If you have been following the Innovation Series in Global Profit Builders, and like what you have seen to date, please forward a copy of this newsletter to at least three people - or more - who you believe would be interested in the topic.

This is the continuation of the previous newsletter titled You Become President of Designer Desks USA. You, as president, and your team have analyzed the benefits of your products and those of your competitors. You have also ranked them according to their relative value in the eyes of your customers. Now, what do you do with the information and your findings?

• Your problem is not so much what to do with the information and findings, but how to find the time for it. The regular weekly meetings with your staff are only about an hour and a half long; they are chock- full of items that demand immediate attention. How much time can you afford to devote to something as vague and abstract as Innovation?
• In today's very-fast paced market, you can't afford not to devote time to innovation! There will always be fires to put out. The natural tendency is to let the Urgent displace the Vital. Most companies do, and then wonder why they are loosing ground in their markets. Unless you make Innovation a Prime Priority, you will fall behind those competitors who are reinventing themselves constantly.

"Good morning. If somebody told you that automobiles would no longer be available in six months what would you do?" Mark asks.

Nobody expects that kind of question. For a moment, they think it's a joke. Someone actually says, "Start a horse farm." That gets a chuckle, but Mark repeats the question.

"I would want to know why," says, Luke, the distributor.

"Life without a car in the suburbs would be impossible", says, Ralph, the customer. "I would probably sell my house and move to the city. Most things are within walking distance there."

"I'd be busy convincing people they should set up offices in their homes and, of course, buy our newest desks," says Gary, the VP of Marketing.

"I would want to know how we would get our supplies and ship our finished products," says Sam, the VP of Manufacturing.

"I would start training our sales people on how to do more selling by telephone and e-mail," says Jim, VP of Sales.

"I would bring this team together, analyze the situation, explore our alternatives, and seek a solution to the problems this would bring us," you reply.

"And that's why we are here," Mark says. "Not because of automobiles possibly disappearing in six months, but because your best products could easily be out of the market in that time. All it takes is a new concept that satisfies all the currently unsatisfied aspirations of your clients. Then, once first users and trendsetters start the buzz about the new product, you could be out of business. Now let's get down to business because we could be running out of time."

Note. If you don't recall, or missed the Designer Desk USA situation analysis in our previous newsletter, You Become President of Designer Desk USA, you can find it at http://freeprofittips.com/newsletters.html

• Findings: From the customer rating comparison of benefits with other desk brands, it was apparent that Designer Desk USA's products were behind in the areas of desk height and comfort. In terms of which benefits customers felt were most important regardless of specific brands, storage space capacity, productivity, affordability, and ability to accommodate additional equipment (such as computers, telephones, printers, etc.) were also of critical importance. The leading desk in terms of height comfort was 8 inches taller. Today's generations tend to be taller and have longer legs, but it is important to keep in mind that not everyone fits that description.
• Concerns: Affordability, esthetics, manufacturing feasibility, storage space, and flexibility.

• Adjustable Height. Provided by telescoping metal tube legs that can be fixed at any height within a range of 24 inches. Consideration is being given to offering an electric motor system that can quickly adjust the height.
• Expandable Length Desktop. Desktop can be expanded from 4 1/2 to 6 ft length by pulling out a reinforced, self-supporting, 1 1/2 ft. extension hidden under left end of desktop.
• Two Stand-Alone 2-Drawer Filing Cabinets. These can fit under the desk at its lowest level, or placed alongside; their tops add more horizontal surface for placing other equipment such as printers, faxes, or scanners.
• Two shallow Drawers. Placed immediately under the desktop for storing miscellaneous supplies. The middle drawer is designed to hold a computer keyboard.
• Electrical Outlets. To accommodate a variety of electrical equipment and gadgets, several outlets have been placed under the sides and back of the desktop. Like a Power Strip, the outlets are connected by a single cord that is plugged into a wall outlet.