How digital transformation strengthens the essence of services
Photo taken @ LEGO House
The essence of professional service providers is to make a meaningful difference in the lives of clients and society. The massive focus on digitization, automation, and AI seems to affect the professional service providers’ relevance. The impact of technological and social developments on professional service providers is undeniable. The question is how to respond to these developments and take advantage of the opportunities it presents.
Inspiration from the history of LEGO
Take the story of LEGO as an inspiring example. Two decades ago, LEGO threatened to go bankrupt, but the core of the crisis began ten years earlier. As the popularity of video games increased in the early 1990s, LEGO's relevance as a toy came under pressure. They looked for ways to stay relevant and adapt to the changing times. During that search, each new product led to more financial loss.
At some point, the realization came back that LEGO is about creativity, building, and playing. There is still a market for that. The motto became, "We sell bricks." By using technology differently, the company grew into what it is today. The essence has remained, but how it is developed and marketed differs from 25 years ago.
A showcase for professional service providers
This part of LEGO's history offers a nice parallel to professional service providers. Future relevance is up for debate. Alternatives are entering the market, with the potential to get bigger and the threat to change the market fundamentally. How do you respond to this?
A key lesson from LEGO is to keep grasping the essence of your organization. That is what you are good at and what makes you different. The heart of service is your expertise, passion, and dedication to helping people and businesses with their higher goals.
Embracing digital transformation
With this essence in mind, you can embrace technological and social developments and be more meaningful to your clients. It goes beyond just delivering services as products; it's about truly understanding and meeting the core needs of individuals and businesses on their path to success. With this approach, you can use technology to serve customers better and make them more meaningful.
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