Adapting to change in today’s fast-moving tech landscape can make the difference between success and failure.
Consumer expectations are increasing, and suppliers need to have the ability to meet them head on.
In the current economic environment, it’s more important than ever that software providers align with the needs of their customers.
Smart Innovation
Smart innovation creates new opportunities and to deliver this effectively requires flexibility, agility, talent, and a good deal of foresight. Business acumen is also key.
However, leading edge ideas in themselves will not necessarily improve a customer’s experience because smart innovation is about more than creativity: it should also be useful and fulfil a need and/or provide a solution.
Innovations don’t have to be game changing; they can be as ‘simple’ as adding features to an existing product or upgrades to customer service.
As with so many aspects of modern business, the right technology can be an invaluable tool when it comes to improving business efficiency and increasing customer satisfaction.
Learning From the Past
Successful business innovation calls for market knowledge, external perspective, and customer-driven thinking. It also necessitates hard work and not being afraid to fail.
“Innovation is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.”
Thomas Edison, who patented 1,093 inventions including the incandescent lightbulb, phonograph and motion picture.
Failure goes hand in hand with innovation. In fact, it’s estimated that
95% of tech innovations fall by the wayside in the various stages before they even launch, with more than a third failing to get past the challenges of the development stage.
Lack of a clear plan and structure is cited as the main reason for innovation failure. So what can history teach us?
Born in 1847 in Ohio,
Thomas Edison is one of the world’s most famous innovators who helped to define the society we live in. His dogged determination to take groundbreaking, revolutionary ideas and turn them into reality, has stood the test of time and continues to inspire and inform the innovators of today.
Although he didn’t invent the light bulb, he made innovations and improvements that made it commercially viable. This required thousands of experiments before finally making it possible for ordinary people to light up their homes with electricity.
“I’ve not failed,” he said. “I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
Edison had the gift of recognising a consumer need, then creating a product to satisfy that need. He realised that the solution had to be practical and realistic to stand a chance of being successfully adopted by end users.
WorkSmarter Predicts Your Needs
It’s this Edison ethos that WorkSmarter’s team brings to the table: if you want to get a great idea, start with many. What can we do better and how can we innovate to meet our customers’ needs?
Understanding clients’ needs is instrumental to driving our innovation: it’s a careful balance between listening to feedback and predicting what will be wanted tomorrow.
Predictive analytics help by providing a comprehensive analysis of historical data and patterns to allow a greater understanding of the issues – clearing the way to find the most relevant solutions.
As an
innovative software supplier, we’re ideally placed to draw together data and creativity to anticipate future demands and identify areas that need more attention.
How is it Done?System and product review is an ongoing, agile and dynamic process, as a result of both strategic development and customer input.
The platform is meticulously reviewed at regular stages. As soon as this work has been carried out, Senior Developer Ben leaps into action with the support of his team - ready to refresh, sharpen and add new features where recommended.
It’s the job of Ben and the Development Team to make modifications and expansions to suit the evolving needs of our clients, and to complete this in a rapid time frame so they can enjoy the in-depth, real time benefits that WorkSmarter’s contemporary technology provides.
Many of us have little idea what software developers actually do, other than write code, so we asked Ben to explain more about WorkSmarter’s system and the way his team works.
Behind the Scenes
“The infrastructure behind WorkSmarter’s powerful platform was engineered when the system was designed, coded and built,” Ben says. “All websites need maintenance and that goes on behind the scenes most days, although users who are working on the platform won’t be aware that anything’s happening around them.
“You could compare it to a subway network – the infrastructure is in place but needs ongoing maintenance to keep the trains running smoothly. There are repairs to do and technology to update.”
Another World
New customers are entering a unique space that is unfamiliar, but getting around soon becomes second nature as the platform has been built to be team-friendly and intuitive.
“Our software provides companies with a digital doorway into a dynamic team-building world,” Ben explains. “That means there’s a lot to explore and take in while you’re finding your way around, with routes that lead to exciting features and functions.
“The fun part for me is stepping back so you can look at the whole map to see where functionality can be improved – and that’s where the innovation comes in,” he reveals.
“One month we might decide to add a few new stops, and at other times we’ll be building new stations. What matters is that any work on the infrastructure is the solution that meets a genuine need.”
Customer Satisfaction
Ben says it’s essential that the team always keep the customer in mind and remain focused on achieving their aim.
“At the end of the process, me and my team are here to make sure our work translates into creating smoother and more instinctive features to improve the quality of every product and give ever more functionality to all our users.”
Innovation That Works for SMEs
WorkSmarter’s People Management tech is exceptionally useful in helping SMEs become more productive and connected, bringing together colleagues across multiple locations with software that can be used online from anywhere and on all devices.
Moving your HR admin online with WorkSmarter is affordable, reliable and secure.
We want our innovative software to be accessible to as many growing businesses as possible, so we won’t tie you into a contract or charge any set up fees. You’ll get all the support you need for a quick and easy set up. Talk to one of our friendly platform specialists today.
Book a demo.
