Commerce is changing rapidly. The power is no longer with the supplier. It’s with the buyer.
And buyers want more than just the best product or service for the most reasonable price.
It doesn’t matter whether you are business-to-consumer or business-to-business, your clients or customers want deeper value, better relationships and a clear conscience when using your product or service.
Look at the reactions to the allegations of Australia’s big four bank’s apparent support of unethical practices.
Look at the upcoming Four Corners and Fairfax joint exposure of alleged unethical financial practices condoned by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
Look at the exposure of many of our elected representatives being investigated for their suspect ethics.
What customers and clients and indeed all stakeholders are increasingly demanding is the living of the values that the organisation claims it is operating with.
First and foremost for any new or existing business must be the answer to this question:
“What are our values, that we will live by, in our thoughts, our words, our actions, our products and services and how we treat everyone and everything?”
Once those values are chosen, only then are vision, mission and goals chosen that must express and align with those values. It is not the other way around.
Fail to do that, and the business becomes unsustainable, sooner or later.
What do you think?
