What is the problem?

I am generally amused when I ask someone ‘how it is going’ and I hear the response ‘can’t complain’. I normally play with that and respond with questions about whether the person is being paid enough, if the amount of rain is sufficient and if the person is getting the love they need and want? In my defense, it’s a good-natured response (at least that’s how I intend it). Sometimes I get interesting responses that will tickle my brain into action for a couple of weeks.

On the other hand, ‘can’t complain’ can be interpreted as a simple statement that all is well, and it can be left there without further communication.

Complaints have a deep philosophical impact. The existence of a complaint indicates a problem. Once the problem is identified, it begins to demand a solution, some way to remove or correct it. For instance, the need to efficiently move heavy goods over a long distance led to invention of the wheel and axle. Inedible food and cold weather led to the activity of kindling fire.

The observation that things can be better, and discovery of solutions, propels human development. ‘No problem’ is stasis. And even if we can’t control the clouds, we can always move to a wetter, cooler clime.

This is also at the root of corporate growth, innovation, branding and marketing. Corporations compete on the basis of finding and resolving problems. “Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door.”

Does capital influence the paradigm? Mostly not. If you can popularize the solution, capital will follow either through growth of transactions or investment. The human resource will follow the capital.

The current trend in brand building is that the minimum prerequisite for a successful brand is to solve a problem. This supersedes value creation, be it regenerative or a matter of brute compliance. There are two ideas in this: find the problem and resolve it. These two elements need not necessarily be in that order. Sometimes a solution will present itself and a problem will need to be identified or constructed. This, however, is a potentially dangerous route.

Far better to identify the need through research and by application of designs thinking to begin with. Use of design thinking improves the chances of the solution having a real impact and gaining traction in the market.

The question now becomes, how to identify the need? There are three routes to achieve this.

Firstly, observe your competition and any trends in your revenue driven by competition. If your competition is innovating at the expense of your market share you run the risk of losing relevance.

Secondly, consider your market. If you have done your job as a brand manager, your market will be engaged and will provide you with a wish list. If not, use research but work on your brand engagement as well.

Thirdly, survey your products and / or services. Ask yourself how they can be improved, verify with design thinking, identify which way the market is headed and also be prepared to shed at least some of the dogs.

What is implicit to this is the expense. Treat it as an investment in a future.

All that being said, if there is a complaint and a solution is needed, keep it genial. Nobody wants to be frightened away from the solution by mean-spirited blame laying.