Every internal review of a company's marketing should ask four questions that have not been typical of marketing reviews until now:  

• In our industry, are we second to none technologically?  
• Among service industries, and compared with firms of our approximate size, are we second to none technologically?  
• Are we doing all we need today to be second to none two years from now?  
• Have we carefully considered innovative ways that new technology can be used to improve our service and grow our business?

- Harry Beckwith, Selling the Invisible

Harry Beckwith's words, written in 1997, are even more applicable today; seventeen years ago, he couldn't have predicted the speed with which technology and innovation are changing nowadays.  We need to take his message to heart, especially in the service industry, which traditionally focuses more on people and policies instead of technology.  But it's technology that aids us in giving our customers better and more efficient services, so we can't overlook it.  What do you have in the works right now that is going to help your company move forward technologically?  Even more important, you need a plan to make the next advancement in the pipeline.  If you wait for the full development cycle on your current improvements to be over tolook to the future, you'll be woefully behind the curve again.