Over twenty years ago now, I remember a colleague coming into work one damp Monday morning and announcing she had just seen the best film ever made - The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford. Now the scene where Ford appears to be chased by a train is indeed memorable, but I doubt whether The Fugitive would make many people's top one hundred films and I do wonder how long it took my colleague to review her initial reaction and to put it in perspective.
Our initial reactions do not always stand the test of time, whether it is a film, music or new technology. How many times have we heard a track or album and thought we have discovered the best band ever? Is it a function of youth? Like many others, my cd collection contains its fair share of mistakes. In some cases, I can still understand the initial reaction, though on reflection it was an overreaction.
When it comes to technology, how many solutions have flattered to deceive? Perhaps they have been of their time or indeed a solution for a problem that didn't really exist. In other instances, a solution may seem to be a failure in the short term but could contain the seed for what will become life changing technology. The challenge for decision makers in the industry is identifying those technologies that will have an impact and have longevity. Given the solution will need to evolve to meet your individual needs you will also need to be comfortable with the supplier.
Recycling technology is something that has evolved over time. The concept of reusing cash deposited or used in payment faced initial challenges. It made complete sense in financial and retail environments but there were issues surrounding reliability, note fitness, denominational breakdown etc. Solutions available today have the highest levels of reliability, speed and flexibility. They are labour saving, secure, cost reducing and transformative. They remain relevant in a fast-evolving environment.
A great artist is one who continues to evolve and meet the needs of their audience as they change over time. So, a great company is able to best respond to the challenges facing its customers and to deliver value over a long period of time.
Different versions of the same song
A great solution provider stands out in a fiercely competitive market. To return to our music analogy, there have been over 1200 cover versions of White Christmas. Everyone, from the great Ella Fitzgerald and Etta James to Pinky and Perky and the Wurzels, has recorded a version of the Holiday Inn classic (regarded as the second-best song in the film when first released).
But how many of you listened to the Bing Crosby version this Christmas? 50 million copies sold and still going strong - some versions stand the test of time.
Lessons to be learned
A great technology is one that meets an important need. It changes the way we do things, improves the service we deliver and enables a good return on investment. Put simply, it transforms the way we see things and the way we do business.
A great technology provider is one we keep going back to. It understands our individual needs and has a proven record of success.
Glory has been associated with cash management for a hundred years. We have led the way in technology change and have developed future proofed solutions that meet customer needs, now and into the future.
Independent research from RBR shows that Glory leads the world in retail cash recycling technology with 41 percent market share. In the financial sector our Teller Cash Recyclers remain at the heart of branch transformation initiatives worldwide. In March 2017 it was confirmed that Glory accounted for 60 percent of TCRs in the Americas, just under 48 percent across EMEA and was the leading provider in nineteen of twenty-six countries covered by RBR research.
