Digital Dealer - August 2017 - 15

international management at London Business
School, "Occasionally,
a genuinely 'disruptive'
technology, such as
digital imaging, comes
along and wipes out an
entire industry. But usually the sources of failure
are more prosaic and
avoidable - a failure to
implement technologies
that have already been
developed, an arrogant
disregard for changing
customer demands,
a complacent attitude
toward new competitors."
To the casual observer,
the collapse of quintessential companies may
seem to come out of nowhere, but usually there
are glaring signs things
are amiss. Plummeting
revenue, complacency,
leadership changes, panicked shifts in strategy,
sudden layoffs/attrition
and store closings can all
land a company on the
corporate deathwatch list.
Of course, predictions
of corporate death don't
always come true, and
some companies are
able to step back from
the ledge. Not long
ago, electronics retailer RadioShack was in
dire straits, having filed
for bankruptcy, which
resulted in the closure of
thousands of its locations.
But the chain revamped
its remaining stores and
is mounting a comeback,
aiming to turn itself into
the go-to store for "do
it yourselfers" seeking
parts for their electronics
projects. Apple and IBM
both made impressive
corporate turnarounds
despite being written off

as irrelevant at one time.
Yet for every success
story, there are also
those companies that will
never be able to get off
life support. They might
linger in zombie form for
a while, but eventually,
these doomed companies
will fail because of their
refusal or lack of appreciation for change. It is
said, the only people who
like change are wet babies. William James was
right when he said, "That
which holds our attention
determines our actions."
When our attitude begins
to change, when we
become involved with
something, our behavior
begins to change. The
reason that we have to
make personal changes
is that we cannot take
our people on a trip that
we have not made. Too
many leaders try to be
travel agents instead of
tour guides--they try to
send people where they
have never been. We
give them a brochure and
a "Bon Voyage!" And off
they go and we wave to
them, and we ask them
to tell us how it was when
they come back. A tour
guide says, "Let me take
you where I've been. Let
me tell you what I have
gone through. Let me
tell you what I know. Let
me show you what I've
experienced in my life."
There will always be
challenges for the need
of better accountability
towards daily business
practices, and there will
be a continued ongoing
need for more flexibility
and latitude in making
those tough decisions.

Some of the lingering old
bad habits of retailing
obviously (and sadly) are
hanging around, but are
quickly getting pushed
aside by a new style of
business and relationship
development messages.
Sweep away those old
cob webs and musty
areas and make room for
advancements in these
new professional protocols.
We find ourselves
smack dab in the middle
of an industry-wide state
of transition towards new
ways in conducting and
operating businesses.
With this new improved
transition comes awesome opportunity for

some who seek it. For
those who don't embrace
them, well, these are
ones who will in the very
near future, be saying;
"how do we keep getting
blown away by our
competitors?" Warning
before you continue; this
requires constant 'work
in progress.' The journey however, makes the
destination a pretty cool
place and is mostly filled
with good memories.
Become the change artist
your operation needs.
CHUCK BARKER is President & Founder of Impact
Marketing & Consulting
Group, located in Virginia.
EMAIL: Chuck@impactgroupcrm.com

D I G I TA L D E A L E R . C O M

AUGUST 2017

15
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Digital Dealer - August 2017
