Dr Scott King CENG

Columnist

Dr Scott King CENG,

Director, Pinnacle Growth Group

Business Growth and Shaping Your Journey

When you get time for reflection, which let’s be honest has been challenging across 2021, do you ever look externally and feel that other businesses appear to achieve more, move faster, or seem to know exactly what they need to do and when?

Within your business, have you wondered if there is a set process a business can implement and follow that can help guide and shape a transformation journey that ultimately moves the business forward, supports its development and its successes?

Business transformation is a subject which many people have been asking Pinnacle Growth Group for support with over the past 12 months.

So, what is it?

The Harvard Business Review informs us that:

Business transformation involves making fundamental changes in how business is conducted.

For Pinnacle Growth Group, business transformation involves the structured (and planned) change, improvement, evolution and/or the replacement of processes, people, training, systems, technology, marketing and brand perception. This will ultimately lead to business improvements in the form of, for example, increased efficiencies, sales, workforce skills, customer satisfaction, brand improvement, stakeholder approval and profits.

We firmly believe that any business can successfully complete a transformation project to support their growth.

Whether you’re a £50k or £50m turnover business you’ll perform – at a high level – the same type of change activities. The key differences will be the scale of transformation undertaken, the time frame needed, the resources required, and the magnitude of the transformation attempted.

Remember: although your company might have a small turnover and limited resources compared to others, that doesn’t mean you can’t complete a successful transformation project.

So, when is the right time to kick off a transformation project?

This is a very important question to consider. After all, should you kick off when your business is: • going well, and you have a positive momentum and sufficient resources, or • during a business plateau when your business is neither growing nor reducing, or • when things aren’t going well, and you need the transformation to recover your business?

When things are going well in a business and confidence is high, this is when they are most positive about initiating a transformation project. Although you might then ask; why would you transform if things are going well?

I think the most stressful and difficult time to consider initiating a transformation is when things aren’t going well in the business. Let’s be honest: when a business is struggling it’s going to be under a significant amount of additional stress and the motivation levels of staff within the business may not be high. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t initiate a transformation during this period, but rather it’s important to recognise that it’s going to be tougher.

So, you made the decision to initiate a transformation project. Next step: how do you do it?

Each transformation is unique. However, I believe there are three keys factors needed for success: • Having the support of people who have successfully completed a transformation can significantly increase your likelihood of success. • Your team are key stakeholders: if they aren’t on board and involved in planning the transformation, they won’t buy in and the success of the transformation will be impacted. • You need to accept that in order to make a successful transformation, you will need to allocate appropriate time and resources (which may be limited).

So, to summarise:

• Business transformation can be undertaken by businesses of any scale at any time, however, its always easier when the business is in a positive position. • Transforming a business is a challenge. It takes time – potentially months and longer depending on the scale of transformation – and a lot of hard work and commitment. • Thinking you can successfully achieve a transformation without time, effort and commitment is a sure-fire way of setting yourself up for failure. However, if you follow a process and have the support of people with the appropriate skills, knowledge and experience, you can successfully transform your business and ensure success for years to come.

Business transformation is only one of the areas where Pinnacle Growth Group can add value to your business. We can also: • identify funding opportunities to assist your business transformation • assist with business planning and strategies for future growth • assist with accessing new markets, growing sales and client profitability.

If you want to discuss any of your questions with one of the Pinnacle Growth Group team, contact Scott at: scott.king@pinnaclegrowth.group or judith.neill@pinnaclegrowth.group.

MAKE TIME FOR GREAT DESIGN

Designers are creative problem solvers. It’s in their nature to devise innovative solutions to complex dilemmas. Here Chiho Tang of Oranga Creative in Belfast examines the role that design can play in helping Northern Ireland’s business community tackle the challenges and opportunities posed by both the Coronavirus crisis and our move forward into economic growth. As Chiho explains, now more than ever business owners need to think creatively… and digitally.

When times are tough, people are scared and businesses are uncertain of the way ahead, there’s a tendency to batten down the marketing hatches and curtail most promotional activity. This was certainly a logical response to the cataclysmic turn of events that prevailed with the outbreak of the pandemic, when the economy closed literally overnight. Things have radically changed and now, as Northern Ireland moves forward into a new post-pandemic and post-Brexit realm, it’s time to rethink our old design paradigms. As designers and clients, we both have a responsibility to rebuild people’s confidence and influence the way audiences act in this new environment of virtual meetings and hatch-door coffee shops.

Go digital…or else

Designers can change businesses for the better. We bring unique skills and ways of thinking that can help business owners and managers understand their customers and tailor products and services for them. Since the Covid-19 pandemic most customers’ normal patterns of life have come to a halt and we’ve seen massive growth in online shopping, business meetings, food delivery, telemedicine, remote education and online entertainment, to name a few. For many companies, going digital was the only way to stay in business and I believe these digital-led experiences will continue to grow in popularity once the coronavirus is supressed. That’s why design companies like ours are helping companies plan the ways they use data and technology to deliver value and a superb online experience to existing customers and broaden their reach to new audiences.

If we accept that digital will continue to be part of the new normal, then it’s imperative that your digital experience invokes a lasting emotional connection with your customers. This is achieved through ‘emotional motivators’ that connect with your customers’ values and aspirations, such as the desire to “stand out from the crowd,” and “have confidence in the future.” And how do you make this connection? Through great design, of course - in the images you use, the tone of voice you adopt and the experience you deliver.

All change on the creative front

I’m sorry to break this to you but your photo library is now largely redundant - at least for the time being. Photographs of people embracing, shaking hands or mixing socially do not reflect the reality of things right now. Instead, mask-wearing and social distancing have become a permanent fixture of our daily lives and although images that reflect these behaviours may still seem a little strange, they are a more accurate snapshot of how we’re living right now. This means your corporate imagery should be aligned with current trends, rather than previous norms.

Let’s consider sports brands, for example. Traditional imagery might show teams playing together, with large group of fans and supporters cheering from the side lines. But with games being played without live audiences, this is no longer the norm. Instead, through several lockdowns sport has gained new meaning as a healthy, daily habit. Sports brands that position their imagery to reflect this trend are going to win the game.

Social and eco concerns matter

Businesses have long expressed concerns for the state of society through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) statements. Likewise, many have adopted Green Policies that voice their interest in the planet’s health. But there has been a marked shift in tone over the last year. Business are feeling the heat, especially on climate change, and it’s no longer enough to pay lip service to these issues - savvy customers see right through this. Design will play a key role in showing that your business is not merely driven by commercial needs, but is serious about by social impact, and in creating a better world and planet for people. This will only work if your designers are informed and aligned with your corporate strategy on social and environmental issues and are included in the formal design and rollout of your CSR processes.

Revitalise company performance

Above all, companies of every size, in every sector, need to emerge competitively from the Covid-19 crisis and should look to design. Designers will invigorate their recovery by devising with novel solutions, creating improvement and developing new experiences. Designers will help companies start thinking about a future that reaches into the ‘new normal’, and beyond.