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Dare to Think Big

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Achieving big results in business requires vision. It doesn’t just happen on its own, however. We must have a clear picture of our path forward and plan proactively to ensure its fruition. Unfortunately, it can be easy to fall into the trap of only thinking big at certain key times, such as when there’s a catastrophe, the lease is up for renewal, or there’s a significant competitive threat. This reactive approach, however, often means that we must make decisions quickly, maybe even in crisis, and denies us adequate time to plan and prepare for what comes next. While it’s important to be able to react quickly in certain situations, it’s critical to be able to anticipate change and proactively take steps to handle it. The truth of the matter is that the market is constantly evolving. Just look at all that’s happening in the world of digital printing. The idea of kitting digitally-printed labels for durable goods manufacturers is catching on and transforming the durable labeling industry. It’s just a matter of time before printers and end users come up with more ingenious ways to leverage digital’s capabilities to differentiate themselves and provide new and better products and services.

Stay Ahead of the Game

Digital label printing is only the beginning. The next big thing IS coming. Whether it’s a disruptive technology that impacts you directly or a technological advance that provides an opportunity to offer an improved customer experience, being able to see it coming is half the battle. From the launch of new print technologies, to internet connectivity of our equipment, to automation of production through smart devices, keeping a finger on the pulse of emerging changes is essential. Through your relationships with customers, suppliers, co-suppliers, and end users, as well as your own employees, you can get an idea through what they see happening and the requests they’re receiving. This can help you to forecast where the market is headed, thus allowing you time to prepare and be ready to immediately meet the evolving needs of your customers. Furthermore, welcoming such changes will allow you to envision the possibilities of how you can take advantage of that next big thing in a big way for your business. Proactively managing change in this way does two things. First, it affords you the freedom to make adjustments calmly and systematically, in a way that is most beneficial to your organization, rather than being dictated to by the situation. By anticipating new needs, you can purchase equipment and software that may be required ahead of time; you can focus marketing efforts on anticipated customer needs; and you can develop your team’s skills as may be required. This in turn allows you to manage quality better because you’ve had the time to test and refine your products and processes, ensuring that you’ll hit the mark when the time comes.

The next big thing IS coming. Whether it’s a disruptive technology that impacts you directly or a technological advance that provides an opportunity to offer an improved customer experience, being able to see it coming is half the battle.

– Neil McDonough, Chairman of FLEXcon Holdings

Be Prepared

Unforeseen events will occur, of course, so having good strategies for reacting to them is essential. With a proactive approach to business, you’ll be able to strategize and plot your own destiny by having the workforce and systems in place when that next big opportunity presents itself and, therefore, maximize the potential of your business.

Being adequately prepared then allows you to stay one step ahead of the competition. You can be the first to offer a new product or service, or an enhancement to an existing one. Hopefully, this enables you to capture a significant share of the new market. It differentiates you and fosters an image of innovation and industry leadership.

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