By Brooke Glasford
Last weekend I ventured 40 minutes outside of Georgetown to the West Central Mall for the sole purpose of visiting the West Central Movies. Whilst organising a trip to the movies for a friend’s birthday I came across a video on Tik Tok of someone reviewing West Central Movies. I was completely enthralled, the plush recliner seats and VIP service were so enticing for someone like me— someone who attends movies for popcorn and camaraderie rather than to actually watch the movie.
We decided as a group that if we were celebrating a birthday at a cinema we would make the movie experience as opulent as possible. I knew I’d like this experience for the sheer fact that I had the option to recline my seat and have a beer, then indulge in a nap if I was bored by the movie choice. Somehow— perhaps the thrill of the novelty — I was awake for the entire experience.
The tipping point
The selling point of this event for the majority of people who went with me and even those on social media that I’ve spoken to about it, was the opportunity to have a beer in the cinema. It got me thinking about why something as simple as a beer would have such a great effect on your wanting to return. Because the mall itself is a pull, a 40 minute drive, sometimes longer if there’s traffic, and I’m someone who has experienced great car sickness on long drives, but I’d do it again and as stated before I’m not even an avid movie goer.
The observation I made is that while we often look at innovations as incredible, new and inventive things– and often they are,some innovations are simple additions that already exist that make the experience feel incredible, new and inventive.
Simple changes make old things innovative.
You can look at the use of your phone, we have become so incredibly dependent on it, many people can organise their entire life from their phones. So it makes sense that businesses create avenues of ease for customers, like GTT mobile money platform MMG that allows you to make payments from your phone, or Massy Supermarkets new online shopping platform.
The recently unveiled outdoor gym at the National Park is a great example of simple innovation– at least to me– while these types of gyms are so prevalent in Asia and Europe – I had not seen them in Guyana before. Perhaps they’re just novel to me; but having a space where you can go out with family and friends and have access to a full body workout with equipment that is just as good as a paid gym– is the definition of a simple thing making an old thing innovative.
In your business or life in general, what approach can you take to the same old, same old, that would modernise, innovate or add new vigour to what you’re currently doing? Instead of reinventing the wheel, consider painting the wheel in a new colour or adding a tire with different features depending on the season you’re driving; consider greatly that simple changes really do make old things innovative.
