| 'Necessity is the Mother of Invention', I remember | | | | there are many that still today disrespect |
| from my school days. Well, in business, Bad news | | | | Microsoft and they are allowed to have their |
| is the spark that constantly and effectively | | | | opinions. What cannot be said is that Microsoft did |
| recreates our organisations! | | | | not go on to become one of the most successful |
| Bad news is Good news! | | | | businesses of our time making Bill Gates the |
| In our earlier article, we visited an organisation | | | | richest man on earth! |
| whose CEO was not able to get to the Bad | | | | Still, many technocrats agree that Microsoft |
| News. His structures kept Bad News at a "safe" | | | | products are not technically as advanced as their |
| distance. I remember another Client stressing to | | | | counterparts such as Unix, and this may be true. |
| me "why should I voluntarily establish a company | | | | However, customers and investors vote with |
| product Blog for all those whingers who want to | | | | their money and they have voted for Microsoft |
| complain about my product". The answer is simple | | | | time and time again as instead of trying to build |
| really, they will whinge anyway, except that with | | | | the best technical products, Microsoft continues to |
| your Blog, you know in real time and can do | | | | build Client relevant products based on their |
| something about it (or nothing if you so choose). | | | | feedback. The question for Microsoft is, will the |
| As are Bad News, Blogs are gold mines as long as | | | | new management team post Bill Gates |
| they are well managed. | | | | understand and propagate this subtle choice and |
| Another Client, a software development house, | | | | are they able to match the Google onslaught and |
| consciously kept segregated the customer | | | | the SaaS software model? Time will tell and this is |
| complaints database from the product | | | | not the subject of this article. |
| development tracking and roadmap database and | | | | It is our experience that GREAT companies treat |
| ensured that the 2 shall never meet, as "the | | | | Bad News like gold. They often have a specific |
| customers do not realise that we have been | | | | role(s) in their organisations that analyse this |
| building the best software for decades and I | | | | feedback and work towards merging this with |
| know better than any customer what their needs | | | | product and services roadmaps. We certainly |
| are" claimed the CEO! And at no time were the | | | | agree with this approach. The best GAP analysis |
| Customer Support staff allowed to share their | | | | will find significant relevance in this Bad News. |
| knowledge with the software development team | | | | Often organisations ask their marketing teams to |
| in case the latter were influenced by "complaining | | | | work through GAP analysis and struggle to find |
| customers". | | | | relevant information, or worst still, abdicate the |
| So, let's analyse Bad News. To start with, Bad is a | | | | role to an external organisation that goes-on to |
| very subjective and what is Bad news for one is | | | | commit the organisation to lengthy and costly |
| no news for another. This is a basic premise we | | | | research programs that often give the wrong |
| need to endorse before we are able to allow for | | | | results. All this while in a database, hidden away |
| the world of opportunities to open for us. In the | | | | somewhere in a Customer Support department, |
| early days of the ICT industry, regular | | | | this goldmine is sitting there gathering digital dust! |
| commentary by colleagues and IT journals, about | | | | So, as the Leader of your organisation, how often |
| the LOW quality of the Microsoft products was | | | | have you gone and sat at the customer support |
| commonplace. This was indeed seen as Bad News | | | | desk and asked for real feedback on what our |
| by those uncomfortable with Bill Gates' business | | | | customers are telling us about our organisations. |
| success. Not for Mr Gates, we imagine. What we | | | | Has your website become a labyrinth full of "Look |
| saw was, Mr Gates creating a new industry of | | | | at me" type information, where most of your |
| "resellers" that Microsoft trained and ensured they | | | | potential and existing customers get lost looking |
| shared revenues with and that Microsoft was able | | | | for information or are you giving them tools like |
| to continue listening to, step by step improving | | | | Blogs that are easily accessible allowing them to |
| the products, making them market relevant | | | | get quick access to information and giving you |
| rather than technologically at the bleeding edge. | | | | their FREE advice? |
| Now, this is a very controversial subject and | | | | |