Today, every product and every service appears to be the same at first glance and it is the 'First Glance' of the customer that is crucial in serving today’s markets. The customer is knowledgeable of the product or service he wants for himself. He finds out from friends, relatives, associates, or the internet to get the information with which he will hit at the salesperson. So when the world has turned into one Global village and the marketplace seems to be metamorphosing into one huge discounting mela how does one make business and survive the trend.?

Quality, Speed, Response time, Delivery on schedule, and Changing lifestyles….these are challenges one has to face. India, the sleepy giant, is waking up to this reality. Suddenly, all its financial muscle, its ability to reach rural markets, to bully suppliers, become relevant in the new world.

A VERY SMALL number of companies that I have observed over a period of time have learnt to operate in the new paradigm. One thing common about many of them is that they are sensitive to the needs of the marketplace. It is as if they are in a state of constant dialogue with their customers. They have the pulse in their hands and are alert to the feelings generated with the use of their product or services.

These companies have migrated from 'Good' practices to 'Best' practices and are on their way to 'Next' Practices.

But the real question to the majority of organizations is 'How to get there? How to achieve a split-second response with the organization you have? How to teach employees and managers to behave according to the New Rules of the Game?

Indian companies, if they have to face competition from their global counterparts have to be alert to Quality, Response Time, and Service. They have to get innovative, go deep into the philosophy of their organizations, and renew their vision map. Most organizations in India fail to document the Vision Road Map and are comfortably ignorant of the process. Organizations have to evaluate their existing resources and then come to some strong decisions on the future of their business model.

The Future lies in the hands of your 'Customer', so the second vital step after knowing your organization is to know your customer. Choosing the type of customer you should have is therefore a key Decision. We need to address the first question, 'Is your organization geared to handle, sustain, and create a loyal customer?' There will be many more questions but if you shy away from them, then you are racing towards gloom and doom.

Think of your customer as a teacher who is capable of showing you the way. If you listen and embrace change the rest will easily follow. So one final question arises 'Are you ready to listen? Are you ready to go back to school? Only quiet listeners and analytical observers will be able to steer an organization toward success.

Organizations have to become internally aware of their strengths and weaknesses and should always be in a state of continuous learning so as to merge effortlessly into the external ecosystem. this internal revolution is needed to see the world in a new light. So if I have to summarize the characteristics of the Organisation of the future, then I would say it should be alert to context, ever vigilant, ever conscious of its customers, and committed to its workforce and their development. If an organization is in a position to do its bit, then whether it's sunshine or stormy situations, the organization as a whole will be able to sustain itself and leave a mark on the pages of Corporate History.