In a world where businesses are constantly trying to one-up each other, it’s important to know what makes your brand better than the industry status quo. Whether it’s your customer service, product offerings, or company culture, you need to be able to articulate why your business is the best in its field. 

What makes your brand better than the industry status quo? Let’s find out!

What Is The Industry Status Quo?

The industry status quo is the currently accepted way of doing things in a particular industry. It’s the norm against which businesses are judged. Many factors contribute to the industry status quo, such as technology, government regulations, and customer expectations. 

Businesses that differ from the industry status quo offer unique products or services, have innovative business models, or provide an exceptional customer experience. Customers will judge your brand according to the status quo of your industry. Sadly, most of the time, the bar is set low.

Revolutionizing The Industry

To overcome your industry’s status quo, you have to ask yourself: what makes your brand better than the industry average? You can focus on improving a process and making it more user-friendly. 

It doesn’t even have to be a whole process, but part of one. Focus on one element that you can improve and make your differentiator.

Here are a few things you need to include in your brainstorming to be able to smash through the standards and innovate:

• Identify The Strengths And Challenges In Your Industry: Put yourself in the shoes of your customers. What elements of the industry-standard do they like? Which ones do they dislike? Analyze what your competitors are doing right and how they’re doing it. Regarding the challenges, look at how you can do things differently to become a strength. Always strive to revolutionize it.
• Identify Growth Opportunities: Pay attention to future growth and pivoting in your industry. Align and associate your brand differentiator with what your business can do to join that growth.
• Choose A Differentiator That Doesn’t Have A Price Tag: It’s not about your product having a distinguishing characteristic or about your service having extra benefits. It’s about finding something you can do but can’t price. 

Examples Of Industry Status Quo Revolutionizers

Chick-Fil-A

Chick-Fil-A found its differentiator in the drive-thru service. They identified a big challenge during high traffic times and modified how they were offering this service. They managed to make it more personal and efficient by hiring waiters and waitresses to take and move orders through the cars.

Their staff is responsive and makes customers feel heard. It’s not just a voice you can barely understand coming out of a speaker; it’s real people taking orders and making a complete service more efficient. 

The way they communicate to their clients is also another great differentiator. Instead of using the fast-food industry common phrases such as “thank you” “have a nice day,” their answers don’t feel scripted. Instead, they say “my pleasure” or “I’m here to serve you,” taking the driving experience to a whole new level.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines has dominated their industry by giving people flexibility, and that’s one differentiator that they are known for. Everything about their brand is completely attractive. They have cheeky and playful slogans that make reference to how much they value their passengers.

Passengers are allowed to locate their seats without struggling to sit far away from their companions. Another great differentiator is that they understood the challenge of charging for baggage and have applied the “bags fly for free” strategy. These 2 innovative ways of working through industry-standard processes have made them a popular choice among US travelers.

Overcome Your Industry’s Standards

Overcoming the industry status quo can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. By focusing on what makes your brand better than the average and improving key processes, you can start to make changes that will eventually lead to a friendlier experience for your customers.

Don’t be afraid to test something new. Many strong brands have found their differentiators through the test and error process. Focus on analyzing your industry and having enough information for you to develop the perfect strategy that will make your brand stand out.