The tour's first business appointment in New York was with the internet icon Google, on Monday the 27th of July. Our first host, Google technical engineer Raymond Blum, took us on a tour of the offices that were once the Port Authority Bus Terminal building. There is a great focus at Google on providing a work environment that stimulates and gets the best out of the 'Googlers'. To provide stimulation there are scooters for transportation (the building is quite expansive and Raymond said it helps if you can get to meetings on time!), games rooms with a camera link to all the global Google offices, 'tech bars', a library, a mother's rooms and a number of cafes. Along with this there are kitchens and supplies of snack food to ensure everything is within easy reach. By providing these services, Google encourages a positive and casual working environment and one where all needs are supplied within the one building. The theory behind this is if Google supplies everything to their staff then they will be more productive, minimising wasted time going to get lunch or coffee etc. Within the offices there are also minimal private spaces to encourage 'cross pollination of ideas'. But they do have private 'phone' and 'meeting' rooms where Googlers can have conversations without their neighbours listening in!
After this David Kaul, Retail Industry Analyst, talked us through 'Online Marketing in the New Era'. Specifically, it was discussed how the changing economy has changed consumers and the retail industry. It was outlined how the searching habits on Google have changed recently. Consumers are now more willing to spend time searching for discounts and vouchers online. They have also become more savvy and searching with more detailed queries. Along with this, consumers are dedicating more time to researching online before committing to a purchase.
David then demonstrated Google's 'Do More for Less' concept. Included in this are free tools that allow retailers use Google's knowledge and resources to gain a greater understanding of their customer. 'Insights for Search' allows users to see a breakdown of data, of where their customers are, what they are searching for and when. 'Website Optimizer' enables retailers online to test which options and displays convert the most customers. Finally 'Search-based Keyword Tool' assists in identifying terms that a retailer should advertise against for the greatest results. The visit to Google allowed us to see the results in nurturing a positive business environment, and also the resources available to us to maximize what we are able to achieve on the Internet.
