Sainsbury’s, collaborative innovation & idea management
We’ve recently had an international, multi-brand organisation benefit from using our web-based tools to gather ideas from their internal expert communities. It was a great project since a) the platform was deployed in a foreign language, and b) it allowed staff from all levels and various departments to come together to share their ideas. In effect, the brands were cross-fertilised and the resultant ideas were then opened out further for exploration, research and development by the relevant expert communities. Ideas were created and co-created by individuals and groups, thus providing a greater array and some more quirky, interesting thoughts.
This process of using staff to innovate collaboratively is fast becoming the norm thanks to the emergence of social media. What is especially interesting is that collaborative innovation provides a voice for all within the organisation, no matter what level they are. Young or old, Junior or Senior, Receptionist or Director - an idea can come from anyone, anywhere at any time.
Relative to this concept of providing your staff with a voice, and listening to them, Sainsbury’s - the UK’s oldest supermarket - has turned to it’s staff for help during these tough times. Justin King, CEO, needed fresh ideas to keep the supermarket ahead of it’s rivals. In a new Channel 4 program currently airing, King opened up the (shop) floor for ideas from his staff and gave a select few the opportunity to bring their ideas to life, to see if they could really make a difference.
In the first episode that I watched, a new employee of Sainsbury’s with a background in sales took to the floor and carried our face-to-face, or direct, sales. It was a hit, though it was clear that the personnel carrying out the sales had to be carefully selected. The lucky lady who came up with the idea and led the way is now in-charge of implementing the initiative across a number of stores as a further trial. Brilliant, bravo!
Organisations need to innovate during these tough economic times, and beyond. Collaborative innovation, and the identification of new leaders to bring it to life, is a strategy that should always be considered, given the right tools and support. Here at Dub we help our clients generate and manage ideas, spot the best talent and drive innovation using our proprietary technology and added value service. For more information, contact Stephen Cribbett