How to Nail the Basics

Hype Technology is like Lipstick on a Pig: How to Nail the Basics

When you're a leader of a company, you're constantly pressured to innovate and evolve your business, pushing the norms and values, and quickly adapting to new systems and 'hype' technology.

In a world where the digital workplace is becoming more and more prevalent, the pressure to innovate is more immense than ever.

Your competitors are adopting the newest technology at an astounding rate, from AI, ML technology and Blockchain, to Virtual Reality. The race is on to show you're clientele that you're the leader in your industry.

Not to mention, the pressure applied from social entrepreneurs such as Gary Vaynerchuck who coined the expression "innovate or die", in reference to the recent closure of retail giant 'Toys'R'us' - essentially crediting their demise to their rejection of online shopping (you can check out the video here if you're interested).

From all angles, leaders are pressured to quickly come up with and adapt the next best thing.

The problem is, if you’re not getting the basics right, it’s like putting lipstick on a pig.

There's little merit in adopting new 'hype' technologies for the sake of staying relevant and competitive, if you're not already delivering a brilliant end to end service on a basic level.

In fact, it can have an adverse effect.

The risk of 'hype' technology and hasty innovation

The inherent problem with 'hype' technology, is that its primary function is usually maintaining the facade of innovation, rather than actually creating any real, positive change.

Picture this:

You're an employee at a medium-sized company and your boss has sent out a company-wide email letting you know that they're implementing Artificial Intelligence into your workplace.

The problem is, there's no real need for it, and you feel that you've not quite figured out the basic, manual processes as a company. It's simply adding another technology to learn to your plate, and you're feeling a little disenfranchised because your boss isn't in touch with what actually needs to be focused on and perfected.

In short, they're trying to walk before they can run.

This isn't to say that 'hype' technology is always a negative thing. When added to the right process, for the right company, and implemented with real thought and structure, new technologies and change can be a real asset. Just make sure you're hitting the mark on the fundamentals before bringing in a brand new technology.

How to make sure you're nailing the basics

Acknowledging that succumbing to the pressure to constantly innovate, and diving into the latest and greatest 'hype' technology isn't the best approach is one thing, but actually honing in on the basics and getting them working like a well-oiled machine can be a challenge in itself.

Fortunately, there are a few clearly identifiable basics that are common denominators between modern businesses.

• Order to information: having your business' files, information, communications and key documents managed and in order is more important to day-to-day operations than you'd probably expect. You may have heard us say it before - the average information worker spends 4.5 hours a week each looking for documents and files. That's a tonne of time wasted that could be spent on real innovation, just by simply mastering the basic practice of smart document management.
• Transparency: one of the most important things that employees, bosses and clients/customers all desperately want in their business interactions, is transparency. We need to feel like we're across everything, have access to everything we need, and that all of our interactions are above board and transparent to all. Making sure you have systems in place to enable this kind of transparency is pivotal to relationship management.
• Streamlining practices: getting the job done right the first time, and quickly, can take years of experience. Or, it can simply take the right system in place that streamlines all of your processes succinctly. Once you've mastered this basic, you'll notice your efficiency and results increase dramatically.
• Communication: it's what every good relationship relies upon. If you want a great working relationship with your coworkers, employees, and clients, you need a communication system that works well with your business. Make sure that everything is documented, your messaging is clear and concise, and if people need to connect with each other quickly, that it's easy to do.

By getting the fundamentals of your business just right, you'll be in a much better position to innovate and cultivate positive change, than through adopting the most polished 'hype' technology.

Implement the right technology

If you're experiencing issues within your business, and are feeling the pressure to make some innovative changes quickly, there are a number of options available that can help you innovate in a way that really addresses the fundamentals of a business.

The key is implementing the right technology.

If you need help mastering the basics so you're in a better position to help create positive change, and become a thought leader in your industry, PIQNIC can help.

We're experienced in getting the basics right:

• Document management
• Communications
• Transparency
• Security
• Workflow management

All under one banner.

Keen to know more about how we can help you free up your time to focus on your revolutionary, innovative ideas? Get in touch and we'll talk you through it.