Don’t Allow Your Successful Business to Become Another Blackberry Story

by | Dec 14, 2020 | Ice Cream Consulting

Although the illustration represents an industry well outside of dairy, the message and outcome can be applied to any large or small business.

For the sake of this article, we’ll apply to a successful ice cream company of any size who’s been in business for any length of time.

Not too long ago, Blackberry was a popular name among family, students and business professionals. Today, it simply means another beneficial fruit.

Blackberry devices started being purchased by IBM in 1998, by 2002 the RIM 850 device was introduced offering push email, voice, text messaging and more. The small handheld device with it’s tiny raised berry shaped button keyboard was the making of an industry leader in telecommunications and in the making of a successful hit. 

The network was reliable and very secure, only providing communication services to customers using a Blackberry device and services.

BlackBerry once reigned as king of the smartphone, selling more than 50 million units at its peak in 2011. The Canadian telecom company was originally named Research in Motion “RIM” with tens of millions of customers. It started out creating pagers and handsets, but the first iteration of the smartphone, complete with iconic keyboard, took shape within its first 15 years.

Not long ago, the Canadian telecommunication company, BlackBerry controlled 50% of the smartphone market in the US and 20% globally. In the mid-aughts, BlackBerry phones were everywhere. So what happened to this one time giant?

Competitors like Apple began rolling out the iPhone, but Blackberry did not view them as a threat and in my opinion, became complacent and too big for their britches. 

As explained in Business Insider. Comparatively, Android and Apple were more top of mind for app developers. BlackBerry wasn’t. The phones missed out on a bunch of features that appealed to consumers, like front and back cameras. These shortcomings ultimately led to RIM’s downfall. RIM’s global market share began a downward spiral, going from 20% in 2009 to less than 5% in 2012. By the time RIM (Research in Motion) finally released its spec-competitive touch-screen phone in 2013, it was just too late. 

Rest in peace. Today Blackberry no longer makes equipment and long since lost global dominance and attraction. In 2016 TCL took over as the manufacturer. 

Lesson learned (history will tell):

The requirement to constantly pay attention to old and up and coming competition within an industry is paramount. Additionally, it’s an ongoing must to pay close attention to consumers buying and request trends.

To simply believe your product or service is immune to others, simply based on a healthy past, can turn out to be a destructive if not arrogant practice. 

For a company to turn a blind eye and avoid response to new, upcoming products or service in a timely manner, will quickly result in finding your successful business become a Blackberry. 

What to do to avoid similar and common mistakes:

  • Pay close attention to product and market trends
  • Stay current on what today’s customer are seeking and purchasing.

As example, if your business revolves around sales based on conventional dairy based ice cream products, then know what’s rapidly closing in and can very well surpass dairy, is plant based desserts.

Look at Plant Oat Frozen Dessert, a quality non-dairy product, in a number of exciting flavors and replacing other well known traditional products.

Almond, soy, cashew and hemp frozen desserts are now regularly seen in the retail grocery freezer, And how was space found to display, by replacing space once filled by conventional ice cream.

Companies playing catch up will quickly find that trying to get their shelf space back will be costly and a big challenge. 

Here are some important points to keep in the forefront of your business strategy:

  • Surround your company with forward-thinking-can-do attitude, talented people
  • Be open to making necessary manufacturing adjustments for new products
  • Keep your flagship product in the forefront, but complement it with new and exciting trending products 
  • Take competitors seriously, do research and respond accordingly in a well planned approach   
  • Don’t get your brand get into the stigma of “this is all we know and do best” – also known as death threat  

The beginning of the end:

For one single moment to believe a competitor will not disrupt your market presence, even just a little is clouded thinking 

  • Stay edgy and agile, think new while avoiding carelessness 
  • Expand or improve on a product a competitor has successfully launched
  • You don’t need to be first to market, just need to respond quickly
  • Be open to new market paths and allow your customer to recognize the company hears you and doing something about it 
  • Don’t believe that because your business has been a generational success for many years, it is immune to competitors, think Sears & K-Mart
  • It’s more challenging and costly when you discover your business has fallen behind and now in catch-up mode. 

Here are some costly situations you “do not” want to find your company in:

  • Regaining lost shelf space to a new product, flavor or brand 
  • Explaining to buyers why your tried and true products and brand are now improved and even better than the newer popular brands that has taken over previous shelf space your brand occupied 
  • Making hasty, reactive manufacturing and packaging decisions, opposed to well planned and adequate sampling, testing and feedback  
  • Lack ongoing and continuous product development, believing your family of products will be popular forever

Don’t be another Blackberry (phone), schedule time with Darryl to discuss your “currently” successful business and popular line of products, to learn ways to keep it that way for generations to come. The people behind you will greatly appreciate it. 

Darryl David
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