An Optimal Outcome Starts With Asking the Right Questions
"There's no such thing as a stupid question."
You've heard that before, right? Perhaps from a teacher, a parent or a friend? We all have, and in so many cases, we know the old adage does hold true -- there's no such thing as a wrong question.
With your business though -- whether you're just starting up, or you're advancing an enterprise -- the key to continued growth lies in asking the right questions. What does "the right question" sound like though? How about a wrong question? You'll see in the three examples below, as well as how incorrect questions can impact the rate at which your business grows.
Question #1: Creating an app is the obvious way to make things easier, right?
Wondering whether an app is the best way to evolve your business isn't wrong because an app really could make several things easier. However, depending on your business and its needs, developing and implementing an app may not work, and in fact, it could easily do the opposite in this saturated world of apps. You may find your decision could result in a financial loss, mislead customers about your brand and its products, or be a detriment to you, your employees and your customers.
That said, the core of this question isn't wrong at all: it's the way the question is being asked. Instead, you should take a long look -- both internally and externally -- and then...
Ask this question instead: Is an app the best solution for my business?
Question #2: So it'll be ready to launch in a week?
Once a technological solution for your business has been drawn up and decided upon, it's crucial for you to understand that urgency may not be the best option. While it's important to implement said solution as quickly as possible, this question not only underestimates the meticulous nature of technology, but it even underestimates your brand: the brand for which the technology is being implemented.
Introducing a technological solution to a medium-sized business (or larger) will demand care and synchronicity. Since giving the process time to breathe will result in the reward of mobility, your solution will pivot as you do. So...
Ask this question instead: How much time is needed to implement our solution properly?
Question #3: Wouldn't it be cheaper to keep all developments in-house?
Like Wrong Question #1, this question, when asked properly, isn't wrong at all -- it's obviously very smart to consider cost effectiveness, but even hinting at a technological solution being cheap is a step in the wrong direction, albeit a minor one.
The larger issue at hand is the failure to consider options, particularly if your business's expertise does not lie in technology. Imagine how costly -- in terms of both time and money -- it could be to search for and hire an internal team. Imagine hiring that team and then, a year down the road, realizing an external source needs to be brought in just for checks and balances. Imagine the cost of trying to correct a costly mistake. With that in mind…
Ask this question instead: Will an internal team or an external team make the most sense for our goals and our budget?
Curiosity + Right Questions = Excellent Results
Asking the right questions isn't always easy. If you want to optimize your business, though, asking the right questions will always be necessary to set up your business for success.
How does one go about doing that?
Beyond conducting internal and external research, beyond determining goals and solidifying identity, the best way to ensure you're asking the right questions is by partnering with people who care about the efficiency of your business as much as you do.
We at Creatix care about you and your business, and we'll always ask you the right questions. Contact us today.
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