Innovation is not about LABORATORIES , its about Mindset.

" When you choose to be an active BLOGGER, you become a keen observer of things round you. "  John Jantsch of The Referral Engine

Yes you start observing things keenly , small but different things. Similarly small innovation is natural and originates not from laboratory or after brain storm. 

Autorickshaw in Mumbai are small lifeline and they in thousands in number. In many cities its a means of commuting for millions of people daily. There is nothing new about it. 

Newness and innovation comes when you see an autorickshaw which is a moving library cum book selling store cum social service activist. 

Yes name is Sadanand an Autodriver has converted his vehicle as library and  book store. 
He displays religious books at the back of his seat. Commuter can read the book of their choice for a free while commuting . Now if commuter likes the book he can buy the same from him immediately while finishing his commuting. Library cum book store done. 


Now if you dont want to buys even through he will give you some  religions book or pamphlet for a free i.e. social service.


Read, buy and get it for free if you don't want to buy. All these when you have nothing else to do but waiting and killing time some how.


This small innovation is interesting. Its a clue to many service providers and entrepreneurs to think of something which can add value to the customers time while dealing with your enterprise of-course over and above what is expected from your enterprise.


Autorickshaw is taking commuters from one place to other place i.e. primary expectation and everything happening in between is innovation and value addition.


Bettering customer experience requires just a mindset to offer something better, extra and
pleasantly unexpected and relevant value addition. 

Pause , Check Business Processes and  Innovation Index of the Enterprise , NOW. WOW!! can happen only then.

 

14 ways to become Interesting Company.

We all are BORING unless we do INTERESTING things. 

On Sunday last I completed one of the finest books on marketing The Referral Engine by John Jantsch. In between I finished other three books in between i.e. Delivering Happiness by Tony , Founder CEO of Zappos.com , Linchpin by Seth Godin & Zen of Social Media Marketing by Shama Kabini. All the four were excellent READ. I am enriched !!!

Author of book The Referral Engine writes that BORING companies are never talked about or referred by any one.  

This is interesting. Not only people but companies are also BORING. This made me think about "Which is a Boring Company??"

- Customers -  talks about the way you do business or your product /services?

-  Do they feel WOW!!! while dealing with the company?

- Media - take notice and cover write up or interviews?

- People - eager to join your company (getting good number of resume) and employee turnover ratio is lowest in the industry? Employees are given opportunities to grow personally? Happiness surveys are part of appraisal process ? 

- Suppliers - can’t afford to lose your contract? Ready to offer more credit, get paid on due dates? 

- Processes - customer friendly, quicker and easier to deal with?

- Project - undertake interesting, large, relevant projects and execute with passion and purpose?

- Experiment - invests in our internal people for their start up ideas? Ideas fly from bottom to the top? 

- Innovation - way of life , failure is respected internally, customer focus is the ONLY focus?

- Unexpected - surprise element is a part of your offerings? 

- Social Media - customer often write great reviews about your offerings? 

- Celebrate - all festivals , birthdays of employees (even customers) and  small successes?

- Social - activities are encouraged internally?  

- Case Studies - business school studies your company for their class room case studies?

- Referral Business - most new business are coming this route? 

- Board of Director - have some interesting/weird member not connected with the business and governance? 

(I invite more real life case studies which makes company interesting) 

If no such things (ideally everything must be happening) are happening , of-course then company can be classified as BORING. 

Boring Vs Interesting !!!Agenda is to make company interesting and exciting. Rest will be taken care automatically.