Monkey business

‘If you fail to plan, you plan to fail’ so was the refrain of a high school teacher each time I handed in an assignment late, or asked for an extension on an essay. I used to think this statement was little more than a cliche until I started living in the real world and began to realise life can’t be lived if you are constantly behind the eight ball. It seems my wisened school teacher also may have passed on her words of wisdom to Santino, the chimpanzee researchers are claiming is exhibiting behaviours consistent with the concept of premeditation, suggesting primates are after all capable of
forward planning.

Santino, a male chimp in a Swedish zoo, has been hoarding stocks of concrete projectiles. He collects pieces of concrete and stone from the moat inside his enclosure keeping well out of sight of the zoo keepers, shapes his treasures into aerodynamic missiles, then secrets them away in hiding spots ready to be used when the first lot of zoo visitors for the day start gawking into his enclosure. Researchers are taking Santino’s actions as proof primates are capable of complex premeditation, exampling his behaviour as the first unambiguous evidence of forward planning in a non-human animal.

So what does Santino, the forward planning chimpanzee, have to do with marketing, I hear you ask? Well for starters he is participating in a behaviour many businesses have simply forgotten about in the face of a slowing economy – Planning. I am constantly amazed at the amount of people who think the best way to deal with the current economic circumstances is to put a hold on all projects, bury their head in the sand, and wait for it all to blow over. Of course, this is one way to act coming into a recession, but I don’t like the chances of your business coming out the other end of it in a very healthy position, if at all./p>

The economic climate is changing – there is no denying that – but businesses must adapt to changing conditions rather than remain stoic in the face of them, refusing to confront or actively acknowledge the issue. Operational changes within businesses are almost inevitable, but that doesn’t mean the best course of action is to abandon strategies developed in the ‘good times’ for reductionist schemes aimed at just keeping your head above the water. Recession or not, commerce rolls on – albeit at a slower pace – and your business needs to know exactly how they can make the most of the times ahead. Sure, your ‘good times’ strategies may need to be revised in light of the current situation, but by all means, don’t throw planning out the window – now is the time your business needs it more than ever.

Tighter times call for tighter measures. If you want to ensure your business does more than tread water during this economic slowdown, drop into Jack in the box to chat to us about our range of comprehensive and proven planning tools. The team at the box have masses of experience in the field of business forecasting and strategic forward planning, and are capable of conceiving actionable growth and support strategies to assist your business as we head into tough times. If Santino is capable of forward planning, shouldn’t you be too?