Not all CRM trends that are proclaimed at the turn of the year are
- new
- important
- relevant.
It is a tradition that journalists ask about the current CRM trends before the turn of the year. The journalists from my network no longer ask me about this. Why?
Trends are not lying in the basement or waiting to be kissed awake.
Because the trends don’t wait in the basement throughout the year until they finally come to light at the end of the year.
Instead, they usually develop slowly. They either develop out of themselves (virally, with their own momentum) or they are developed by targeted propaganda of the “proponents” with the help of the media.
Particular caution is advised with the second example. Who has produced which study with which goal and publishes the data for his purpose: just to promote his business model!
Do you still remember swine fever or bird flu? That was where statistics were handled. Man, man, man! Predicting developments on uncertain figures and stirring up fear!
If you don’t notice an important trend during the year – or rather a topic that is relevant for you – you don’t need it. If you follow every trend, you do not differentiate yourself. And runs – even panting – to death. The trend resisters could even have an anti-cyclical strategy.
Trends are often generalized. But that does not make sense! If a trend is particularly important and affects almost everyone (at some point), then it is a mega-trend. But this way it (e.g. artificial intelligence or AI) as written above is already known to most people. However, AI is so multifaceted that there is not just one AI trend, but many possible applications, many opportunities and risks within the AI scene.
Or, the announced trend does not fit all readers at the same time. If at all, then it is times 10 %. So an individualization to the target groups would be necessary. Unfortunately, this doesn’t work either, because the business model and the status quo of the company are too individual.
Two examples:
What does this chart from Gartner say? What scale is the y-axis based on?
How important are the trends in this chart? What do you derive from them for your business? In which context did the forecasts emerge?
Conclusion: Then rather no trend forecast.
On the one hand, this would be a repetition of what has already been said or quoted x times.
On the other hand, we prefer to focus on basics that almost everyone needs.
In addition, it should be individual suggestions as to which topic best fits the current situation.
Otherwise it is like shooting shotguns: Somebody’s gonna get hit. And if it is the wrong one.
Picture: 1A Relations GmbH
Also interesting: Do you love your customers or employees? Love was a big word, a column in DIE ZEIT
Note: This is a machine translation. It is neither 100% complete nor 100% correct. We can therefore not guarantee the result.
