As we discuss and read about disruptive innovation in the course, I find myself wondering what sort of technologies will be the new industry innovators in the future. A concept that has grown increasingly popular in recent years is the idea of phygital, or a cross between physical and digital technology. More and more frequently, stores are mixing the traditional brick-and-motor experience with a piece of technology to optimize the experience. If you have attended a newly built McDonald’s or Wawa recently, you surely noticed that even though you’re in the physical store, you have the option to place your order through a touchscreen computer. Another example is jewelry leveraging augmented reality to allow customers to ‘try on’ rings before spending a ton of money on them. As we saw with Tesla, the technology doesn’t have to necessarily be groundbreaking, just the way it is implemented to enhance the user experience compared to the competitors needs to be. Technology enables companies to innovate and try new things without taking a tremendous risk. When a new company innovates in this manner and enhances the user experience, all of the other market players are obligated to do the same in fear of getting left behind in the eyes of consumers. The idea of ‘phygital’ is essentially taking the best aspects one receives from a digital experience and using them to supplement the physical experience by replacing the worst parts.
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