SupportingIdeas
Virginhasalwaystakengreatprideinitstrackrecordofnewcustomerinnovations.Totakeafewexamples:
■WhenVirginAmericawasinitsearlyplanningstages,themanagementteamaskeditself:"Whatcanwedodifferentlyfromotherairlinesthatwoulddeliverabettercustomerexperience?Whatwouldittaketoknockourcustomer'ssocksoff?"Theanswerwastocomeupwithacabinthatwasmoreliberatinginitsdesign,especiallyforthefactthateachseathadanindividualin-flightentertainmentscreencompletewithaninbuiltkeyboard.Thatallowspassengerstochatwitheachotherthroughouttheflight.Italsomeansyoucanorderasandwichfromyourseatandhavetheflightattendantdeliverittoyouwhenyou'rehungryandnotwhentheywheelthemealcartaround.Youcanwatchamovie,listentosomemusicorpluginyourownlaptopwheneveryoulike.Everythingyouneedisrightthereinfrontofyou.Andjusttomaketheflightexperienceevenbetter,theplaneswerefittedwithanewlightingsystemthatcreatestheimpressionofspaceandfreedom.Allofthisisdesignedtogivecustomersanexcellentflyingexperience.
■InMarch1999,Virginmadethedecisionthatitwouldonedaygetintocommercialspacetravel.VirginGalacticwasregisteredasanewcompanyandthehuntforanaffordablewaytogetpeopleintospacebeganinearnest.Loadsofpotentialtechnologieswerestudied,butthesewereallsetasidewhenBurtRutan'scompanyScaledComposites(withfundingfromMicrosoftco-founderPaulAllen)announceditsSpaceShipOneprojectdesignedtowinthe$10millionAnsariXPrize.BytheendofSeptember2004,Virginwasabletoannouncethatithadenteredintoadealtospend$21.5milliontolicenseScaledComposite'stechnology,andwouldinvestafurther$100millionindevelopinganextgenerationsix-seaterspacecraftthatwouldbetheworkhorseofVirginGalactic.Thisisagreatexampleofwatchfulnessbeinganintegralpartofinnovation.Sometimes,thebestwaytomoveforwardwithacommercialideaistoharnessyourcuriosity,findwhatpeoplearealreadydoinginthatsectorandthenworktogethertoputtogetheracommerciallyviableprojectthatwillmeettheneedsandgoalsofallthevariouspartiesinvolved.Thisisabonafideformofbusinessinnovationthatdoesn'tgetalotofpress,butthatisnonethelessimportant.