Over the last 18 months I have been very fortunate to be involved with four companies – all US-based – which are on the verge of becoming huge game changers…..
But guess what – they aren’t taking action and delivering the ability they have created and keep talking each day about!
These four companies just think the world is how they have worked for last 20 plus years coupled with the fact the bigger client is the only way to make money! Well let’s break this down shall we…..
The last 20 years…..
These companies are still thinking that brochures, whitepapers and research papers are the way forward and by creating four pages of information or more is what people want – WRONG!!
Today, we have the internet and you can find information within seconds that can be read in three minutes or less which is about average maximum length people are looking for information to scan and gain the relevant key points. They aren’t grasping why Infographics have become so popular and the small less graphic packed/intense Infographics are the most popular and shared.
The ways of the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s are way gone and just because the decision makers that are their target client base are from these times, the influencers and end-users are from the Generation X and Y era and want things short and fast.
Foundation building is key and by not changing now – with Millennials and Generation Z starting to appear around the corner – adoption to change is needed now to embed today’s information into the research of the future!
Big isn’t better or sustainable long-term…..
When you speak to these companies, they are looking at selling services either directly or through Channel Partners to companies with at least 5o, 100, 150 or above employees and this is the bench mark they see!
If a company has less than these numbers, then they are considered to be less than a Small Business (ie SMB or SME) and not worth dealing with, as they aren’t seen to be cost-effective to deal with!
So, instead of selling their products or services to these companies now and getting revenue in, they will wait SIX, TWELVE or EIGHTEEN months before getting their 1st sale because it is a big number – HUGE FAIL!!
They need to educate themselves as the business world has changed and is moving even faster! For an example as to how things are changing, let’s look at these UK figures and what this means:-
- Micro Business – 5,010,000 – 0-9 employees
- Small Business – 195,000 – 10-49 employees
- Medium Business – 31,000 – 50-249 employees
- Large Business – 6,000 – 250 plus employees
So according to the ONS figures released in April 2015, 31,050,000 people are currently in work with data from elsewhere stating that as an 1 in 7 people are self-employed (which relates to 4,435,714 out of the 5,010,000 Micro Businesses listed above).
Taken either way, the figures of 4.436M or 5.010M are a huge number been over looked and not really been looked after properly. Recent figures stated that this will rise from One in SEVEN to One in FOUR by 2020 with some even predicting this will drop to 2018!!
So based on 31.05M being employed today, a 1 in 4 self-employed rate would mean 7,762,500 million people needing Applications and Products that meet their needs!
What is the answer?
The answer is simple and right in front of them but they aren’t prepared to use and actually look after this sector – which is strange……
As these Four Companies are using self-employed contractors or companies employing less than 49 – in most cases less than 25-30 each and every day!
With the figures riding from 1 in 7 to 1 in 4 within less than 5 years, the number of small and medium businesses will increase too as the International and Corporate companies reduce in size via either outsourcing or adopting new technology.
If you accompany the fact that over this period, that Technology will be reducing manual labour too in manufacturing, engineering, building, transportation etc, then these companies need to start thinking of the future now….and not chasing the big dreams of huge sales instead when the services they are offering are superseded by newer services or their target market has shrunk and the service offering has to be downsized!
So if – in my honest opinion – these companies woke up and listened and could see what small/micro businesses and self-employed/entrepreneurs are seeing then…..
– Company A:-
- will see that creating a locally business focused team, they can create a more focused, collaborating and engaging team to look after their clients better. By looking after their clients better, they will find out why customers aren’t buying upgrades, bolt on extras or utilising their products to their full potential
– Company B:-
- have created a virtual environment containing so many things that self-employed people and entrepreneurs can take parts of and use them together as a bigger picture. They need to create a team of people are mirrored in each country that are from ground up to keep them focused on what they need to be providing from the feedback obtained. They need to communicate and follow through with speed that people want, expect and can get themselves like they already do elsewhere via various Social Business platforms already. The small and micro businesses want products that can be brought easily, installed and ready to go immediately as will been specific to meet their needs without too much bespoking via others
– Company C:-
- by taking the products they have and creating localised teams to be there to support and deliver, the take up of their products could increase, whilst gather greater feedback to allow their developers to be constantly updating and resolving issues. Again, they need to remove the Sales Partners who are overcharging for their projects and making things too complicated thus, meaning they are going for free or cheaper open-source services instead
– Company D:-
- by rolling out the services and offerings they have, the revenue would be flowing and feedback will really take them to another level and the market by storm instead of delaying until they think they are ready with the next generation and releasing something that has fewer features and is way too complicated for the growing new business arena
These aren’t hard things to change and implement as the Micro Business market does this each and every day to great success because they are listening and implementing feedback quickly.
The need to gather thoughts and feedback is also key but yet again companies are missing out on this they do not see the need to plan for feedback or gather information to help both with next launch/event and people’s thoughts on what said or shown.
So, really get a quick impression on where you thing your company should be going next, speak to your children or teenagers within your family and ask them about what they want, what or how do they want the information to make them choose is and when/how do they want the product/service?
You will be so surprised and shocked at the answers…..
To learn more about bringing the future into your business today and setting you on the correct path for your future, as well as understanding the forward thinking and the views & opinions of Ian Calvert, the research for other companies that he is looking into and undertaking for companies or just to learn more about Ian Calvert and how he can help you further, you can visit his website here
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