So I am reading in Fortune that Ford is betting on another "world, small car". Do you get a sense of deja vu? I thought they already had Focus, Fiesta etc around the world. But their DNA is about big - cars, trucks, SUVs. Loaded with bunch of options. They even, subtly and otherwise, mock small and fuel-efficient. Not blaming them - they clearly have a core customer group which keeps asking for that. But there is an even bigger world which makes them every few years realize they need to embrace the "small" religion.
I see something with the bigger outsourcers. At the turn of the decade when things were not so good, IBM was talking "on-demand". Now that things are a bit better, it mocks "cloud-computing". Their version of "small and fuel-efficient". My friend Charlie Bess at EDS - on a blog which is supposed to be about innovation - points to more potential negatives around cloud computing.
Don't worry. When it suits them - especially when the chips are down or when the customer absolutely insists - they will parade out their own version of "small and fuel efficient". But try getting that without any options - the utility computing version. They will give you the whole sales pitch about why their integrated GPS and bluetooth option is worth another $ 3,000 and why Garmins and other options are just not good enough for a fraction of that cost.
Because their DNA is similar to Ford's - it's mostly about big and lots of customized options. And at least a few customers keep wanting that. A shrinking few customers.
