Every business owner wants to be out in front of the pack, whether that means adopting a new process or picking up new gadgets. But early adoption can cause problems, especially in a smaller business that may not have the time or ability to test out new processes before making them standard.
Early adoption can let you get the drop on your competition, but there are potential problems that go along with it. Some of the most obvious examples come from tech gadgets — the people who picked up the iPhone 4 can attest to the downside of being among the first buyers just based on their antenna issues. But similar problems occur in business, as well. Even something as simple as a new machine that doesn’t work exactly as it should can slow down your business as you look for ways to fix new problems.
Conservative, But Not Too Conservative
Entrepreneurs are used to risk — after all, starting a new business from scratch can be more than a little risky. But when it comes to changing the way you do business, a little conservatism can come in handy. A certain level of reluctance when it comes to adopting new techniques or technology can be useful. Being first in line may allow you to get the drop on your competition, but it also means that your competition has a chance to see where things go wrong before adopting those new steps themselves. If you let someone else go first, you’ve got a chance to see where someone else goes wrong.
Once you’ve got a good idea of how to avoid those problems, though, it can be well worth the effort to be second. There are plenty of situations where the second company to get into the game is the winner — just think about how Sony released Betamax, only to be trumped by JVC’s VHS tapes. Sony was first to market, but JVC was able to take advantage of almost two years of observing Sony’s sales efforts. An observation period allows you to see the problems and even more opportunities to move forward, without have to break that ground yourself.
It’s Okay to Be a Pioneer Sometimes
Despite the drawbacks of being an early adopter, the benefits can sometimes be enough to make it worthwhile. If, for instance, you really are pioneering a new technique, you may have an opportunity to get years ahead of your competition if you do things right. There will always be risks in making a change, but if you’re a business owner, you can’t be afraid of risks. All you can do is look for ways to improve your business and reduce the risks as much as possible. That can mean waiting for someone else to jump in the pool first, or it can mean changing the situation so being the pioneer won’t cause you problems. There’s no metric for being sure that a situation is ideal, of course, but if you are sure you can turn early adoption into a benefit, it may be worthwhile.
Image by Flickr user MattHurst
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Tags: early adoption, Technology
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