- Posted on September 22, 2011
Is Your Business Still Relevant?
In New York City this week, the last of our single space parking meters were removed from service, having been replaced by solar-powered, Wi-Fi equipped, multi-space Muni-Meters.
This is the end of an era. Remember the glee of finding a parking space with an unexpected 15-30 minutes left on the meter? Those days are now mere memories.
Come to think of it, the last few weeks haven't fared well for the postal service either. As the financial problems of the USPS have come to light, many have discussed its obsolescence, what with email, digital bill paying and the tremendous decrease in the volume of postal mail.
What does this have to do with you? Frankly, it's something you should think about often. Otherwise, one day you might discover that your business has gone the way of the buggy whip.
Before you say that this couldn't happen to you, seriously think about what's going on in your business, your industry, and perhaps most significantly, with your clients. Are the products and services that you offer still as relevant as they were five, ten, twenty years ago?
It's natural for people to cling to doing things the way they've always been done. It's also natural to feel that such significant changes "couldn't happen to us".
But this can sneak up on you, especially if you're not paying attention. Just think about Facebook. In 2005, 1 million people used it, compared to over 500 million today. Did this sneak up on you?
Food for thought, to be sure.
In the meantime, the vernal equinox is upon us, so enjoy the transition to autumn, and have a great week!
Copyright 2011 Lisa M. Aldisert
Quote of the Day
"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns."
- George Eliot
On this Day in History
In 1903, Italo Marchiony filed the patent for an ice cream cone for his push cart ice cream business in New York City.