I’ve been in airports in Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney over the last 24 hours. The airport newsagencies, if you could impose such abroad shingle on then, are good businesses. Every product category has its space and every product earning its way. While I’m frustrated at what appears to be a beneficial magazine model, these businesses are clearly outcome focused.
I’m stating the obvious I know, but think about it. Are our 4,600 newsagencies in Australia as outcome focused? Have we configured our businesses for a maximum return week by week or are we hoping for a payday when we sell? Too many trading under the newsagency shingle have allowed their businesses to drift – too often into quicksand.
Some newsagencies I have seen recently are like the boring speech or overwritten novel – desperately in need to editing, cutting off unnecessary stock and tasks to focus on the core of our business. This is what the airport people have done, pared back, refined the model and created a business for their market. They have also created new looks – such as the Watermark Books store in the photo – magazines, books, stationery and coffee.
In searching for the newsagency of the future we have to let go of some of the past. This means editing our businesses to make them more relevant and interesting to consumers. No one will do it for us. This is our job.
These things are on my mind as I am preparing a couple in conference presentations around the theme of the newsagency of the future.