We live in an age where technological change is accelerating at an unprecedented speed. The fourth industrial revolution is upon us and we need to prepare for disruption. For most businesses, we take a watching brief, waiting to see what the big players are doing and then racing to be an early adopter.

Does all this seem a little daunting? It doesn’t need to be. We are in business for our customers. It’s actually not that complicated. Just ask them. Simply set up a survey and find out what they need, what they want, what they like, what they don’t like and what worries them. Get feedback about what they think you can do better and what you do well.

Don’t just take their word for it, do some research on future trends that are impacting your industry. Buyer behaviours are changing and consumers’ appetites are changing. Look beyond New Zealand; there will be multiple examples overseas on how these changes are being responded to. You can do this by researching future trends websites. Check out www.trendhunter.com or www.trendwatching.com

If you need help pulling this together, please get in touch with our Performance Consulting Team.