We survived 2009

I think to be able to say you made it out of 2009 at all, let alone with growth, is a huge accomplishment and reason for celebrating – so for the record, I am extremely proud of the entire MA team and our collective ability to shift and succeed in the changing global economy.  And while I’d like to think all of the great ideas that made it happen for us came from inside my head, the reality is that they are a reflection of the people and experiences we have daily in our business.

For my part, I am afforded a great luxury in my business.  It’s the opportunity to speak, almost daily, to business owners and top executives across the country in multiple industries about what they’re experiencing in their businesses, and to hear their thoughts and strategies on how to deal with the shift and to share with them my thoughts and ideas on how to succeed in the ever changing business environment.

In no year since I started Moncur Associates (over 17 years ago) has there been as much change as there was in 2009.  Business lending has all but disappeared, global competition has forced immeasurable commoditization in our domestic service industries, consumer behavior and purchasing habits have taken a left turn.

It’s left strong, smart companies scrambling to figure out what happened and adjust to the changing climate.  Some haven’t made it in time.  Some have adjusted, and new companies built amidst the backdrop of the current economy are popping up everywhere.

What I noticed early on is that the companies that were succeeding were thinking differently.  They were re-defining themselves, and how they communicated, to match the changing demands of the economy, they were adjusting their services and products to match clients needs and paring down their offering (and staff) to only those that were the very best. And the successful companies had one other thing in common – they seemed clear on the role that customer service would play in their success.

The characteristics of successful companies were so clear to me, so fast, that we immediately began adjusting our offering to support the changing needs of our clients.  And defined a process and technique for communication (messaging + technology) that helped them adjust, and capitalize on the change that was all around us.

The resulting process was driven by a firm belief that we have entered a new era of business.  One that requires a new voice in speaking with customers, new strategies for communicating those messages to them, and a new way to structure, operate and run a business.  I’m calling this new era Conscious Commerce which I’ll get into in other blog posts – but the high level view is that a giant change is upon us, and there’s a new way to communicate and do business if you want to succeed in the era of conscious commerce.

And we better all get on board soon, because things have changed.  Forever.