Variety in business can be a very good thing, it is nice to be novel and have something that differentiates you from the competition. However the same can’t be said for Unplanned Variation.
Planned Variety
Planned variety is a “good thing”
We plan variety into our products and services to address market appetite, to meets different customer tastes and preferences and to differentiate our products or services from those of our customers. If we plan it, if we intend it and if we achieve it successfully then it can be a business enabler.
Definition of Variety
1. Multifariousness: the quality or state of having different forms or types
2. Assortment: a number or collection of different things especially of a particular class
The intentional state of being different or diverse; the absence of uniformity or monotony for the purposes of being novel, to increase appeal, to satisfy a spectrum of tastes, prevailing fashions, trends or to facilitate differentiation.
Planned Variety benefits
- To provide the customer with a choice
- To meet market diversity
- To generate broad appeal
- To differentiate from competitors
- To disrupt market conditions
Unplanned Variation
Unplanned variation, however, is a “bad thing” – variation in products or services that were not intended cause customer frustration, undermine market confidence and devalue our product and service brand values.
When we buy or requisition a product or service we do so with certain expectations. We expect the quality & consistency to match exactly those we experience last time we made that purchase or that we had expected from peers, colleagues or from advertisements. However, businesses often demonstrate several different versions of themselves, very often unintended versions of themselves due to lack of controls, lack of training, lack of preparation, lack of experience, lack of care, lack of focus, lack of process, undocumented procedure or lack of customer focus.
Definition of Variation:
A change or a slight difference in condition, amount, or level, typically within certain limits.
Why it's never a good thing:
- Inconsistency of service
- Inconsistency of products
- Which version of the organisation do customers see?
- Dilutes BRAND value
- Enables competitors to access your customers
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