David Harkins' Blog

Organization Development and Change

Looking through the wrong end of the telescope

Many organizations have become so rooted in their past that they have put their entire future at risk to preserve their own traditions and corporate cultures. They persist in developing marketing and product plans based on what is now an outdated idea of what was prevailing thinking at some tiny point in their history. There is no faster way to kill a brand than to think about future opportunities looking through the wrong end of the telescope.

READ: The importance of innovation for startup survival
Branding

Are you making promises you can’t keep?

A relationship with a customer is based on trust-trust that’s built on a series of promises that a company has kept. Break a big promise and you’re immediately history. But what happens when you break a small promise?

How many customers have you lost due to broken promises brought upon by the actions of one or two individuals? I would suggest you will never know, if you’re breaking the small promises. These customers aren’t going to complain, they’re just going to gradually slip away to your competitors. You’ll never know what promises you’ve broken or how often you’ve broken them, so

READ: The importance of innovation for startup survival
Branding

Supermarket loyalty?

First of all, nearly every supermarket offers the programs with price-off incentives. In other words, have the card, get a special price. Where’s the loyalty in that? Many people (including those in my immediate family) have cards to all the local supermarkets and take advantage of the special pricing on key merchandise at all of the stores. Again, where’s the loyalty?

READ: The importance of innovation for startup survival

Inside the customer’s mind

Inside the customer’s mind – A framework for creating profitable customer relationships Please note that this presentation is Dave Harkins’ work created in other partnerships or organizations and the design templates have not been changed. Additionally, this content may now be dated but can still be used as an idea starter for your specific needs.

READ: The importance of innovation for startup survival
Culture and demographics

The trouble with cellphones

In my travels lately, I’ve come to notice that people will use their cellphones anywhere to talk about anything. I’ve been privy to conversations about lawsuits, financial difficulties, and marital disputes, all thrown out in the open for any wandering ear to hear. It’s not that I’m trying to listen. I try to tune out other conversations, but it’s almost as if my ears (and I’m sure those of others) automatically tune in on words or phrases like, “lawsuit”, “…divorcing him”, “caught her in bed with…” or “I’m filing for bankruptcy”. I’m not trying to be nosy, my ears just

READ: The importance of innovation for startup survival
error: This content is protected.
Scroll to Top