It's a different movie...
That's how the skype call started this morning with a friend of mine. Then we paused and laughed a bit as we realized that the word "different" is fast becoming quite a cliche. Ask an actor or a film director in India about a new release and their first words are "It's a different movie". Nowadays, they consciously add a few prefix words saying.."Everyone says this but this movie is truly different".
Anyway once we were done with the movie stuff, I asked my friend who is in the technology business about this word "different" and it's relevance to him. I listened carefully to the first word which was "Innovation", followed by "out of the Box". I am always thrilled talking to these tech grads & geeks on any subject because they always support their statements with interesting links. And just as I had expected, my friend sent me a youtube link. It was Johnny Lee making a research project presentation about low cost interactive electronic white board he has created using Nintendo's wii remote. I have shared the video here and if you want to know more, you could visit Johnny Chung Lee''s website
I am sure you will smile just as I did after watching the video, coz nowhere in the presentation Johnny uses the word though you can describe it as "Truly different". What impressed me more was that when he published the software free on his website, there were half a million dowloads in 3 months. Wow, that is real impact!
I personally think everyone should give a thought on how you can relate this cliche word to your own business. From the best of consultants that I have talked to or listened and from my own experience, in the hospitality sector you can only make a difference by creating customer "Experiences".
I am reminded of another story. George Eastman, teh founder of Kodak called his sales force to a meeting. He asked, "What are we selling?". There were many responses that included "Cameras, good ones", "Film rolls" and so on. He said, "You're all wrong. We sell MEMORIES".
Is the response going to be "different' when you get to explain a question about your business? I hope not.
