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Why？ The world went flat； and every analog process went digital； virtual； mobile；
and personal。 In the last three years； digital cameras for professional photographers
achieved a whole new technical level that made them equal to； if not superior to；
traditional film cameras。
〃So we experimented with several different cameras and chose the current
state…of…the…art camera that was most like our ＇analog＇ film cameras；〃 Greer said。
〃It's called a Canon Dl； and it's the same exact camera as our film camera； except
there's a computer inside with a little TV…screen display on the back that shows us
what picture we're taking。 But it uses all the same lenses； you set things the same
way； shutter speed and aperture； it has the same ergonomics。 It was the first
professional digital camera that worked exactly like a film camera。 This was a
defining moment。
〃After we got this digital camera； it was incredibly liberating at first；〃 said Greer。
〃All of the thrill and excitement of photography were there… except that the film
was free。 Because it was digital； we didn't have to buy film and we didn't have to
go to the lab to have it processed and wait to get it back。 If we were on location
and shooting something； we could see if we got the shot right away。 There was instant
gratification。 We referred to it as an 'electronic Polaroid。' We used to have an art
director who would oversee everything to make sure that we were capturing the image
we were trying to create； but we would never really know until we got it developed。
Everyone had to go on faith； on trust。 Our clients paid us a professional fee because
they felt they needed an expert who could not only click a button； but knew exactly
how to shape and frame the image。 And they trusted us to do that。〃
For a year or so there was this new sense of empowerment； freedom； creativity； and
control。 But then Ken and his team discovered that this new liberating technology
could also be enslaving。 〃We discovered that not only did we now have the
responsibility of shooting the picture and defining the desired artistic expression；
we had to get involved in the
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technology of the photograph。 We had to become the lab。 We woke up one morning and
said； 'We are the lab。'〃
How so？ Because digital cameras gave Greer the ability to download those digital
images into a PC or laptop and； with a little magic software and hardware； perform
all sorts of new functions。 〃So in addition to being the photographer； we had to become
the processing lab and the color separator；〃 said Greer。 Once the technology made
that possible； Greer's customers demanded it。 Because Greer could control the image
farther down the supply chain； they said he should control it； he must control it。
And then they also said because it was all digital now； and all under his control；
it should be included among the services his team provided as the photographic
creators of the image。 〃The clients said； 'We will not pay you extra for it；'〃 said
Greer。 〃We used to go to an outside service to touch up the pictures…to remove red…eye
or blemishes…but now we have to be the retouchers ourselves also。 They expect ＇red…eye＇
to be removed by us； digitally； even before they see it。 For twenty years we only
practiced the art of photography…color and composition and texture and how to make
people comfortable in front of a camera。 This is what we were good at。 Now we had
to learn to be good at all these other things。 It is not what we signed up for； but
the competitive marketplace and the technology forced us into it。〃
Greer said every aspect of his company went through a similar flattening。 Film
production went digital； so the marketplace and the technology forced them to become
their own film editors； graphics studio； sound production facility； and everything
else； including producers of their own DVDs。 Each of those functions used to be farmed
out to a separate company。 The whole supply chain got flattened and shrunk into one
box that sat on someone's desktop。 The same thing happened in the graphics part of
their business： Greer & Associates became their own typesetters； illustrators； and
sometimes even printers； because they owned digital color printers。 〃Things were
supposed to get easier；〃 he said。 〃Now I feel like I'm going to McDonald's； but instead
of getting fast food； I'm being asked to bus my own table and wash the dishes too。〃
He continued： 〃It is as if the manufacturers of technology got together
with our clients and outsourced all of these different tasks to us。 If we put our
foot down and say you have to pay for each of these services； there is someone right
behind us saying； 'I will do it all' So the services required go up significantly
and the fees you can charge stay the same or go down。〃
It's called commoditization； and in the wake of the triple convergence； it is
happening faster and faster across a whole range of industries。 Asmore and more analog
processes become digital； virtual； mobile； and personal； more and more jobs and
functions are being standardized； digitized； and made both easy to manipulate and
available to more players。
When everything is the same and supply is plentiful； said Greer； clients have too
many choices and no basis on which to make the right choice。 And when that happens；
you're a commodity。 You are vanilla。
Fortunately； Greer responded to commoditization by opting for the only survival
strategy that works： a shovel； not a wall。 He and his associates dug inside themselves
to locate the company's real core competency； and this has become the primary energy
source propelling their business forward in the flat world。 〃What we sell now；〃 said
Greer； 〃is strategic insight； creative instinct； and artistic flair。 We sell inspired；
creative solutions； we sell personality。 Our core competence and focus is now on all
those things that cannot be digitized。 I know our clients today and our clients in
the future will only come to us and stick with us for those things。。。 So we hired
more thinkers and outsourced more technology pieces。〃
In the old days； said Greer； many companies 〃hid behind technology。 You could be very
good； but you didn't have to be the world's best； because you never thought you were
competing with the world。 There was a horizon out there and no one could see beyond
that horizon。 But just in the space of a few years we went from competing with firms
down the street to competing with firms across the globe。 Three years ago it was
inconceivable that Greer & Associates would lose a contract to a company in England；
and now we have。 Everyone can see what everyone else is doing now； and everyone has
the same tools； so you have to be the very best； the most creative thinker。〃
Vanilla just won't put food on the table anymore。 〃You have to offer something totally
unique；〃 said Greer。 'You need be able to make
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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough； or Cherry （Jerry） Garcia； or Chunky Monkey〃…three of
the more exotic brands of Ben & Jerry's ice cream that are very nonvanilla。 〃It used
to be about what you were able to do；〃 said Greer。 〃Clients would say； 'Can you do
this？ Can you do that？' Now it's much more about the creative flair and personality
you can bring to ＇the assignment＇ 。 。 。 It's all about imagination。〃
Rule #2： And the small shall act big。 。 。 One way small companies flourish in the
flat world is by learning to act really big。 And the key to being small and acting
big is being quick to take advantage of all the new tools for collaboration to reach
farther； faster； wider； and deeper。
I can think of no better way to illustrate this rule than to tell the story of another
friend； Fadi Ghandour； the cofounder and CEO of Aramex； the first home…grown package
delivery service in the Arab world and the first and only Arab company to be listed
on the Nasdaq。 Originally from Lebanon； Ghandour's family moved to Jordan in the 1960s；
where his father； AH； founded Royal Jordanian Airlines。 So Ghandour always had the
airline business in his genes。 Shortly after graduating from George Washington
University in Washington； D。C。； Ghandour returned home and saw a niche business he
thought he could develop： He and a friend raised some money and in 1982 started a
mini…Federal Express for the Middle East to do parcel delivery。 At the time； there
was only one global parcel delivery service operating in the Arab world： DHL； today
owned by the German postal service。 Ghandour's idea was to approach American companies；
like Federal Express and Airborne Express； that did not have a Middle East presence
and offer to become their local delivery service； playing on the fact that an Arab
company would know the region and how to get around unpleasantries like the Israeli
invasion of Lebanon； the Iran…Iraq war； and the American invasion of Iraq。
〃We said to them； 'Look； we don't compete with you locally in your home market； but
we understand the Middle East market； so why not give your packages to us to deliver
out here？〃 said Ghandour。 〃We will be your Middle East delivery arm。 Why give them
to your global compe