(Time to read this Blog is about 3 1/2 minutes)

Before we get to the main topic, here are a few things to get you thinking or smiling:

1. My Biz Quote of the week:
   “We’re all wired differently.  It’s much easier to get things done with people who are wired to see problems as opportunities, to take the initiative, to do what needs doing and, in the process, to elevate and uplift the entire Team with their energy, humanity and joy!  What are you doing to find, attract and retain people who are wired like that?”     
   …Donald Cooper.
    
2. Quick Biz Tip:
   Here’s a gutsy challenge for all business owners or managers:
   To get in touch with what life’s really like for your employees, commit to living, for just two weeks, on the average wage or salary of your front-line Team members.
    
   If any of our 10,000+ readers around the world have the guts to do this, I’d love to receive your input and insight after the two weeks are up.
    
3. Another fabulous cookie recipe. This is the perfect time of year to bake cookies. This traditional recipe is so simple but produces the best ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ shortbread cookies you’ve ever tasted.  Click here for the recipe.
    
4. Understand the world to thrive better in it. If knowing what’s going on in business, economics, politics, innovation and science around the world is important to you personally or professionally, I highly recommend ‘The Economist’ I’m not on commission here, it’s just a really great, insightful magazine….published in the UK and available weekly by mail and / or online. To subscribe, they’re easy to find on the internet. 
    
5. How can I be helpful? If your company, Industry Association or local Business Group has a Conference coming up in 2025, and you need an insightful, entertaining, bottom-line management speaker who will inform, focus, challenge and inspire you, perhaps we should chat about possibilities.  I’m easy to find at donald@donaldcooper.com.

Now, to this week’s important topic:

9 ways that technology can deliver the competitive advantage you need:

Clients around the world keep telling me that running a business today is 10 times tougher than it used to be…and in many ways they’re right.  We all have more demanding customers, more and stronger competition, increased complexity, shrinking margins, and the challenge of attracting and keeping top talent. So, ‘yes’ in some ways running a business is more challenging than ever.  But in many other ways running a business today is easier than ever before…and it’s all about ‘technology’.  

As you look to technology to give you the competitive advantage you need in creating extraordinary customer experiences, outstanding products & services and world-class operating efficiency, it will be useful not to lump ‘technology’ into one big confusing mess, but rather to examine how  technology can help you in each specific area and function of your business.  This is especially true as Artificial Intelligence transforms so many aspects of business management and value delivery. 

Sit down with some of the best minds in your business, or department, and use the 9-point checklist below to explore the possibilities.  Seek expert help.  Every business needs a team of technology expert coaches to keep them ahead of the pack. No one person can be an expert on all the aspects of technology you need.  Depending on the size of your business, these expert ‘heroes’ may be full-time employees…or outside experts who you ‘rent’ as needed.

So, here’s your checklist of where technology can bring you the competitive advantage and increased profitability you need.  Put an X in the box beside each one that has possibilities for you…and then investigate, decide and take action.  Some of these ‘possibilities’ may not apply to your business…but most will.   In the process of working through my list of nine, you may come up with an additional one or two technology ‘possibilities’ that I didn’t think of.

1. Technologies that will help us design and create new and better products and services.  This could include the technology of the design / development process or new materials that create breakthrough possibilities. 
    
2. Technologies that will help us produce or perform more efficiently and with higher and more consistent quality.
    
3. Technologies of logistics that will help us deliver our products or services more quickly, efficiently and accurately to existing customers…and perhaps to a wider customer base.
    
4. Technologies that will help us improve the speed, quality, depth, breadth, individuality and consistency of the service and experiences we deliver.
    
5. Technologies that help us more efficiently communicate our compelling value message to customers and prospects as a group and as individuals….and with key influencers.
    
6. Technologies that allow us to listen to, understand, involve, engage with and respond to our existing customers and target customers as a group, and as individuals.
    
7. The equipment, systems and process technologies that allow us to operate, control and manage every aspect of our business more effectively.
    
8. Technologies that help us operate in a more environmentally responsible, less wasteful and more sustainable way.
    
9. The technology of researching industry ‘best practices’ and emerging new business models throughout the world, without leaving our desk.  This one is easy…it’s called Google searches through which we can study competitive websites and articles, discover who in our industry is doing innovative new things…and what disruptive new business models could become our new worst enemy.
    
10. Other ways that the technology could deliver a competitive advantage in our business. _________________________________________________________________.

So, there you have it.  Nine ways to look at how technology can help you create a competitive advantage in every part of your business.  What will you do with this…and when?   And, do you have a team of technology ‘heroes’ who constantly coach and challenge you to get ahead …and stay ahead?  If you don’t embrace technology in every part of your business, you will probably be put out of business by a competitor who does.

That’s it for this week…

Stay safe…live brilliantly!       

Donald Cooper 

Donald Cooper speaks and coaches internationally on management, marketing, and profitability.  He can be reached by email at donald@donaldcooper.com in Toronto, Canada.