Recently the ABC aired a documentary called the War on Waste. It had a big impact on me and inspired our great Springwood Clothes swap. The other way it inspired me was with my daily coffee. Australia disposes of one billion coffee cups every year – One BILLION! This figure floored me. Contrary to popular belief they do not break down and end up in the landfill. I know that I was not the only one affected by this knowledge. In our local town of Springwood, bring your cups have had a huge increase in demand. In Perth, one coffee shop has banned them all together! One local coffee shop has purchased their own branded ones, while the local kitchen store can’t keep them stocked quick enough. I interpret this as businesses who are across current trends and have their finger on the pulse of what the clients demand. It’s like the local butcher, who watches Masterchef each week and then stocks and promotes the particular cuts of meat that contestants worked on that week.
Some local coffee shops are also giving a 50cent discount, and yet I have found a couple of late who arent offering the discount. The customer expectation is that if you don’t have to purchase that cup, then can your discount not be passed on? Of course, someone suggested to me that they are washing them and I was shocked. I take my cup in clean thanks very much; I think expecting the cafe to clean them is way over the top! But what of the local coffee van? Are they evolving too? On Saturday morning at netball, I brought my little cup and was charged extra to have my coffee in this way. On top of that, the person running the van was most put out as she couldn’t write on it, and was most annoyed and put out by my takeaway cup. It occurred to me that this is an example of evolving business. How will they cope with change? What modifications will they need to make to their service, their workflow, their systems? Do they even realise?
When you operate with your head down in your business, you can lose sight of the changes that are happening in the marketplace – How is your industry or market evolving? What modifications could you make in your business to keep current and top of mind for your customers? Let me know how you’re growing and changing in your business?
Food for thought
Until next week
Andy xx
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