I’m very interested to follow your progress as you continue to convert mindsets. I am sure it is an ongoing battle. My prediction is that the substantive incorporation of customer ideas, while it is a new and odd-sounding business practice now, will be as widely-accepted in 3 years as is the “customer is always right” business practice today (which was new and odd-sounding in the 60’s, i am sure).

Thanks for the article on MSI! You hit on what are truly some key challenges in converting mindsets both inside and outside the company.

I’m often asked by other companies about our experience as they are also considering “ideas” sites. What I always tell them is the amount of resources it takes (time and money) is relatively small, but what it really takes is a philosophical commitment. And this commitment–to transparency, action, honest dialog–must be present at all levels of the company or the site will fail.

PS: I love the phrase “reaching out with abandon”. I feel like that all the time!

Matthew Guiste
program manager, MyStarbucksIdea