By Larry Geller

Whoever invented the “drive-up window” surly deserves a place in the Innovation Hall of Fame.

The drive-up window, now so commonplace, was an innovation that transformed the way whole industries do business.  That unknown inventor recognized two loves of our society - the automobile and instant gratification.  The first drive-up windows were used in banks followed by fast food restaurants, dry cleaners, supermarkets, pharmacies, and there is even a drive-up wedding chapel in Las Vegas (why does that not surprise me?).  

Not all innovations transform our society.  Most are small, incremental “sweat-the-details” innovations.  Great companies work on these tiny innovations constantly and, when added up, can make a huge impact.  Small package delivery company, UPS, has developed an innovative training procedure to get their drivers to buckle their seat belt with their left hand while turning the key with their right hand saving a few seconds at every stop in their quest to deliver more packages per day per vehicle on the road.  

Is there an innovation out there that will transform your business and will get your statue placed in the Hall of Fame?  Your statue might be right next to the person who invented the drive-up window or the person who developed the left-handed seat belt procedure.  I’m sure there is, if you look for it.

Innovations that deliver speed, lower costs, ease of use, increased convenience are out there waiting to be invented.  The key is to look for the needs in your marketplace.  Listen to your customers.  They are asking you for things (products / services / processes / attitudes / communications that are faster / cheaper / easier / more convenient / clearer / more informative) all the time.  If you can figure out how to deliver what they want or need you will be able to leapfrog past your competition and capture a greater share of your marketplace.  

A successful transformational innovation or a “sweat-the-details” innovation might start you on the road to substantially improving all aspects of your business and get your statue in the Hall of Fame.   

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Larry Galler has been an owner of three small businesses selling to local, regional, and national markets.  Since 1993 he has been coaching and consulting high performance executives, professionals, salespeople, and owners of small businesses to extraordinary achievement.  He speaks frequently to business groups and has written a weekly newspaper column since 2001.  To increase the velocity of your business success, contact Larry for a free coaching session larry@larrygaller.  Sign up for his newsletter at www.larrygaller.com