Who is the King of Beers Today? ⁰

Budweiser might retain the slogan of “King of Beers” but the Bud brand is slipping in the every changing marketplace. In the age when people are looking for something fresh and new (not referring to the ad campaign of born-on-date) Bud is on the decline.

So who is gaining the most market share year to year in the United States? Would it be an upstart brand that is a flash in the pan success? No, how about the oldest brewing company in the U.S.: Yuengling Traditional Lager, made in the U.S. since 1829.

Yuengling (YING-ling) has increased sales revenue by more than 36% over last year. It is one of the cheaper priced beers in the marketplace; however, the brand loyalty comes from word of mouth about the taste of the beer.

Word of mouth marketing indicates Yuengling has found the right combination of taste and price to be considered the best buy in the American beer market.

Annually they are shipping close to 9.5 million cases a year for a sales volume of over $206 million. In fact, Yuengling is the largest American-owned brewer. (Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors are both foreign-owned.

Congratulations to Yuengling for finding the Agile Advantage. How are they doing this? By growing steadily with smart brewery purchases, working with employees instead of against employees (to the point employees were convinced they no longer needed union representation to be heard by executives,) and by expanding their brand in a calculated effort to be recognized for what they do best — make a good tasting quality product.

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Yum Brands Takes an Agile Advantage Leap ⁰

Yum Brands, Inc. (YUM), the parent company of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut is selling hundreds of its restaurants back to franchisees in order to be more nimble for market development overseas.

With each of their restaurant chains, they are reducing the number of stores they own to facilitate their new strategy of increasing equity stakes in emerging markets such as China, which offer greater returns.

Are they sending out a statement they are abandoning the U.S. market? Not at all, they say they are purely more interested in having the locations operated by those who are the best at it: their most successful franchisees, who will no doubt jump at this opportunity.

The Agile Advantage to Yum Brands is in how they are shifting their equity stake, giving them greater opportunity to establish a presence in the fast growing markets globally. In the last year, their U.S. operations have shown a slight loss of sales, indicating this is not their greatest growth market.

Agile companies are quick to recognize how to find the fertile ground for growth and restructure in order to be a leader in the new markets. Obviously, this is a significant change many organizations would be fearful to make, and this is why this bold step will give Yum Brands an Agile Advantage.

What shifts should your business be making in order to facilitate better growth?
Where is the fear of change holding your organization back from taking agile steps to gain market share?
Where does your organization need to re-focus resources in order to capitalize on forthcoming opportunities?

The Agile Advantage comes with an accurate vision, the comfort in taking necessary risks, and a willingness to make change swiftly. Some may think a company based in Louisville, KY is foolish to redirect efforts half-way around the world. As long as executives of their competitors are thinking this way, Yum can continue to enjoy their Agile Advantage in the new economy.

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Why Use Strategic Planning? ⁰

Why Use Strategic Planning

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The Destructive Power of Disinformation and Misinformation ⁰

Coke and Pepsi Forced to Change Recipes

In the new economy changes are happening rapidly even to old school secret formulas of global organizations. The caramel coloring in the popular colas currently carries enough carcinogens that would mandate by California law the drinks carry a cancer warning label. The providers for almost 90 percent of the soda market have announced they are making adjustments to their cola recipes in order to comply. Have we been exposed to cancer causing agents for all these years at the ignorance of these cola giants?

The American Beverage Association released a statement saying that consumers have no reasons for any health care concerns.

A representative of Coca-Cola said, “While we believe there is no public health risk that justifies these changes, we will comply so as not to be subjected to this unfounded warning.”

To a skeptical society these words will ring as disingenuous or hiding important consumer health information. Who is speaking with disinformation, misinformation or the truth? It can be difficult to determine unless you drill into the facts.

According to the Food and Drug Administration a consumer would have to drink more than 1,000 cans of soda a day to reach doses that can cause cancer in rodents. A study has yet to be done to show whether there is even any impact on humans.

Is it any wonder why we as a society continue to question the information we receive? Clarity of facts is becoming a lost substance in the information age. Be sure as a consumer you read beyond the headlines.

As a business owner be sure you get in front of any stories about your organization filled with misinformation or disinformation before the story becomes perceived as the truth whether based on fact or not. Because the speed with which social media spreads stories, all organizations must be ready at a moment’s notice to defend their facts.

In the new economy disinformation and misinformation are becoming strategies to gain ground on a competitor.

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Behavioral Bias will cause Brain Blunders ⁰

Behavioral Bias will cause Brain Blunders

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Brain Blunders in the New Economy ⁰

At the speed with which decisions are being made in this economy, have you ever stopped to think how you are making those decisions in your mind? Studies have shown that we tend to have a behavioral bias that may actually prevent us from making the right decisions. It’s almost Pavlovian in how we respond when something triggers one of these mental blocks.

Brain blunders happen to every one of us when making some decisions. The following five “mental blocks” can be the cause of why we make a poor decision. Do any of these ring a bell with you?

1. Overconfidence

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Why America Loses Jobs ⁰

Are you wondering what happened to American jobs? Ever wonder why corporations are sending jobs off shore? Do you wonder what the new economy is going to look like for the next ten years? Here is a hint – the game has completely changed.

We tend to look at our government for fixes when our unemployment numbers jump. What if the game changed so much it is beyond the government and we need to get a different approach to working as a country?

Above is a video of a 30 story hotel being built in 15 days in China. Not framed, but fully built. The video is fascinating with how the construction is solid enough to withstand a 9.0 earthquake, no workers lost a day due to an injury, and this process can be readily repeated.

How long would this take in America? This is an example of how the game has changed and as Americans we need to be thinking of how we are going to elevate our work ethic to compete on this scale. More

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The Dangerous Devaluation in the New Economy (is What’s Killing Your Profits) ⁰

American businesses are trying to embrace any edge they can in this new economy yet in the process they are dangerously devaluing their organizations in their search for the edge over their competitors.

Without a doubt consumers are smarter than they have ever been. They are better educated about options. Technology provides them with tools to comparison shop. They have been taught to be price-focused and businesses are killing themselves trying to play this game.

Christmas purchases rarely happen unless a sale is involved (retailers giving away profits for cash flow.) Sales used to be a great way to get customers into the store, now savvy customers are target shoppers only looking at the sale items and leaving.

Price wars are killing industries.

In 2011 the fewest movie tickets were sold since 1992. Is this only a reflection on the quality of the product coming out of Hollywood? Not as much as you might think, it’s the devaluation of the product that is making the difference.

At $9.50 a ticket (or $17 per ticket for IMAX) plus a shared popcorn and drink for another $9 make the movie experience for a couple close to a $30 purchase. That price point force consumers to ask themselves, “What are the cheaper options?”

Within a couple of months of a movie’s theatrical release I can rent it at one of the thousands of movie box rentals for $1 or I can stream it at home for a low monthly fee. Microwave popcorn and any beverage I want are vastly cheaper at home.

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Stop Customer Service ⁰

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The Agile Business Holiday Customer Service: Help Them Relax ⁰

I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who shook his head reading about the Black Friday Walmart shopper who resorted to using pepper spray on her fellow shoppers in order to get what she wanted before everyone else.

The customer environment has changed in this new economy, and there are some important steps an Agile Business will make to help both the customer and your bottom line.

Recently a Consumer Reports survey found that 64% of customers have walked out of a store because of poor customer service, while 70% indicated they are willing to spend more at companies that provide superior customer service. More

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Who is the King of Beers Today? ⁰

Yum Brands Takes an Agile Advantage Leap ⁰

Why Use Strategic Planning? ⁰

The Destructive Power of Disinformation and Misinformation ⁰

Coke and Pepsi Forced to Change Recipes

Behavioral Bias will cause Brain Blunders ⁰

Brain Blunders in the New Economy ⁰

Why America Loses Jobs ⁰

The Dangerous Devaluation in the New Economy (is What’s Killing Your Profits) ⁰

Stop Customer Service ⁰

The Agile Business Holiday Customer Service: Help Them Relax ⁰

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