Implementing innovation in our goods and/or services is not a matter of choice but has become a must if we want to stay and survive in the complex and at the same time exciting and therefore increasingly competitive business world.
Being immersed in a constant and changing technology, massive and invasive media, communication, geopolitics, geo-economics, and so on, it is necessary to renew and implement innovation in our company and/or services that we offer, especially at this time due to the current contingency that we are experiencing. We cannot and must not stand with our arms crossed expecting “good times” or to “wait for the contingency”
to act.
But the question is; What is innovation? How to innovate? Why, is it so important to innovate my product and/or service right now? Is it expensive? What does it imply?
It often happens that sometimes when we hear the word innovation for the first time, we think or assume that this is only done by large transnational, corporate or high-tech companies, or organizations that have to do with technological processes and developments. No, Innovation is the duty of anyone who offers a good or service and therefore receives an economic and even personal benefit.
But what does it mean to innovate?, The Royal Spanish Academy of Language defines
innovation as the “Creation or modification of a product or service and its introduction into the market”, that is; innovation requires a process of constant improvement in the service or product implementing an added value of what it already has. Here is the answer to how to innovate. Here are some simple examples that do not require any financial outlay, but do require high effort and dedication.
- Be more efficient with our services and responsiveness; that is to say, if in our company we have a “policy” that our delivery or response capacity is in a certain time frame, we can be more efficient (without detracting from the quality of the service,) and reduce the time as much as possible. Often reducing delivery or response times will not depend on us, but on what is within our reach. We can make an effort and surprise our client. This is something that they will thank,
value and even recommend our company. - Personally supervise a delivery or customer service, whether or not we have a person in charge of it. If we do it, we will be 100% satisfied that our client will receive quality service.
- Packaging – (if our company is to market any product), packaging plays a very important role since it not only becomes simple packaging but our letter of introduction. The major brands pay special attention and invest in quality packaging and durability. At this point, we will have to make some extra investment in the search for suitable packaging for our product.
- Continuing education is very important. Attending events, exhibitions, seminars, fairs, these resources allow us to connect with new customers, suppliers, and it is there where we can precisely find the avant-garde, technology, novelty, and innovation.
- Be open to our customer’s feedback and really listen to them, take their opinions and
suggestions into account and be willing to improve. - Provide some added value. For example, if we provide a service, we can tell our client that for each person who suggests or recommends us, we will give them a discount on their next visit. That in addition to having satisfied our client, will generate constant marketing networks among them at low cost.
As we can see, innovation does not have to raise additional costs to what we offer or do in our company. Innovating implies; improving, creating, or modifying the way in which our clients are being served, while solving any need, problem or desire, not to mention that for us it is a road to long-term opportunity, to have tangible and promising results and with the enormous possibility of increasing our clientele, sales, and our profit margin.
