I have read several times that no single entity dominates 2 Industrial Revolutions. And I have been trying to find out why without much success as I did not experience in real time the changes at a single entity. However finally over a week, I have been fortunate to observe how disruption happens and how the corporate sector responds.
So Whatsapp Channels introduced a week ago in Zimbabwe and Whatsapp has an estimated population of +6 million Zimbabweans and numbers should be higher when the diaspora population is factored in. Every serious business needs a strong presence on Whatsapp but its not an easy exercise—just a Whatsapp Number is good for now and Chatboxes for client experience. Much easier to be on Facebook, X(Formerly Twitter) and a couple of others.
Whatsapp Channels likely to be the anchor of the 4th Industrialization E-Commerce Opportunities as it connects communities with business. Technically a new Search Engine under development and this will revolutionarize the way future business is conducted. We are expecting video streaming features creating a Youtube replica. Chat boxes to be introduced, Sponsored Adverts and Payment Platforms.
Do not rule out the eventual merging of Facebook and Whatsapp in the not too distant future. A lot of features to be borrowed from The Chinese WeChat mobile app.
Crunch Time
A popular artist with nearly a million followers on Facebook has created a Whatsapp Channel and has had to start from zero followers and rising to 600 followers in a week. Starting from zero followers not easy when elsewhere you have millions of followers. Fortunately for him, his team had been helping to mobilise followers for him.
A fast rising Man of God with nearly half million followers on Facebook has created a Whatsapp Channel and currently has 15 followers. From 500,000 to 15? Psychologically this has serious impact as this could dent his brand.
How about a big well established Financial Institution? What sort of image will they potray when they start from 10 followers on Whatsapp Channel? No serious management will allow such an initiative as this will reflect badly on their performance. CBZ cannot start from 10 followers and grow over time. The start is definitely embarrassing and ego issues will play a part.
Therefore Whatsapp Channels discussions likely to be swept under the carpet. After all this has no direct relationship with current performance results.
Dear Zbinite, now you have the answer on why disruption often take behemoths by surprise! It’s not surprise as such as many internal stakeholders would have seen it—but personal reasons such as ego come into play. For small businesses—there are no ego issues—not afraid to start from the bottom and implementation speedily done. For big corporates, new innovations have to go through a long red tape and at each stage—reviews silently carrying ego risks. ‘What will stakeholders say?’ ‘We are too big to start from the bottom’
Our advice to small businesses is—move with speed on Whatsapp Channels and dominate the space. Join our subscribed forum where we are vigorously pushing for Whatsapp Channels adoption. Be first time adopters and enjoy the benefits. The corporate sector will eventually come when it becomes fashionable to do so and they will pour huge resources to grab market share. However some will fall by the wayside with new small businesses emerging and replacing them.
To strategic planning teams—this is a good case study on AI Competitive Advantage. Tech innovations, Ego Resistance and Disruptions. AI will be considered Suitable, Feasible but in the early days—Not Acceptable according to the SAF Matrix.
