Can businesses be big and agile?
We can think of businesses (metaphorically) as rolling stones: the bigger they are, the harder they are to start rolling; the slower they are to gain momentum; and the more complex they can be to slow down or change direction.
Equally, the bigger and more diverse a business is, the harder and slower it can be to adapt to changing market and customer demands. Yet to service large customers and deliver major projects, businesses really need to be agile. They must be able to scale products and services up and down, and respond quickly to changing customer needs.
Can scale and flexibility co-exist, or are they mutually exclusive? What does it take to be both big and agile?
For big businesses to be agile they must first have a culture that genuinely embraces change. No amount of systems and processes can counter a culture resistant to change. Having an appetite for continual improvement and technological advancement also allows businesses to work more intelligently, dynamically, and offer more value to their customers.
Although many people think of size as something that stands in the way of agility, for Coates Hire the scale of our operations actually enhances our ability to be flexible in our service delivery, and to act quickly to meet the changing demands of our customers.
The size and diversity of our fleet means that regardless of what equipment our customers need, we most likely have it in stock and can get it to them quickly. With the largest in-house equipment hire engineering team in Australia our customers also have the added assurance of accessing engineering skills and experience to solve whatever problems they encounter onsite, as their projects progress.
The scale of our operations also helps us to be at the forefront of trialing and adopting new technologies to improve the productivity, efficiency and ease of project delivery for our customers.
By looking ahead and knowing your customers and markets intimately, businesses – even big ones – are better equipped to adapt quickly and appropriately when change is required. Because agility isn't just about responding to the changing demands of customers and markets – it's equally about being proactive.
By focusing on understanding the markets we operate in and building strong customer relationships, Coates Hire is better positioned to predict future needs and be ready to meet them.
Another way that size can actually help businesses to be agile is by drawing on the broad experience that only comes with being big and well established.
Despite being the largest and longest-established equipment hire in Australia, Coates Hire keeps pace alongside the needs of our customers and the markets in which we operate. This means our customers have access to the broad range of services, experience and range of equipment that only a large provider can offer – with the peace of mind that their changing needs will always be met.
What stands in the way of being agile and large in your industry? How do you manage to stay nimble as you grow? Please share your thoughts with us on Linkedin.