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Showing posts from October, 2012

User experience should be at the core of your shop

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Last week there was an assignment for the Crash Course in Creativity (Stanford) to generally observe six stores (before entering, environment, personnel, products, customers, other). This was fun to do, but also very useful. I was quite shocked by the findings. Here you can see my full report - http://www.slideshare.net/beekes/assignment-2-observation-lab The conclusion is that it can be extremely helpful to be a detached observer and to check out your stores, your operations, your customer service, your garage, your gallery etc. In this way you can see and feel and thus experience what your customer is experiencing. Clearly there are (user-experience) opportunities in these three areas:         Signs (they should be at eyes-height, readable, providing useful info, and less is best)          Displays (they should be easy to see and reach the products, show the products from a distance)         Employees (they should also be available on the shop floor an

Are you helping your customers to save money or to add value?

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Yesterday I did have am meeting with a large IT company. We did discuss the possibility to create an integrated solution for great customer service. It is clear from many sources that great customer service is one of the few real and sustainable differentiators for your business. However, one of the participants was only interested in finding ways to help his customer to save costs. This is both limiting and not innovative. If you position your self as a provider to help your customers to save money, then you can be assured that that is the way you will be treated as well. If your customer can find another provider who is just slightly cheaper then they will choose that other provider. If you position your self as a real partner who thinks about new ways in which your customer can add value to his customers, then you will get a total different treatment! Then you will also be highly valued, both in the relationship and in finances. This requires a

Industrial concepts are hindering the creative economy

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I have just finished reading the great book “ What Matters Now” by Gary Hamel. The book is centered around five fundamental, make-or0break challenges that will determine whether your organization thrives or dives in the years ahead! These issues are:         Values          Innovation          Adaptability          Passion          Ideology It became clear to me that most institutions are still build upon concepts form the industrial revolution (or even older). The most visible expression of which is its command & control style. In my case these institutions were my upbringing, school and university (which concepts started in the Middle Ages), military service, sports teams and big Corporations. This command & control style is hindering the most needed creativity. In order to change this, a change in dominant beliefs is crucial. Without a change in beliefs all the changes will merely be window-dressing. This can certainly be done but requires