Builder - December 2008 - (Page 43) Advertisement TM Dear Home Building Professional, In the normal course of doing business, we talk with many homebuilders and trade professionals on a daily basis. But because business these days remains so far from normal, we’re also listening to firsthand accounts of extraordinary challenges and painful decisions. Understandably, we’re all—homebuilders and manufacturers alike—intent on finding the means to manage through the crisis in day-to-day mode. And realistically, we should remain so. But perhaps what’s also needed is a shift in the conversation and a broadening of perspective: while still keeping an eye on the present challenges, we need to begin championing ideas that can transform the industry. Innovation is the way forward. Not just innovation in the standard sense. But innovation with an intense focus on creating something completely novel, different and highly desirable by consumers. ® Such things are not without precedent. Take an example from technology: the i-revolution of Apple. Even in ® ® a down economy, the demand for iPod and iPhone devices (and all of the music, applications and accessories to go with them) is phenomenal.1 With this generation of devices, Apple virtually created a need people previously didn’t know they even had. It’s little wonder, then, why Apple consistently tops the BusinessWeek list of innovative companies, idealizing the publication’s definition of innovation: “Today, innovation is about much more than new products. It is about reinventing business processes and building entirely new markets that meet untapped customer needs it’s about selecting and executing the right ideas and bringing them to market in record time.”2 This definition of innovation has the outlook that’s needed in our industry. By identifying and imagining completely new innovations to add to our homes, we can give consumers fresh reasons to purchase. The embrace of greener, more sustainable homes is certainly one very promising area of leadership. Building practices and products that save energy, conserve water and support indoor air quality help satisfy homebuyers’ practical needs to save money. These efforts also connect to a desire to live in ways that are healthy for future generations. Ultimately, the way forward will include sustainability, but let’s not stop there. The way forward will be found as everyone steps up, innovatively, to all the challenges at hand. If we combine our efforts with greater creativity— focused on consumer needs—we can drive change from within the industry, rather than waiting for the market to bring it. If you’d like to discuss how we can innovate together on behalf of consumers, please contact me directly. I’d love to begin the conversation with you. Sincerely, Tom Halford, General Manager Contract Sales and Marketing thomas_e_halford@whirlpool.com Circle 583 or http://builder.hotims.com 1 2 Apple®, iPod® and iPhone® are registered trademarks of Apple, Inc. BusinessWeek, April 24, 2006 http://builder.hotims.com
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