Implementing recession-proofing advice (con’t 3)
by Miki SaxonImage credit: asifthebes
‘Innovation’ is one of the main themes permeating recession-proofing advice, but if you don’t already have an innovation-friendly culture you need to start by rectifying that or it ain’t gonna happen.
As you work to fix any cultural problems you found, you can work on small innovations, too. Just don’t try and implement something that your culture won’t support. Innovation is about the freedom to fail as much as it is about the joy of succeeding. If you’ve trashed your managers or killed the messenger every time something didn’t work don’t expect to change their assumption that it will still happen or rebuild a viable trust level overnight.
And before you start moaning about spending money let’s remember that innovation is not always synonymous with expensive inventions or something that rocks your industry.
- Start with your business processes and open everything to consideration, discussion and improvement.
- Listen to your people—all of them.
- Don’t make the mistake of thinking that ideas are the province of a certain level or education or position.
- Administrative staff often knows where more of the speed bumps and bottlenecks are than their bosses, but they need to know that they’re safe before they’ll say anything.
- Rethink your customer care. No matter how good you think it is it can still be improved.
- Look for ways to do and fix the stuff that you may not have bothered with in good times.
- Listen to your CSRs because they are your pipeline to your customers.
- Be proactive by asking your customers for feedback, instead of waiting for a complaint.
- Explore open innovation. It’s “about connecting with others to find new ideas and, often, to co-develop and co-market them.” Open innovation is not about outsourcing.
Remember, a slow-down or recession approach that’s only about cutting costs ignores the obvious. If you don’t innovate now you won’t have anything going for you when the the economy impoves—which it will as it always has.
