What’s the Next Curve for your Business?
Guy Kawasaki talks a lot about the “Next Curve” in the context of innovation. He uses an example of a printer company not coming up with a new kind of font, but inventing laser printing instead, in order to get their company to the next curve of innovation.
This is macro level “big thinking”, which has the ability to shape and alter the course of business. But can we take a piece of this type of thinking and apply it to our own business on a more micro-level and still achieve a “big thinking benefit”? You bet we can.
Next Curve Thinking on a Micro Scale
You don’t need to invent the next revolution in personal computing to benefit from next curve thinking.
Let’s look at some examples:
The titan of bulk shopping, Costco, resisted putting express lanes in their stores, and instead opted for lines of people at the register. What are they thinking, are they crazy? Don’t they know that shoppers want to get in and out quickly, and that surely it would be better customer service to add a 9 items or less lane!
Yes, they know this.
They also know that shoppers in an express lane spend less than shoppers without the option of such a lane. In a warehouse super store where you are buying items by the caseload, the last thing Costco wants is you to speed through. At the time going counter the express lane concept was next curve, and it also fattened their bottom line.
Another Example:
Zappos.com hopped on the next curve when it came to customer service.
Free overnight shipping (both ways) and hassle free returns over the Internet – are you kidding me, that’s not possible! It was possible, and Zappos.com is reaping the rewards as a result of thinking next curve in their customer service model.
And Lastly:
Not too long ago when you had a problem with your computer you called your local computer shop and they said “Bring it on down, I’ll look at it in a couple days and get back to you”. Then you unplugged your PC, boxed it up, and dropped it off for the computer guy to work his magic.
What was the next curve here? Mobile computer support. Now I call, they say “We’ll be right out”, a few minutes later computer guy shows up and fixes my computer. Pretty sweet.
Look Inside Your Business to Find the Next Curve
One trend we see in the micro-level next curve thinking is that businesses are taking preconceived notions and breaking them down. They are looking for things that are a “given”, an “industry standard”, or where it’s said “you can’t do that” and then doing it.
Can you see how this kind of thinking may apply to your business? Are there areas in your business model that you don’t do because you’ve been under the assumption it just can’t be done?
Look at areas of your business to spot the next curve — Know where your revenue streams come from, know your customers, and get creative in your delivery model to better serve them. You can go to the next curve without inventing laser printing.
Get out ahead of what your competitors think can’t be done, and remember innovation does not have to be macro, “big thinking”, to give your business the benefit of thinking next curve.
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