The acronym VUCA was coined by the US Army to describe environments that are volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous – i.e. the world you live in today and, even more so, in the future. How will we survive…, and moreover, how will we succeed in such inhospitable surroundings? We are finding out together, but we already have some answers: cultivating curiosity, learning non-stop and valuing empathy. That is how we interact and relate to our customers.

If we will live longer and have an unbelievable arsenal of technologies to save us time and effort, what kind of society will humankind be in the coming decades? What will we do with our free time? Will we travel in virtual reality environments without leaving our respective countries? Will we crave and need more entertainment? And what opportunities can longer and, hopefully, more pleasurable lives have in store for your business?

First, man interacted with machine. Then machines proceeded to interact with humankind. Today, and increasingly, machines interact with each other. In a few years, you will arrive at your home in a driverless car, find the front door part-way open (never again a lost key) and the interior cooled to just the way you like it. Even today the internet of things is already part of our lives and the big question is: will it liberate or enslave us? In the coming years, this will be the big choice that all of us will have to make – people and businesses alike.