Unmasking the New Face of Business

Business is a journey; a game that has no finish line. Interestingly, the face of business has changed, or rather has been unmasked. It’s no longer the usual thing you may have known but one with a new rule. If you don’t like change, you might discontinue yourself automatically from business, no matter your level of accomplishment. If you stand still where you are in business, you get run over quickly.

Andy Grove, Intel CEO once instructed, ‘There is at least one point in the history of any company when you have to change dramatically to rise to the next level of performance; miss that moment and you start to decline.’ What does this tell us? Frank Tarkenton, a management consultant writing on Strategies for Business Success summarized the answer thus: ‘No matter how great your victory today, tomorrow is a new game with new plays and new opponents’. There is a great danger in complacency especially now that the course of ‘businessing’ has been redirected.

With the emergence of the new business economy, it has been preceded by a new business model and culture, which carries with it new strategies, new tactics, new weaponry, new approach, and new sweet result that is ‘wow-wrapped’. Better is better. And this business order is better. It’s a reinvented business that adds value in the most meaningful way. And here, whoever has the best practices rules.

What is the nature of this new face of business? This is business with total humanness – ‘the human side of business’. It’s the point where the heart marries the head to provide the best deals that enriches both parties. Business is a means of touching lives in a way that tells people (your clients) that you understand their needs, and are willing and able to meet those needs. We are human being first and every other thing else follows. Every deal should reflect this humanness shared by every one of us. Before now, we have been playing down on this salient aspect of business. Today, it’s no longer a minor aspect of business but the major.

There has been a swift and successive progression in the order of ‘businessing’ the world over. You would recall that doing business in yesteryears was centered on raw materials, then to goods, then to services, and to the rave of the moment, which I call ‘the experience-ful’ business. This shows the sequence of human maturity and degree of business sophistication up until now. (We might not exactly say what will become order of things tomorrow. The best is yet to come).

For instance, a ‘service-based business’ as we know is a pure transaction that is some what dry and often straight to the point. It may have succeeded in the time past but now it is gradually fading away. On the other hand, an ‘experience-based business’ is a terrific happening, a thrilling adventure that is worth your time and money. You get it and ask for more. It adds to your story and something to share with pals and loved ones. For instance, you receive a ‘product-service’ from an organisation, and from there a whole new life begins.

Take the example of a saloon service. If the price was the only issue, you’d simply go to the cheapest one. But you care more about the depth and stability of service offered that transcends beyond making hair. Call it a relationship, care or warmth, you are right. When you get that (s)he doesn’t end up becoming your hair dresser but a trusted friend and partner whose business progress you deeply care about. If you’ll recall, almost every business thrives on relationship and relationship thrives on trust. If you are in doubt, think on what got you hooked to those you patronize most.

Let me illustrate this using the experience I had in Accra some time last year. I needed to barb and was attracted by a good looking saloon and went in. Frankly speaking, I was given a clean cut. But beyond that the barber gave me something beyond service; he bonded with me. That was a kind of experience inherent in his brand (business). When I needed another cut, I wasn’t surprise that I went there not minding the distance. Did you get that? Even here in Nigeria, I am a fan of that saloon.

Any one who has become my trusted associate has bought my heart and allegiance, and I’ll gladly open my purse for him. What else does a business wants? Business is not just service-oriented, but also people-based, and love-engrained. It knows where to strike and strike hard.

Experience is the language of this emerged business enterprise, whether you sell a product or offer a service. Tom Peters, the Americas management guru taught, ‘Big leap takes place when the experience dimension enters the mix’. This mix is nothing other than using everything within you reach in treating your customers the way you would love to be treated. To achieve this, an outfit has to reinvent its entire business system to be people-focused. When you do, you attract exceptional loyalty from customers who would eventually lead you to your business growth and profitability.

‘The secret of success in business’ Aristotle Onassis sais,’ is to know something nobody else knows.’ The beauty of knowledge comes when acted upon. Now that you know, what will stop you from elevating your business to a new height and make it compliant? Ready. Aim. Fire!


Tony Ajah is a Business Growth Strategist whose ideas have helped businesses in Nigeria. He is also the Creative Director of Smartspeakers Resources, a Lagos based firm that specializes in Soft Skill Development.
www.smartspeakersng.org tony@smartspeakersng.org ajahxt@yahoo.co.uk +234 805 140 3056