After browsing through this infographic on whether or not Netflix really put Blockbuster out of business, a few things came to mind regarding Church tech. As you can clearly see, there is no causal relationship between the rise of Netflix and the fall of Blockbuster. Blockbusters plummet had more to do with their own business decisions, policies and overall vision. They were not beat by Netflix.
Netflix did, however, arrive on the scene at the right place at the right time and certainly benefited by Blockbusters fall. That is why most people look to them as the David that slayed Goliath. Take a look and see if you agree:
[Click for Larger]
Blockbuster lacked agility in their business model. They approached their business with the mindset that hardcopy videos would be around forever and operated with that same mindset. As established of a brand that Blockbuster was, there’s no reason why they couldn’t have made a shift in their approach and retained dominance instead of aging themselves out of the picture.
I wonder how often we do that in the Church. “We have always done it that way” is a dangerous road that will/has lead the church down the road of irrelevance, much like Blockbuster. The same could be said for Church tech. Many churches are still struggling to figure-out Facebook and launch a website that’s more than a glorified business card. By the time a decent portion of today’s Church finally figures these things out, the party will be over.
Is keeping up with these things difficult? Yes it is. The reason why some businesses invest in the future of technology and social trends is because they are trying to cut a profit or stay in the game — unlike Blockbuster. The Church needs to make the same investment. While we’re not looking to cut a profit, we are trying to influence the world in a positive way and show people that our brand of life is the way.
Thoughts?
[via Top Accounting Degrees]
Bryan Chalker says
Fond memories of blockbuster. Worked for years as an Assistant Mgr when I was first married. The issue I’d always had, seems to be a big part of the slow poison that killed them off. The business model was based on the penalties it passed on to customers. Not good service. Not friendly policies. Profit was always dependent on the late-fees.
Eric Dye says
Whoa. Serious!?! That’s crazy. Building a business off the failure your customer. Wow.
SMP says
Thank you, Bryan Chalker, for confirming my suspicions regarding Blockbusters poor customer service and completely ludicrous business model.