�New rules for 2016�

Within six hours we had over fifty suggestions. I started the discussion with one of my favourites, not actually a new idea but one that I think is becoming more and more important for certain businesses.

“In 2016 customers must expect free, reasonably fast, uncapped WiFi in coffee shops and hotels.” Whether they like it or not, the nature of coffee shops and hotels has changed over the last few years. Yes, they remain places for people to drink coffee and stay overnight but they are increasingly becoming the preferred location for business meetings. I know coffee shops are for me. I can invite customers and colleagues to my remarkably comfortable and welcoming office (yes, it really is) but sometimes it’s nice to have the discussion somewhere different and convenient. It’s also nice just to go out with the laptop occasionally to write emails and reports somewhere the phone isn’t always ringing and colleagues aren’t bothering you with trivia.