Is Business Different Today?

Much has been said by Business Gurus about the change in business. That the way business is conducted today is much different than in past years.

Indeed, there has been much change in business practices due to the internet. Business communication is much faster today than 200 year ago. A business person in Chicago can communicate with someone in Beijing instantly. Orders can be place at the speed of light.

Better shipping practices permit the order to be transported to its destination more rapidly than in previous years.

Monetary practices are permitting payment in a fluid accurate manor.

Computers are enabling more detailed analysis of the business. Spreadsheets help business understand the complexities of the modern business environment. Graphic programs help to make visible intricacies in the data not other wise seen. Email programs, text editors and presentation programs all align to bring the complex textual and graphic data to the business manager.

Yes, the world has changed. But has business really changed? Is the mantra? “The customer is king!”  any different today than say 1000 years ago. Has lean manufacturing changed the landscape?

Over the next couple of Mini Lessons we shall explore the business environment. What has changed what is the same.

First of all, is the customer now king when before there was no care for the customer?

A cobbler 1000 years ago made their living making shoes. A customer would approach them for a pair of shoes.

The cobbler would determine:

• Is the customer need was urgent?
• Did the customer require a custom made pair of shoes?
• Did the cobbler have shoes already made the customer might desire?
• What materials did the customer want the shoes made of?
• For what use were the shoes?

Then the cobbler would negotiate the sale of the shoes. If the need were urgent the customer would have two choices. Purchase what the cobbler had on hand or wait for a custom made pair of shoes. Ether way the cobbler must provide a quality product on time or the customer would not return.

Worse yet, if the customer were really the “King” of the land the cobbler could loose their head if the product did not meet requirements. I would say the, “Customer was King.”

The cobbler if they were busy they might not have a pre-made pair of shoes. Every shoe made would have been made on demand. Much like the lean manufacturing processes of today.

So has any thing really changed? No, the customer was king 1000 year ago. The customer is king today.