Innovation Session

Job Description and Initial Problems

  • What problems are we trying to solve?

    • Finding more clients.

    • Activities during winter hours.

Client Acquisition Strategies

  • Target markets:

    • Homeowners.

    • Real estate agents.

    • Businesses.

    • Potential setup for recurring contracts (monthly visits).

Dimensions of Finding Clients

  • Who to target?

    • Focus on demographics and profiles for better targeting.

  • Services offered:

    • Power washing services for homes and businesses.

    • Possible exploration of partnerships and contracts with other businesses.

Winter Operations and Activities

  • Dimensions for winter hours:

    • Maintenance work on equipment for the upcoming season.

    • Growth of the business through improved safety measures for workers.

    • Identify items that can be power washed during the winter.

    • Indoor cleaning services (shops, garages).

    • Maintenance of farm equipment post-harvest.

    • Consider snow removal contracts (minor responsibilities, e.g., sidewalks).

  • Marketing during winter:

    • Continued outreach to clients.

    • Introduction of indoor services.

Innovation Session Challenges

  • Clarification:

    • Team confused about the purpose and format of the innovation session.

    • Previous sessions had prepared ideas, but lacked application towards innovation techniques.

Techniques for Innovation

  • Methodologies Used:

    • Synecdoche.

    • Lateral thinking.

    • Morphological analysis.

  • Concerns Raised:

    • Emphasis on using textbook definitions without contextualization or adaptation to the problem.

Lateral Thinking Focus

  • Application of techniques:

    • Exploration of unique ideas beyond usual power washing assumptions (like unconventional clients).

  • Discussion on boundaries:

    • Identifying limitations (e.g., winter work capabilities, types of items to wash).

Examples and Hypothetical Scenarios

  • Potential clients:

    • Funeral homes, parking garages, farm equipment cleaning service.

    • Ideas on markets that could benefit from innovative power washing solutions (e.g., coal removal from equipment).

Marketing and Promotion Ideas

  • Using Movies and Media:

    • Inspiration drawn from horror/thriller themes to create urgency in marketing campaigns.

  • Creating Buzz:

    • Creating fear-based marketing techniques to promote services, e.g., highlighting health concerns related to mold.

  • Potential Collaborations:

    • Teaming up with entities providing services related to health and sanitation, insurance companies, etc.

Implications of Business Decisions

  • Ethical considerations:

    • The debate on the ethical implications of marketing strategies based on fear.

    • Importance of maintaining professionalism in presenting business ideas.

  • Operational challenges:

    • Balancing authenticity with sales tactics.

    • Ensuring that innovative approaches align with customer care.

Next Steps and Recommendations

  • Preparation for Upcoming Sessions:

    • Approval of scope for ideas from previous discussions and collaborations.

    • Adoption of idea evaluation techniques to critique and refine ideas further before presenting.

  • Outreach Opportunities:

    • Exploring partnerships with local inspectors or realtors for business expansion.

    • Leveraging online platforms to reach more potential customers.