[anon(5956773)]

It's easy to "think like a customer" when you are one. But running a business, an iconic one at that, requires you to stay focused on one thing. In BlackBerry's case, it's staying in the consumer market.

Ditch hand sets, you lose icon status and go purely software.

If you want capture some of your former glory, cater to the crowd and go android...until you make enough money to call the shots.

I think BlackBerry has enough money to stay alive forever. Consumers will think it's dead, but it'll hold on to It�s niche market of enterprise and government.

[Troy Tiscareno]

I think BlackBerry has enough money to stay alive forever.

Even Apple doesn't have enough money to stay alive forever. Companies that want to survive in the long run need to continually make profits, because they'll certainly continue to have expenses, and you'd be amazed at how ravenous those expenses can be.

If BB wants to survive on enterprise revenues alone, based on their current products, they'll need to do a lot more downsizing to survive for very long, because the staffing levels are still no where close to where they'd need to be to make that sustainable.

[Prem WatsApp]

Even Apple doesn't have enough money to stay alive forever. Companies that want to survive in the long run need to continually make profits, because they'll certainly continue to have expenses, and you'd be amazed at how ravenous those expenses can be.

If BB wants to survive on enterprise revenues alone, based on their current products, they'll need to do a lot more downsizing to survive for very long, because the staffing levels are still no where close to where they'd need to be to make that sustainable.

With the Priv, and the announced follow-up devices, I assume revenues will start to increase and the company turn profitable again... also don't forget software.

Yes, BlackBerry will have enough money to achieve this... :-)

�   AC/CB - back in black or highway to mobile h*ll? ;-P   �

[KermEd]

What? No. Don't follow BlackBerry as a business model. They are borderline bankrupt. And right now doing everything they can to find a way to be relevant....

Yes maybe they will survive. But they keep making junior mistakes such as poor marketing and terrible interviews with the CEO. Not to mention abysmal communication to end users.

Please *dont* follow the BlackBerry model. Wait, let it succeed or fail, and adopt only the relevant lessons.

Posted to CB via my Passport | Lloyd Summers | FileArchiveHaven

[Troy Tiscareno]

With the Priv, and the announced follow-up devices

Which devices were those?

[phuoc]

Which devices were those?

Only Chen knows.

[JeepBB]

Which devices were those?

Exactly!

The Vienna is a rumour!

It exists solely as a render, and some here on CB are posting like it'll be available to buy sometime next Tuesday!

C'mon people, try to keep at least one foot planted solidly here in the present reality.

The Priv is it. Chen had to say what he said about the existence of a "product line" for PR reasons, but there have been no follow-up device "announcements" that I've seen.

[Prem WatsApp]

Which devices were those?

No specifics as we all know, I guess. But the statement has been made...
:-D

�   AC/CB - back in black or highway to mobile h*ll? ;-P   �

[MikeX74]

Businesses should be slow to, or fail altogether to adapt to changes in their given market, release half-baked products, make stupid statements in interviews, fail to understand your own products, and beg foreign governments to mandate that third-parties contribute whether they want to or not? Sounds like a winning formula to me.

[Prem WatsApp]

Businesses should be slow to, or fail altogether to adapt to changes in their given market, release half-baked products, make stupid statements in interviews, fail to understand your own products, and beg foreign governments to mandate that third-parties contribute whether they want to or not? Sounds like a winning formula to me.

/s

:-)

�   AC/CB - back in black or highway to mobile h*ll? ;-P   �

[KNEBB]

Here's the "Eight Hundred Pound Gorilla" in the room. Making a device known for "Security", in an global environment where Mobile Security runs in conflict with so many other agendas, where does BlackBerry find an ally?
So they start selling relatively expensive devices to aid financing their transition to software manufacturing.

But is that really in the best interest of the consumer and is that really the best example for other businesses to follow?

Posted via CB10

[luc4625]

Here's the "Eight Hundred Pound Gorilla" in the room. Making a device known for "Security", in an global environment where Mobile Security runs in conflict with so many other agendas, where does BlackBerry find an ally?
So they start selling relatively expensive devices to aid financing their transition to software manufacturing.

But is that really in the best interest of the consumer and is that really the best example for other businesses to follow?

Posted via CB10

Well said but I think they're positioning themselves as " we don't know what cool thing is next but we're going to secure it" I see this as a lesson in business strategy when you can't compete with the marketing budgets of others.

Posted via CB10

[KermEd]

Well said but I think they're positioning themselves as " we don't know what cool thing is next but we're going to secure it" I see this as a lesson in business strategy when you can't compete with the marketing budgets of others.

Posted via CB10

(Opinion)

If they were successful, I'd agree with you. But we are talking about a company dancing on the edge of bankruptcy that's desperately doing everything it can to appear agile... to the point of which they've fragmented users and investors.

If their analysts were worth the money they are being paid, and the company had a strategy worth looking up to - they wouldn't have had to do the mayday pivot to Android that they did a few months ago. Right now it's a company I often use as examples of poor decision making and poor efforts to respond to the market. If they survive, it's more miracle than it is sound strategy at this point.

Posted to CB via my Passport | Lloyd Summers | FileArchiveHaven

[luc4625]

(Opinion)

If they were successful, I'd agree with you. But we are talking about a company dancing on the edge of bankruptcy that's desperately doing everything it can to appear agile... to the point of which they've fragmented users and investors.

If their analysts were worth the money they are being paid, and the company had a strategy worth looking up to - they wouldn't have had to do the mayday pivot to Android that they did a few months ago. Right now it's a company I often use as examples of poor decision making and poor efforts to respond to the market. If they survive, it's more miracle than it is sound strategy at this point.

Posted to CB via my Passport | Lloyd Summers | FileArchiveHaven

The poor decisions of the past, is the past. The "mayday pivot" is what I call strategy and adapting. If this works out in the next year or two, the move will be most talked about in business classes for years to come. I see this as a lesson on "How to capitalize on your core strengths and change the rules to the game".

[Bluenoser63]

Businesses can learn from BlackBerry by not doing what they do. They have made bad public statements, not listening to their loyal customers, not investing in making unique products (other than an Android keyboard). They have both companies and technology and then got rid of it or put it aside. They have laid off the people who actually come up with the products (engineers and software developers). They are a shell of themselves. And cutting money and people without a plan to increase revenue by developing unique products isn't a plan.

[Bluenoser63]

The poor decisions of the past, is the past. The "mayday pivot" is what I call strategy and adapting. If this works out in the next year or two, the move will be most talked about in business classes for years to come. I see this as a lesson on "How to capitalize on your core strengths and change the rules to the game".

Your statement point out that BlackBerry doesn't know where the future will lead, so instead of coming up with a new product like the first BlackBerries, they will just throw mud on the wall hoping something sticks and just playing follow the leader. That isn't a good business strategy. You are never in control of your future in that model.

[luc4625]

Your statement point out that BlackBerry doesn't know where the future will lead, so instead of coming up with a new product like the first BlackBerries, they will just throw mud on the wall hoping something sticks and just playing follow the leader. That isn't a good business strategy. You are never in control of your future in that model.

The company was supposed to be bankrupt like 3 years ago so the fact that they've turned the corner is a strategy worth analyzing in class. Very few companies in the history of capitalism have got out of such a rough situation. Chen says he's in year 2 of a 3 year plan, lets see what kinda growth they experience by the end of 2016. I see great potential on the "piggyback" strategy. Let others invent the cool stuff, blackberry will LEAD in securing it.

[JeepBB]

Very few companies in the history of capitalism have got out of such a rough situation. Chen says he's in year 2 of a 3 year plan, lets see what kinda growth they experience by the end of 2016.

Hmmmm... BB aren't out of a rough situation, not by a long way.

He's kept BB afloat by selling nearly every asset and gotten rid of nearly all the employees. You can't cut your way to success, and Chen must now generate some revenue. Software (the end goal) isn't earning enough yet, BB10 hardware has failed and sales are fast dwindling towards zero, BES doesn't appear to be selling like hot cakes.

BB isn't growing.

If the Priv isn't a huge success, I doubt Chen has another year or more. Using BB as a worked example of a successful turnaround is seriously premature.

[luc4625]

Hmmmm... BB aren't out of a rough situation, not by a long way.

He's kept BB afloat by selling nearly every asset and gotten rid of nearly all the employees. You can't cut your way to success, and Chen must now generate some revenue. Software (the end goal) isn't earning enough yet, BB10 hardware has failed and sales are fast dwindling towards zero, BES doesn't appear to be selling like hot cakes.

BB isn't growing.

If the Priv isn't a huge success, I doubt Chen has another year or more. Using BB as a worked example of a successful turnaround is seriously premature.

Although premature, Blackberry was declared bankrupt by the media for the last 3 years so I consider the turnaround already somewhat successful. No bankruptcy papers have been filed. With a new strategy on software (acquisitions ++) and the Priv launching with Google on board, revenues look promising for the next four quarters.

Posted via CB10

[Bluenoser63]

Although premature, Blackberry was declared bankrupt by the media for the last 3 years so I consider the turnaround already somewhat successful. No bankruptcy papers have been filed. With a new strategy on software (acquisitions ++) and the Priv launching with Google on board, revenues look promising for the next four quarters.

Posted via CB10

If you think that OEMs can make money selling Android devices, you haven't been pay attention. Check out the fiscal statements for the Android OEMs. It isn't pretty. There is no way that BlackBerry can make money on a high priced small market (PKB) device.

[KermEd]

If you think that OEMs can make money selling Android devices, you haven't been pay attention. Check out the fiscal statements for the Android OEMs. It isn't pretty. There is no way that BlackBerry can make money on a high priced small market (PKB) device.

Plus if they bring event a hint of value to the Market, the much bigger players will spend a fortune doing it smarter, better, faster. And they will fade overnight.

The reason no one else is doing what they are doing besides Blackphone... is because it's not profitable... like Blackphone. If it was, they would face companies that could afford to spend 100x as much on R+D and Marketing.

Posted to CB via my Passport | Lloyd Summers | FileArchiveHaven

[luc4625]

Plus if they bring event a hint of value to the Market, the much bigger players will spend a fortune doing it smarter, better, faster. And they will fade overnight.

The reason no one else is doing what they are doing besides Blackphone... is because it's not profitable... like Blackphone. If it was, they would face companies that could afford to spend 100x as much on R+D and Marketing.

Posted to CB via my Passport | Lloyd Summers | FileArchiveHaven

At the end of the day bankruptcy papers have not been filed. They live to play another day.

[KermEd]

At the end of the day bankruptcy papers have not been filed. They live to play another day.

The subjects not about their bankruptcy though, it's about praising a very questionable series of escalating contradictory business strategies - this is a company bouncing around one of its lowest stock prices in 10 years with a net loss of up-to 95% and stock just slightly above penny stock... This isn't the past, that's the value today. That is a heck of a dangerous strategy to recommend to any company.

Regardless though, the important thing is that you find a value in them worth looking up to though and that you see a value that I don't.

Posted to CB via my Passport | Lloyd Summers | FileArchiveHaven

[luc4625]

The subjects not about their bankruptcy though, it's about praising a very questionable series of escalating contradictory business strategies - this is a company bouncing around one of its lowest stock prices in 10 years with a net loss of up-to 95% and stock just slightly above penny stock... This isn't the past, that's the value today. That is a heck of a dangerous strategy to recommend to any company.

Regardless though, the important thing is that you find a value in them worth looking up to though and that you see a value that I don't.

Posted to CB via my Passport | Lloyd Summers | FileArchiveHaven

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. The thread is about business owners learning from blackberry.
I see it as they got blown away and ridiculed and despite this dire situation their brains were able to concoct a new strategy to stay in the game.
By your logic all small business owners should give up because they're not leading the market or don't have the most marketing dollars. I think small business owners need to believe they have a chance based on hard work and brain power. That's how an economy, I believe, can thrive.

[JeepBB]

By your logic all small business owners should give up because they're not leading the market or don't have the most marketing dollars. I think small business owners need to believe they have a chance based on hard work and brain power. That's how an economy, I believe, can thrive.

Small businesses fail every day, and I'm sure nobody doubts the hard work and brain power that the owners put into their business trying to make it succeed. It's about having a product or idea that consumers want to buy, not simply about hard work.

Economies thrive when many of those successful small businesses thrive - on that we agree - but to praise BB simply because they are giving it a go is misguided.

The thread title is "Business owners can really learn from BlackBerry" - I seriously doubt that any business owner is looking at BlackBerry, and their increasingly desperate gambles to make enough money to fund their transition to software, is thinking that BlackBerry has anything to teach them!