For businesses of any size, in every category, customer expectations are at an all-time high. At GoKart Labs’ 2017 Client Summit, co-founder Don Smithmier delivered an overview of how great, seamless digital experiences are what can make or break a brand in the Age of the Customer.

1. How to Stay Relevant in the
“Age Of The Customer”

3. 3
HI, I’M DON.

4. 4
I’M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT
YOUR CUSTOMER’S EXPECTATIONS.

5. 4
I’M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT
YOUR CUSTOMER’S EXPECTATIONS.
THEY AREN’T WHAT
THEY USED TO BE.

6. 5

7. WE’RE BASED OUT OF MINNEAPOLIS
6

8. 7
WITH A SECOND LAB IN D.C.

9. 8
WE’RE A GOOD PLACE TO WORK.

10. 9
TEXT
BUSINESS INCUBATOR INNOVATION LAB
EQUAL PARTS

11. 10
TEXT
BUSINESS INCUBATOR INNOVATION LAB
EQUAL PARTS
BUILD AND LAUNCH
OUR OWN STARTUPS
IMPROVE DIGITAL
EXPERIENCES FOR CLIENTS

12. 11
TEXT
EQUAL PARTS
SPIRIT OF AN
ENTREPRENEUR
RIGOR OF WORLD’S
BEST BRANDS
BUSINESS INCUBATOR INNOVATION LAB
BUILD AND LAUNCH
OUR OWN STARTUPS
IMPROVE DIGITAL
EXPERIENCES FOR CLIENTS

13. 12
TEXT
EQUAL PARTS
SPEED SCALE
SPIRIT OF AN
ENTREPRENEUR
RIGOR OF WORLDS
BEST BRANDS
BUSINESS INCUBATOR INNOVATION LAB
BUILD AND LAUNCH
OUR OWN STARTUPS
IMPROVE DIGITAL
EXPERIENCES FOR CLIENTS

14. 5 BUSINESSES IN 8 YEARS
$16M IN VENTURE FUNDING
2 EXITS
2 DEATHS
1 STORY IN PROGRESS
BUSINESS INCUBATION - NOT JUST A HOBBY
13

15. 14
I’M THE FOUNDER/CO-FOUNDER OF 3 OF GOKART’S VENTURES

16. 15
ACQUIRED
IN 2012
ACQUIRED
IN 2015
SERIES A
18 FTE’S
CURRENTLY WORKING WITH SOME
OF THE WORLD’S BIGGEST BRANDS
I’M THE FOUNDER/CO-FOUNDER OF 3 OF GOKART’S VENTURES

17. INNOVATION LAB - NOT YOUR AVERAGE CHALLENGES
16
BE OUR
MOBILE TEAM
CO-FOUND A
NEW VENTURE
IMPROVE THE
HEALTH OF
OUR 300,000
EMPLOYEES
TRANSFORM BUSINESS
MODEL AND DIGITAL
PRODUCTS TO SUPPORT
NEW GROWTH
HELP US BECOME THE
DIGITAL LEADER IN
HIGHER EDUCATION

18. 17
IN 2016, EVERYTHING CHANGED…AGAIN.

19. 18
LOSING PRINCE AND BOWIE
WAS REALLY TOUGH

20. 19
WE ARE A BLAB BLAB THAT DOES BLAH FOR BLAH.
‘WE’VE ENTERED THE AGE OF THE CUSTOMER”
- FORRESTER, 2016

21. 20
WE ARE A BLAB BLAB THAT DOES BLAH FOR BLAH.
‘WE’VE ENTERED THE AGE OF THE CUSTOMER”
- FORRESTER, 2016
THEIR EXPECTATIONS
HAVE CHANGED.
20

22. IN 2016, EVERYTHING CHANGED
21
1900
Age of manufacturing

23. IN 2016, EVERYTHING CHANGED
21
1900 1960
Age of manufacturing Age of distribution

24. IN 2016, EVERYTHING CHANGED
21
1900 1960 1990
Age of manufacturing Age of InformationAge of distribution

25. IN 2016, EVERYTHING CHANGED
21
1900 1960 1990 2010
Age of manufacturing Age of the customerAge of InformationAge of distribution

26. 22
IT HAS BEEN A LONG ROAD
GETTING HERE

27. IN 2016, EVERYTHING CHANGED
23
1900 1960 1990 2010
Age of manufacturing Age of the customerAge of InformationAge of distribution
MOBILE DROVE
MASSIVE CHANGE
2007

28. IN 2016, EVERYTHING CHANGED
24
Age of the customer
2007 202220162014
The Mobile Tipping Point

29. IN 2016, EVERYTHING CHANGED
25
1900 1960 1990 2010
Age of manufacturing Age of the customerAge of InformationAge of distribution
MOST ORGS DESIGNED
TO SUCCEED HERE

30. 26
CUSTOMERS WERE USED TO TOLERATING PAIN
CORE VALUE
FRICTION

31. 27
STARTUPS HAVE CHANGED THAT EXPECTATION
CORE VALUE CORE VALUE
FRICTION
THEN NOW

32. 28
NOWTHEN
TRAVEL IS EASIER

33. 29
THEN
SHOPPING IS LOVABLE

34. 30
NOW

35. 31
TV IS BINGABLE

36. 32
SLACK
SQUARE
SHOPIFY
BUSINESSES ARE EFFORTLESS TO START

37. 33
THE FUTURE IS HERE

38. 34
DID YOU KNOW?

39. 35
WE’RE PARACHUTING BLOOD
INTO REMOTE RWANDAN CITIES

40. 36
WE’RE HELPING PARENTS
MONITOR AND ANALYZE WHAT
HELPS THEIR BABY SLEEP

41. 37
WE CAN TRADE STOCKS
WITHOUT A COMMISSION

42. 38
YOU CAN ORDER ALCOHOL
VIA TEXT MESSAGE?

43. WE ARE ALL DIGITAL STARTUPS NOW
AT GOKART, WE BELIEVE

44. 40
IN THE AGE OF THE CUSTOMER,
YOU DON’T WIN ON PRICE,
PLACEMENT, OR PRODUCT.
WE BELIEVE

45. 40
IN THE AGE OF THE CUSTOMER,
YOU DON’T WIN ON PRICE,
PLACEMENT, OR PRODUCT.
YOU WIN WITH BETTER EXPERIENCES.
WE BELIEVE

46. 41
WE’RE NOT ALONE IN THIS BELIEF
“BY 2020, CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
IS PREDICTED TO OVERTAKE
PRODUCT AND PRICE AS THE KEY
BRAND DIFFERENTIATOR”
- GARTNER

47. 42
“50% OF CONSUMER PRODUCT
INVESTMENT IS EXPECTED TO BE
REDIRECTED TO CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE INNOVATIONS”
CORPORATE INVESTMENT IS SHIFTING RAPIDLY
- GARTNER

48. 43
TIME TO GET STARTED

49. 4444
DISRUPTORS ARE COMING FROM ALL SIDES, QUICKLY.
1
2
YOUR DIGITAL EXPERIENCE IS YOUR BRAND.
3
YOUR COMPETITION ISN’T WHO IT USED TO BE.
THE AGE OF THE CUSTOMER
4
YOU NEED TO ORGANIZE FOR ACTION & SPEED.

50. 110,000,000
5 YEARS OLD
$500M VALUATION
GLOBAL LANGUAGE LEARNERS
1,300,000
8 YEARS OLD
$66B VALUATION
RIDES PER DAY
100,000,000+
7 YEARS OLD
$30B VALUATION
NIGHTS BOOKED IN 2016
45
DISRUPTORS ARE COMING FROM ALL SIDES, QUICKLY.

51. 46
YOUR DIGITAL EXPERIENCE IS YOUR BRAND.

52. 47
YOUR COMPETITION ISN’T WHO IT USED TO BE.

53. YOUR APPROACH NEEDS
TO EVOLVE.
48

54. HOW MIGHT A MORE MATURE
ORGANIZATION BE INNOVATIVE?
49

55. 5050
DISRUPTORS ARE COMING FROM ALL SIDES, QUICKLY.
1
2
YOUR DIGITAL EXPERIENCE IS YOUR BRAND.
3
YOUR COMPETITION ISN’T WHO IT USED TO BE.
WE HOPE TO LEAVE YOU WITH
4
YOUR APPROACH NEEDS TO EVOLVE.

56. 5050
1
2
YOUR DIGITAL EXPERIENCE IS YOUR BRAND.
3
YOUR COMPETITION ISN’T WHO IT USED TO BE.
WE HOPE TO LEAVE YOU WITH
4
YOUR APPROACH NEEDS TO EVOLVE.
A BETTER WAY TO ASSESS POTENTIAL DISRUPTORS

57. 5050
1
2
3
YOUR COMPETITION ISN’T WHO IT USED TO BE.
WE HOPE TO LEAVE YOU WITH
4
YOUR APPROACH NEEDS TO EVOLVE.
A BETTER WAY TO ASSESS POTENTIAL DISRUPTORS
METHODS TO CREATE LOVABLE EXPERIENCES

58. 5050
1
2
3
WE HOPE TO LEAVE YOU WITH
4
YOUR APPROACH NEEDS TO EVOLVE.
A BETTER WAY TO ASSESS POTENTIAL DISRUPTORS
METHODS TO CREATE LOVABLE EXPERIENCES
WAYS TO DIFFERENTIATE FROM YOUR COMPETITION

59. 5050
1
2
3
WE HOPE TO LEAVE YOU WITH
4
A BETTER WAY TO ASSESS POTENTIAL DISRUPTORS
METHODS TO CREATE LOVABLE EXPERIENCES
WAYS TO DIFFERENTIATE FROM YOUR COMPETITION
A NEW AND ACTIONABLE APPROACH

60. THANK YOU

61. WE GROW BUSINESSES
DREAM BIG. IMPLEMENT SMALL. INVENT NOW.
BET THE GARDEN, NOT THE FARM.
HELLO@GOKARTLABS.COM