Seth's Blog: The factory in the center
/And things like customer service and community relations were expenses, things you did in order to keep the factory out of trouble.
So...
What happens when the factory goes away?
What if the organization has no engine in the center that makes something. What if that's outsourced? What if you produce a service or traffic in ideas? What happens when the revolution comes along (the post-industrial revolution) and now all the value lies in the stuff you used to do because you had to, not because you wanted to?
Now it doesn't matter where you sit. Now it doesn't matter whether or not you're adding to the efficiency or productivity of the machine. Now you don't market to sell what you made, you make to satisfy the market. Now, the market and the consumer and idea trump the system.
Suddenly, the power is in a different place, and the organization must change or else the donut collapses.
So where is the power now? It is with the consumer, the market decides everything. How important is it now to have a pulse on the market? To know what your customer really wants? It is the MOST important. Companies are realizing this, that is why we see the following:
- Companies are looking for customer service solutions, responding better to their market.
- Companies responding to social media, getting closer to the market.
How is your business design? Is your customer at the center?
