Businesses seek competitive advantage. The methods used to gain competitive advantage vary by industry but the fundamental objectives are the same, creating and delivering more value than expected.
Delivering more value than expected is a race driven by creativity, innovation and speed. The race never ends however the expectation for value increases with every turn and the expected speed of delivery is now, not tomorrow.
Not delivering now with more value than expected is a disappointment to people that experience your product, service or work environment. People, whether labeled customers or employees, expect value to be delivered as promised, on time and the experience should match or exceed the promises.
Three things happen from experiences people have with your company:
- Not delivering as expected creates a bad experience that will be shared.
- Delivering as promised creates an expected experience not worthy of sharing
- Delivering beyond the expected creates an experience worth sharing.
The next time your in the break room at work just listen to the conversations. The next time you at an industry conference just listen to the conversations. The next time you ask for customer feedback, listen. The next time you log onto the web go where the conversations are and just listen. What are the experiences being shared?
Conversations about your company, your products and services, your employee's satisfaction and your markets wishes are everywhere and engaging everyone. Is you business engaged? If not your disconnected.
How Can You Change The Conversations?
As business leaders begin to recognize the power of the social web they try different tactics to change the conversations to their advantage. These include:
- Attempting to change the conversations with public relations campaign
- Ignoring the conversations expecting them to simply go away
- Creating new conversations about new promises
- Engaging in the conversations and learning what needs to change. Then significantly improving those things better than expected, NOW
Which tactic is likely to produce the best Socialution? Just remember that whatever tactic you choose it will create another experience. Which of the three things likely to happen from any new experience people have with your company would bring the most value?
There is a new marketplace driven by conversations. Be careful not only with what you do but how you do it. The people are listening regardless of whether you are or not. What you say or do and don't say or do is considered a promise. Your shareholders expect you to deliver or exceed on your promises don't they?
Breaking a promise you loose. Keeping a promise you draw. Exceeding promises enables you to win, every time. Allow people the value of winning and you win.
Get it? What say you?