I often wonder if the changes that I am experiencing in my own business and industry are taking place as rapidly in other fields. It seems as if in the first 30 years of our corporate existence, even as we explored new segments, that the operating ground rules, the premise of our methods, evolved with a rhythm-like surety.
Now, my head spins with the changes and new challenges we face in business. Every business owner in almost every industry now knows that if you are not growing and improving every day, you will quickly fall behind simply because your competitors are actively improving their companies.
It is even tougher competing today than in the past because only the good competitors are left standing. Many of the marginal ones have fallen by the wayside over the last several years. Although we will surely be competing on price for the foreseeable future, there are other benefits that make up a compelling purchasing experience. The things your customers will tell others about will be more important in differentiating yourself.
Business has seemed to move much faster these last few years. We keep track of our customers and prospects with more tenacity, contribute to all the heightened buzz with blasts and tweets, and process great amounts of information while doing everything else we do every day.
Searching for the keen insights about the speed of business and the ferocity of competition suggests following Nature’s example. The law of change states that “it” (change) happens. As much as we might prefer the old competitive environment that we once depended upon to the one we have now, the fact is our old world is not coming back. The present is the Adventure.
As much as business has changed, business is still about winning. We just have much better tools today than ever before. Tomorrow’s customer will be even better connected to what they want. They will have a very good idea about the cost, and have a high expectation for what they are buying.
Will you be the one they think of when they need a product or a service like yours? We have sold a lot of glass during the almost 35 years of building a best-in-class, kinetic reputation as an ultra-capable, worldwide supplier of custom architectural decorative glass. Smart customers know exactly what they are willing to pay for. Having a broad range of benefits beyond price is how, in my opinion, you will win tomorrow’s customer.
