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A Changing World Demands Fresh Perspectives
Erica Falkner, Marketing Manager
April 29, 2008
Your best ideas are out there….you just need to know where to look
We’ve all been there - staring in the face of the same old issue we’ve grown to hate, yet can’t figure out how to change. It’s not that we don’t want change, we just don’t know how to make it happen. We lack perspective. We’re too close to the situation and every which way we turn it over in our minds, we just end up with the same old boring thing. So how to you break free from old ways of thinking and gain a fresh perspective?
Many companies are scared to make changes. They prefer to look at what their competitors are doing and copy or take a slightly different spin on it. This type of innovation, or lack thereof, only perpetuates stale status quo thinking. The hard cold truth is that companies that are not able to change or evolve often get left behind. Yes change can be scary, however, it can also be wonderful and reap big payoffs, it just depends on your perspective. Successful companies take risks and continually evolve their brand.
Now you may be scratching your head thinking, but I thought consistency is the key to a strong brand. True, strong brands don't change their basic value promise. What they do, and do well is innovate and evolve. Here are a few examples of companies that do this well.
Take Starbucks; to appeal to a wider consumer base, they’ve evolved their brand to include non-coffee drinks such as herbal teas. They also sell products such as CDs, books and high-end coffee makers; plus they’re one of the first retail chains to offer customers free Wi-Fi access. Enterprise Rent-a-Car is another good example of a company that has successfully evolved. The first rental car company to offer customer pick up service, Enterprise also partners with repair and insurance companies and offers customers convenient shuttle service. Most recently, Enterprise partnered with TerraPass – which calculates the amount of carbon emissions consumers generate and how much investment in green power it takes to neutralize those emissions. Enterprise’s new carbon offset program allows customers to purchase carbon offsets based on what it would take to offset the company’s total yearly emissions.
These are great examples of companies that are evolving to adapt to a changing marketplace and meet the needs and demands of consumers. So where and how do you start? If you’re a B2C company, ask your customers what you’re doing well, where you need to improve and, most importantly, what they’d like to see from your business in the future. If you’re a B2B company, ask your clients to provide critiques and suggestions on how you can improve. Also one of the best, and sadly most overlooked feedback groups, your employees. The point is you already have people that can help, you just need to ask.
Action Steps:
- Establish a reliable and consistent method for customers, clients and employees to provide feedback.
- Do something! Don’t just let all the good ideas you collect sit on the proverbial shelf. Set up regular brainstorming sessions with your team where you review and discuss the feedback and suggestions you receive.
- Take calculated risks. The best and most innovative ventures stem from risk and innovation. Once you decide to pursue an idea, plan your strategy and stay the course.
Erica Falkner is Marketing Manager at Vox, Inc., a customer experience research and consulting firm. Contact her through the feedback form on our Contact Us page. Copyright 2008 Vox, Inc. All rights reserved.
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