Meet Brandon Sousa! We were fortunate to have the opportunity for two of our team members, Kelly Somers and Traci Phillips to sit down him last week on Tuesday October 22, 2013 and ask some questions about u-commerce!
Check out the interview! (or listen to the audio clip!)
Team U: What’s the name of the company you work for? What do you do at your company? (00:09)
BS: Bell Canada. I am currently in a management rotation program – just finishing my second rotation, auditing the service levels at a retail store. My next rotation is as a special projects officer in the news and radio publicity in the community investment department.
Team U: If you had to describe u-commerce in a few words, how would you? (00:39)
BS: It transcends time, geography and access of typical commerce.
Team U: Does your company use any u-commerce technology? (00:52)
BS: Right now, big data is a huge part of our roadmap for our business development. … What we’re leveraging is using that data in different ways, and u-commerce is obviously a huge benefit in leveraging with data we’ve collected, and that information.
Team U: Should consumers be worried about the advancements in u-commerce and the privacy of their information? (01:25)
BS: Everyone kind of says, “If you have nothing to hide, you shouldn’t be worried about your privacy” but I guess the reality comes down to [the fact that] it really is a new frontier and enforcement can be a little slack … The question consumers should really be asking [are], ‘Who’s storing the information? Is it a reputable company? Where is this information being stored?’ and, “How secure is that data?” As long as [their information] is being stored by a trusted, reputable organization, there shouldn’t be too much concern about their privacy
Team U: Where do you think the future of u-commerce lies? (02:25)
BS: For sure it’s the next step of commerce. We’re seeing a lot of the commerce technologies converge to a level which is really starting to push forward with u-commerce … [such as] m-commerce, and even now a new introduction of t-commerce … which is starting to lay that groundwork for a really ubiquitous experience.
Team U: What are different ways user information is obtained by u-commerce applications? (03:25)
BS: Not too long ago, there was a story about Apple – how they were tracking all their data of their iPhone users, through geo-locating. Even Google does this – they collect your browsing history to display their targeted advertising. I think when we least expect it, information is being collected – especially with these new technological advances – and that’s how it’s being almost ubiquitous, because it’s integrating into our everyday atmosphere. … The tried, tested, and true method has always been the concept of the incentive program [such as Air Miles], which organizations use to collect information. …I think with the marriage of new technologies becoming so apart of our everyday life – along with these incentive and loyalty programs that are becoming more appealing in the track of consumers – I think that is how our information is being accumulated.
Team U: Do you think u-commerce tactics, such as retrieving personal information in order to directly target individuals, are more effective than previous marketing tactics, such as mass printed publications? (04:55)
BS: Absolutely, since you have the value of u-commerce not only to the consumer but to the corporation. In a capitalist society, you are never going to get rid of marketing – people are always going to be selling. The benefit is to consumers – at least the advertising is going to be relevant to me. … With u-commerce and u-data, and these converging technologies, you can really segment the market and find out exactly who you want to target, and who is going to be receptive and most willing to purchase. So, I think this is going to revolutionize the way people segment the market, and target their advertising.
Team U: Should all companies consider investing in u-commerce technologies? (06:25)
BS: I think they won’t have a choice. What is going to happen is as one company starts launching – and people start to be more receptive to it – consumers are going to want it. … I say within five years, you’re going to start noticing some large companies accessing the big data that they’ve been contacting for the past five to ten years, in order to target more specifically.
Team U: What kind of an impact do you think ubiquitous commerce will have on the print industry? (07:13)
BS: Honestly, I still love the print industry. I still buy the newspaper and have five magazine subscriptions. But it is tough because content will still always be needed. … With u-commerce, the print industry will die, but the content will still remain prominent – remain king.
Team U: How do you feel u-commerce ties into traditional marketing tactics? (08:09)
BS: I think marketing tactics – the ones based on human condition and emotion – will never change. Even with the aids of technology and the tense that we do change our lives a little bit to adapt to these new technologies, the way we feel about things will always still kind of be kind of similar, as time goes on. … The tactics themselves will stay the same, but the actual distribution of the tactics will change and will be more adapted to the big data information we have, and the ability to use it in the u-commerce form, and the technology that it is being pushed to.
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We would like to personally thank Brandon Sousa for taking time to speak with us!
Stay tuned for another Q&A session with Marco Petkovski from Teehan+Lax!
Out With The Old, In With The U 
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