Why Continuous Improvement Is The Go-To Business Philosophy
in Insights - Last updated June 9th, 2022
Continuous improvement is essential to stay ahead of the field. In competitive markets, it’s an undeniable truth, that those who adapt, thrive.
Yet all too often, organisations are solely focussed on the day to day. Distracted by the “noise” of regularity, head down focussed on the task at hand.
This means they don’t find time to come up for air and evaluate what is actually going on around them.
Sound familiar?
To maintain your competitive advantage, you must look to progress your business process at every opportunity.
That way, you can maintain forward momentum whilst retaining the capacity to pivot when a new, lucrative approach or opportunity arises.
The Importance Of Continuous Improvement
Think about it, how many businesses succumb to their competition because they fail to adapt?
Over the last few years, a lack of evolution has led directly to the crippling and closure of a number household names.
Netflix ousted Blockbuster, Blackberry fell foul of the iPhone and Kodak were left in the dust by the rise of digital photography.
But what do they all have in common? They failed to adapt.
If they had instead adopted a philosophy of continuous improvement, rather than stick resolutely to their guns, they wouldn’t have been caught flatfooted whilst those around them seized new opportunities with both hands.
Why Does This Matter?
You may be thinking that your business is not like others. That there are no changes occurring in your industry that you could take advantage of.
You’d be wrong.
Continuous improvement will always be relevant to each and every business for the simple reason that if you are not moving forward and constantly evolving, you are falling behind your competition.
Masaaki Imai, pioneer of the kaizen methodology at Toyota said…
“Not a day should go by without some kind of improvement being made somewhere in the company”.
Masaaki Imai
Be honest. Can you say the same for your business?
Since it’s inception, companies the world over have strived to adopt kaizen as an integral part of their business identity.
So what can you do to follow suit?
How Can I Adapt?
Track, review, improve, repeat. It’s as simple as that.
Constant, iterative improvements are essential, no matter how small or large your organisation.
Making consistent, evolutionary change will allow you to stay ahead of the game and ensure you become the market leader.
Through evaluation of current processes, you can identify areas for optimisation, streamline your operations and make smarter decisions.
Similarly, understanding consumer trends before they land in your sector will help you stay ahead of the curve and put you in prime position to take immediate advantage.
Consider for a moment…
What would an increase in productivity mean to your operation?
How could you evolve your business if you had access to live data at your fingertips?
Why would automating menial tasks lead to happier customers and more attentive staff?
Continuous improvement is a critical string to the bow of your organisation’s future prosperity.
It’s time to embrace the change!
Updated 9/6/2022
Ready to explore how Anthill can help foster continuous improvement across your organisation? Schedule a demo today.
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- June 9th, 2022