The Change Dude’s Blog

Home to Bob Caruso Beware the Shiny Object

Does Innovation Remain at Risk

Each year I look forward to getting the results of the Edelman Trust Barometer.  The 2025 results should be published soon. Looking back to the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer it revealed a paradox at the heart of society: while rapid innovation promises a new era of prosperity, it also poses significant risks. This duality is reshaping public perception and trust in technology and institutions.

Innovation has always been a double-edged sword. On one hand, it drives economic growth, improves quality of life, and solves complex problems. On the other hand, it can lead to job displacement, privacy concerns, and ethical dilemmas. The 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer highlighted that while people appreciate the benefits of innovation, they are increasingly wary of its potential downsides.

One of the key findings was the growing concern over data privacy. As technology advances, the amount of personal data collected and analyzed skyrocketed. This led to fears about data breaches, surveillance, and misuse of information.

Another significant issue was the impact of automation and artificial intelligence on employment. While these technologies increase efficiency and productivity, they also threaten to displace millions of jobs. The barometer indicated that people were anxious about their future job security and called for policies ensuring a fair transition for workers.

Moreover, the ethical implications of innovation are under scrutiny. From genetic engineering to AI decision-making, the potential for misuse and unintended consequences is a major concern. The public is urging for robust ethical guidelines and regulations to govern the development and deployment of new technologies.

The 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer underscored the need for a balanced approach to innovation. While embracing technological advancements, it indicated the criticality in addressing the associated risks and building trust through transparency, accountability, and ethical practices.

I’m interested to know how leaders in business and government have done since this barometer was released last year. Has trust in innovation made a comeback? What are you as a leader doing to advance innovation in an ethical manner?

  1. Are you managing innovation implementation effectively?
    1. Mismanaged innovations are as likely to ignite backlash as advancing progress. Explain the science and manage impacts aggressively
  2. Have you actively partnered with stakeholders?
    1. Business is most trusted to introduce innovation. Take the effort to partner with employees and government to manage the impact of innovation ethically.
  3. Are you engaging in active discussions with stakeholders about innovation implementation?
    1. When people are engaged in having control of how innovations affect their lives, they are more likely to embrace and advocate for the innovation, not resist them. Listen to concerns, openly

January 14, 2025 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , , | Leave a comment

Self Service Off the Rails

Yesterday I spent 2 hours climbing in my attic, crawling under sinks and behind toilets in service to my insurance company. Seriously? Apparently to save money my outrageously expensive insurance company decided that I should conduct my own self-inspection using a really shitty app providing them access to the perils of my toilet connections.

This is a version of self-service that is off the rails, out of bounds and an affront to the value I get from any insurance company. By the way, in over 4 decades of paying tens of thousands of dollars for homeowners’ insurance I have never filed a single claim, not one. The reward, go ahead and spend your time doing our job.

If this sounds like a rant, it’s because I’m angry and disappointed in how far businesses have taken self-service. Apparently, today’s business just provides a “thing” whether it’s a product or service they take no responsibility for actually serving their customers. Your app not working, try finding a human to help. Car breaks down and need a tow, you better have signal coverage and the app installed. I think you get the drift here. This all started when we began pumping our own fuel at service stations and has gotten wildly out of control.

I take some responsibility for these practices as a customer experience expert advising clients on how to both be efficient and customer focused simultaneously. Self-service is a tool in the bag but shouldn’t be the only tool.

I’m quite sick of having to download an app for everything in my life. From coffee shops to banking to utilities the world has gone application crazy. Data is the true commodity that every business is selling today, the insatiable appetite for more data has destroyed customer service. The thirst for personalizing every offer through the endless number of apps. On average we have about 35-40 apps installed on our smartphones. That means we carry between 35 and 40 cards in our wallet to conduct daily life. Imagine the size of your wallet. But since these cards are virtual and have no physical footprint, we don’t care, it’s just another icon on a screen.

I hope my point is clear, if a business wants to differentiate itself in a wildly competitive market take a stand and care for your customers with real-time support for your product and service.  Self-service or Level Zero support is important for the mundane like password resets but don’t put customers into an endless loop of time wasting to access Level 1,2, and 3 support. Your customer’s time is just as valuable as your time, even more valuable as they pay your bills. Understand that one simple concept and you can differentiate.

July 17, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , , | Leave a comment