I came to the realization today that innovative companies have stopped negotiating with customers about upcoming innovations. If they are smart, they are just going to change it and tell you that its all part of a bigger plan.   

I use Gmail for business and have access to everything that Google wants me to use. I have chosen not to use most of it. I tried Google+ and found it redundant, although the videoconference interface shows promise. I tried Google Apps many years ago and it didn't fit into my work style very well. I knew there was a Google Drive, but I am a loyal Dropbox user and just didn't see the need for it. Until today.

My marketing team is producing a lot of videos for me and as such I have to review huge files. Hosting sites like Vimeo can handle this just fine, but one can quickly run out of space and frankly, it's not as easy as emailing a file. Yesterday I was sent about 5 gigs of files to review via Google Drive. Using the link I could access the sender's folder and look at the files. Nice clean interface. Easy to use. But up in the right hand corner was this handy little button that invited me to add this to my drive.

I ignored it. Because, I don't use Google Drive.

Then, I downloaded the first file so I could add to my Dropbox...

I had other things to do, so I went on about my day. When that file was done I downloaded the next. That button "Add to Drive" (with an implied question mark) was still there. I won't tell you how many more videos I downloaded before I clicked on that link, but I eventually did. Instantly the files I was sent were added to my G-Drive and now I had an interface just like my Gmail and Calendar to manage and review these videos. And they were now mine. I had possession and control instantly.

Recently I noticed that Gmail changed how attachments showed up in an email on my browser interface. I can still download the file, but I can also just "Add to Drive" and instantly save these files. No downloading; they just show up in my virtual drive. I still have to reconcile in my mind that I don't actually have those files in my physical possession (until I take the hint and click "Install Drive on your computer"), but when am I really offline? Now that I have seen the benefit of instant control, how long before I take the bait?

Ok, so this blog really isn't about my being dragged one rung farther up the technology evolution ladder. It's about how Google did it. They finally figured it out. Rather than dragging me into their world like they tried to do with Google+ and tying up my profiles and generally annoying me, they demonstrated a clear value. Google said, "Here's an option. Get on board or continue to struggle. Your choice." Why is this different from offering to add every new email contact to my dormant Google+ account? Google Drive offered me something more important than a pretty place to share pictures. The Drive saves me time and adds even more security to my data preservation strategy. They know it's a good idea and aren't apologizing for it.  

Who cares if they take over the world? My data is safe and handy. 

I want to draw a quick corollary to Facebook. While a majority of their users seem to throw a fit whenever Facebook announces an impending change, most of the changes have been for the good. They are anticipating how we use Facebook and applying algorithms to manage our feeds. Did they get it right every time? No, but what they learned was to QUIT ASKING PERMISSION. They are the Social Media experts. Make it better. Trust that users will figure it out. Change it, carefully.

The lesson here for me is that in order to continually evolve your business, develop better products and services, and get people to use them - stop asking your customers for permission. There's too many of them and most of them aren't truly open to innovation. Improve your product and then, just change it. The trick is, make the change obviously beneficial to the customer. If you need to have a campaign to explain the benefits, then you are doing it wrong. Add the button. Take them to a new world. Make it their idea to adapt. Meanwhile, you can innovate more often and not hold yourself back because your customers are "comfortable" with the old product. Sounds like progress.

The post Just Change It - Carefully appeared first on The Stimson Group.