A Culture of Progressive Learning Is Good for Your Organization – and Your Customers
While every company gallops along at such a hectic pace, there’s a need for ways to differentiate your company. This is especially significant if you’re in an industry like ours, where so many businesses operate on a transactional basis, not a consultative one. And when you’re just selling goods at the lowest possible price as opposed to offering strategic advice, where’s the value in a customer choosing you over another? There is none.
It’s one reason why we strive to be an organization of keen observers, or lifelong students if you will. Our core philosophy of purposeful education has served us well and helped us build a culture that sets Cooley apart. You can achieve the same distinction in your field.
Not being able to articulate how you differ from your competition is a drawback. Worse, it slams doors. Prospects will sense no qualitative benefit to choosing you over other firms. There’s no viable value to working with you.
Yet by fostering an organization that encourages ongoing professional development and a natural drive to stay on the edge of innovation, you elevate your company above your peers. You become thought leaders. Your strategic advice is sought.
One way to do this is by active participation in your industry’s leading trade groups. For us at The Cooley Group, this means the PSDA. The Print Services & Distribution Association is the largest community of distributors and resellers of print, marketing, and related services. They’re one of the best educational and networking groups in our field, and we recognized 69 years ago as a founding member the immeasurable value they bring to Cooley. We are actively involved in their educational and networking events nationwide and learn new concepts and ideas that we apply when consulting with customers.
Thinking innovatively is part of our corporate process. It’s collaborative and ongoing, and it’s based on a deep-seated belief in always acquiring knowledge.
At the Cooley Group, education and training are important to our overall business philosophy. Fostering ongoing professional development allows us to remain a relevant, resourceful brand partner for our clients. Recently, four Cooley Group team members went to Indianapolis, IN to participate in the PSDA P2P Summit. Our team gained valuable information on where print and technology come together. Team members were able to collaborate with peers in our industry and our top preferred manufacturing partners so that we stay at the forefront of the latest trends and technologies for our clients.
If you encourage purposeful education within your organization, your customers will benefit. They’ll work with and learn from people who are critical thinkers. And your company, characterized as a culture of innovators, will break away from the pack and thrive.
