Today’s strategy tip came to me as I unboxed my new 3D printer. Yes, I am now able to make some real cool (useless) plastic trinkets. Although the printer is not designed for strategic plans or Website strategies, we can use the concept of a 3D printer to look at our businesses in a completely different way…
The paradigm shift – an affordable 3D printer for everyone: Within the the next couple of years, the notion of printing 3D items at home will be as commonplace as microwave ovens. This is going to transform customer service for many industries. Imagine being able to print a missing or broken part from a toy or game – especially on Christmas morning?
How about your small business? Could your inventory of specialized items be replaced by a 3D printer? Imagine the potential in cost savings. If you rely on companies to ship critical parts to you for your repair business – how would your operation transform if you were able to print them on the fly – in your own shop – as soon as you realize you needed the item? These scenarios are already coming into play for some businesses, and will be relatively common for many others in the very near future.
So, how does this help with our strategy, or to help us to better run (change) our business? I recommend you take this little paradigm shift (the acceleration of affordable 3D printers) and apply it to your strategic thinking. Conceptualize how you might radically change a component of your business (inventory, distribution, etc.) if you were not dependent on a 3rd party. Could you work from more-remote locations, or serve an expanded client-base? Could you create one-off, customized items for your clients?
What if we look beyond a single change agent (the 3D printer), and view our business through the eyes of different industries. Are there other paradigms you can use to improve your strategy? Some examples:
If you are an insurance broker or CPA, you probably have some of the same document storage and retention issues as the medical field. Are there some best practices or technologies in the medical field that are more beneficial to you than what you are using today?
How about the nonprofit agency with fundraising challenges? Are you taking advantage of the crowdfunding concepts and strategies that made my new (very affordable) printer available?
Admittedly, I will not be able to print a new strategic plan or code a new Website with my new printer – at least not yet! But the concept of deploying 3D printers in the home and small businesses is now a reality. How will it change your business?