Products that Last. Conny Bakker

      products that last – 23

      By no means, however, does this imply the end of value creation. Other parties become involved, all intending to make a profit from what is already there and being used in homes, on the streets, in offices and other workplaces. For a start, there are companies that grow coffee beans and multinationals that buy them, transport them, process them and sell coffee of different brands and qualities. Next, coffee needs to be dispersed and dissolved in hot water that must pass through a filter, for which there is also a supplier. The appliances need maintenance and repair. Some may need cleaning fluids and spare parts provided by specialised firms. Although it has never been explicitly investigated, it is likely that a considerable part of the world population makes a living by servicing what is already there.

      Apart from the suppliers of extras, there are companies in the trade of catering and event organising that rent out coffeemakers. Of course there are also businesses that provide coffeemakers plus maintenance to offices and other workplaces. These hot drink machines may be more robust and larger, but they are suitable as an illustration of the world of coffeemaker value creation. And there are even more businesses involved with coffeemakers.

      After a number of operational years, coffee devices wear out and become redundant. At this point they are either stored in an attic or a shed for later use (which will never happen), or taken to a shop for refurbishment to retrieve at least some of their value. They are resold as bargains to perform in extra time. But alas and inevitably, their end is nigh. With a few unique exceptions of coffeemakers that once brewed coffee for celebrities or have otherwise gained access to the ‘heaven of antiques and expensive stuff’, they end up in the flow of waste. They will be taken apart and some parts might make it to the repair shop once again. Nevertheless, the coffeemaker’s destiny is to be partly scrapped and recycled, and partly burned to provide some consolation energy. Though scrapping and burning do serve to salvage some of the original value, considerably more is destroyed as part of these inherently destructive processes.

      All these value-changing transactions happen beyond the newness horizon. There is a certain awareness of this next universe, but up till now it has pretty much been taken for granted. This is caused on the one hand by a combination of prosperity and a habitual human fascination for all that is new, and on the other hand by the fact that, in the current situation, entrepre-neurs and designers tacitly assume that more money

      can be made along the road to new propositions. There have been very few practical attempts at unravelling product afterlife and systematically scrutinising it for opportunities.

      Opportunities clearly do exist, or they would not right now provide an income for so many people. They need reframing, however, to be recognised as segments of a circle of continu-ous value creation. Lifespan is not something to be passively observed after products have been put on the market, but involves a cluster of possibilities to be taken into account by entrepreneurs. Together with designers, companies can work on developing new principles of making money through the use of products: lifespan implies a progression of possible steps to add value.

      Becoming familiar with this new perspective on product development requires cooperation between producers, designers and professionals in current post sales services, depending of course on the kind of trade. Coffeemakers belong to a different culture than washing machines, or bicycles, or smart phones, or novelties. Entrepreneurs and designers can explore markets accordingly.

      With a different focus ideas for products and services are bound to change. There will be a shift in emphasis on various product characteristics and the concept of service development will gain importance. Products will be almost like people, expecting and getting life improvement.