this relationship is:

SBA music programming and production expertise + Mule Music digital platform = Worldclass Business Music solution + lots of great new features around the corner (stay tuned for the video version).

Contact our sales team here at SBA for more information.

Overseas mobiles

Well, if the UK and European usage of mobile phones is anything to go by, we are in for some interesting & challenging times ahead, on many levels.

During a recent trip to the UK and Italy, it was not unusual to encounter “service” (for want of a better term) which involved the person serving me to be either talking or texting on the phone or watching a mobile video, while at the same time attempting to take my order or provide information. Everyone from shop assistants, information booth attendants, waiters and tradesmen are doing it. No doubt plenty of office workers there are in full mobile mode as well.

As mobile users get access to more and more broadcast style information, it will effectively add a further compelling reason to get caught up in the service. No doubt this will pose some interesting challenges for employers and managers, however the upside is that businesses which create customer-oriented cultures will have an even stronger point of difference in the market than those that do not.

Of course, from a content supplier perspective, the mobile phone services are about to explode with opportunities. Within 5 years the lines between the likes of the major phone carriers, google, Apple, Microsoft & traditional broadcasters (to name a few) will be totally blurred as they compete for the same audience. Music and it’s derivatives – the way it is sourced, marketed, distributed and paid for, will have further evolved. All very daunting, all very exciting.

Music styles abroad

And what music seemed to dominate London café’s, pubs and retail? The little bit of exposure I had left me with the impression that late 60’s and 70’s UK chart music is prolific (great for old folk like me), while a number of cafés continue to set the tone with contemporary instrumental and lounge (much like our Groove Sessions & Lounge'n programs). All very safe, but all very suitable.

Security….What the?

Finally, I must comment on the security aspect of travelling overseas by air; it will help with my recovery……

Why do the airlines and airport security insist that passengers in transit must leave and re-enter “secure” zones when taking a transit stop-over?

In the “old days” you were given a choice as a transit passenger; you could stay within the transit zone & gate lounge and walk back onto the plane when called, or go into the main area of the airport and shop. These days everyone is herded off the plane with their walk-on luggage and given an hour or so to “relax and shop”, which in practice translates to making your way to the security line and spending the transit time in a queue, with the added threat that this airport security might confiscate something that the previous force allowed through. All very stressful.

Apart from the fact that this cannot be anyone’s idea of fun while in travel-daze, the process must infuriate retailers who miss out on thousands of hours of consumer traffic a day, while adding significant unnecessary cost to travel infrastructure. Surely a fast food or retail giant will see the merit in sponsoring a secure transit area soon in order to allow travellers to avoid this experience? I’d take up the offer.

Nothing like a monopoly to create a terrible customer experience…..


Wayne Hall
Director

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