There is no room in a successful business for resistance to change. Although consistency in our daily lives makes us feel more comfortable, reluctance to change in business can kill a company. Success in business has a lot to do with being ahead of the competition, and without change, the competition will catch up and eventually overtake your position in the market. It happens everyday. A seemingly small and insignificant company comes up with a new and different way of doing something. e business establishment ignores this change, and in a relatively short period of time, the once small company becomes a market dominator.
Unfortunately, most packaged ice manufacturers fall into the trap of resistance to change. Many of these companies want to continue to only do what they know, in ways that they are comfortable with, and with people they have worked with in the past. Why do so many packaged ice manufacturers utilize outdated, inefficient manufacturing equipment? Why do these same companies waste so much ice due to poor ice conveying and handling systems? Why do we continue to see plants with unproductive packaging systems? Why do packaged ice manufacturers continue to make the same mistakes experimenting with unproven or poorly integrated palletizing systems? Why does this industry complain so much about labor but continue to utilize their personnel in the same way? Equipment technologies, systems integration, business practices, selling techniques, and available labor personnel are all changing, but most packaged ice producers stay the same.
They reminisce about the way things once were without viewing market changes or technology developments as an opportunity. It is these companies that are slowly dissolving their business.
We point fingers at the bygone block ice companies and their short sightedness toward the refrigerator, or latter the more efficient ice making and packaging systems that led to today’s packaged ice business. We struggle to understand how those goliath companies could fall so easily, but we fail to recognize that the same thing is happening today, and at a much faster rate. ink about it; don’t we hear about it everyday. We hear comments about how quickly things are changing in the world around us. But what is rarely acknowledged or excepted, is that change is expediential. If you think things are changing fast now, wait until tomorrow. Change will not only leave your company struggling to catch up, but if you wait too long to evolve, there will be no hope of catching up.
The above changes are contained within your plant facility, but change needs to happen throughout all aspects of today’s packaged ice companies. What about means to distribution? Handheld computers for your distribution personnel are a must, but what about computer interfaces to dynamically route your trucks through onboard GPS systems. Have you ever thought about on-line selling tools or flexible in store promotions; consider how to use new technology to keep your company ahead of the pack.
It is not just how your company does things or what new technologies your company decides to embrace; it is just as important to choose the best industry supplier to help your company with those changes. An evolution in your company justifies a change of suppliers to the one best equipped to guide your company down the path of change. Why do so many established packaged ice producers continue to work with the same supplier? e answer is rarely that a company believes they are working with the best company, but more often, they are simply uncomfortable with change. Just because your current suppliers know you and your company, and have worked with your company for so many years, does not mean they are qualified to be the best partner toward positive change. e decision to inact change at your company should not be taken lightly. Working with the right industry supplier can mean the difference between simply making changes and making positive changes toward future growth. At AIS our mantra is all about positive change. All that we do revolves around the goals of DIFFERENT, SMARTER, BETTER. We have the knowledge and experience to create positive change within your company and to give you advantages over the competition. All your company has to do is want to change, be open to doing things different, and to give AIS the opportunity to lead your company in your change toward future success. Don’t be comfortable with the way things are or who your company works with, strive to do things better and to work with a better supplier and integrator, and to embrace change.
– Doug Carpenter
