Choose a New Way

Can you feel that accelerated pace of business where you’re sitting right now? There’s going to be a tipping point where those in the lead will grow by leaps and bounds, and those fighting and resisting the inevitable change will be left in the dust. We certainly *are* at a nexus, because of all the changes in communications, infrastructure and technology that have come before us. I’ve worked with a wide range of both early stage and large established companies, and it’s my hope that this post will help more leaders and companies choose a new way of doing business.

1. Choose to be customer-centric. Know and anticipate what your most desired customers want and don’t only deliver it, anticipate it before delivering it, exceeding even their high expectations. Gone are the days when we create a cool technology and tool, and customers have to figure out why they need it and how to use it!
2. The internet of things is not just a buzz word, it’s about the technology embedded in real everyday things that will be an integral part of everyone’s lives. The leaders will be companies who can create compelling solutions which are easily used, managed and scaled, as well as secure and attractive for customers, whose lives will be easier and more comfortable because of these solutions.
3. Expect that tech will reach all industries, no matter how mundane, everyday, disconnected, isolated, unromantic you once thought they were. From garbage to clothes, from drugs to books, from energy to food, from flooring to accessories, tech will touch it all, and customize it to the needs of the customer. The only questions are how, when, with whom. The leaders are the companies who can envision how non-tech can embrace the technology that will scale the growth for partner companies.
4. Proactive management of data and processes will be an integral part of all successful solutions. Separating the noise from the critical data points, visualizing the trends from the volumes of information are critical to understanding what customers want and how to deliver it.
5. Robust analytics, versatile security and cloud-based architectural planning to help ensure scalable growth and processing and optimize reliability and flexibility.
6. Moving to mobile apps, integrated with web and cloud solutions is just responding to the needs and preferences of the customer.
7. Making it easy for customers to communicate and connect with each other and the company will help company leaders keep their finger on the pulse, and empower advocates and ambassadors for the product and company.
8. Separating what’s real and what’s vapor in terms of financials is just being honest with yourself and those who work with you and believe in you. Start with an honest assessment and real projections, and be strong enough to own up to discrepancies between actual and reported numbers. As Warren Buffet would say, ‘You know who’s been swimming without their shorts when the tide goes out’.
9.  What I’m saying with all of the above is that we are in the Age of the Customer – and those who know that and live that and respond to that will be the companies and leaders who succeed.
10. And lastly, what I’m saying is that it takes true leaders to respond to all of the above, and seize the opportunities in the new way business is done.

Your mileage probably varies! Please share your thoughts and perspectives. We hope that you choose and grow a company and leader adopting the New Way!

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