It’s all over the news! Internet Explorer is shutting down after 27 years of existence. What was once the go-to internet browser starting in 1995 is taking its rest.
But it begs the question, why did it shut down? As remote workers, we can learn a lot of corollaries about their demise and how we can prevent it in our careers. With that, here are 5 things we can learn as remote workers from Internet Explorer’s shutdown.
Became to Comfortable
What’s the most used operating system in the world? As of April 2022, Windows has a gargantuan 75% share of desktops and laptops. And they have enjoyed dominance in the category for decades.
Every windows machine back then is pre-installed with an Internet Explorer. People will use it because well, it’s there. Says who? At first, yes. But in the long run, not a lot of people.
The same in remote working. You should not be comfortable with your past successes. By all means, celebrate your victories. But don’t be stuck on your laurels.
You should not be too comfortable. And prepare for the future by giving the best possible output to your clients.
Failed to Innovate versus Competitors
There’s a reason why a lot of users left Internet Explorer. There are simply better options out there. More reliable, secured, and integrated search engines for both your computer and mobile devices.
What happened to Internet Explorer, the problems still stayed and it pretty much has the same functionality as it was launched. Internet explorer failed to catch up with innovation.
In remote working, how we handle our job today might be totally different when innovation arises. For example, social media managers need to cope with new trends. SEO specialist has to adjust for algorithm changes.
So you need to be adaptable and up-to-date to innovate your services. In this way, you will be relevant in the years to come.
Your Customers Can Leave You
How loyal can customers be? You might be enjoying a ton of customers today. But know that customers can leave you.
You will never know what will happen in the future. For one, the pandemic brought a lot of industries to their knees. People lost their jobs because of it.
As remote workers, we should wary of our client base. And make them as happy as possible. But also, you should have a backup plan if things go south.
Do you have emergency funds? How much percentage of cash flow does your client give? Can you get leads and close other clients if one leaves?
You should think this way because, the same Internet Explorer, nothing is permanent. But there are telltale signs before a fallout happens.
Better to Rebrand than Revive
It’s difficult to convince people of better service when you have a bad reputation already. Internet Explorer is plagued with issues. The biggest one might be its security vulnerabilities that allow hackers to hijack your computer. Microsoft even advises its users to stop using Internet Explorer.
With the spiralling down in popularity, it’s a marketing disaster to prove people otherwise.
So Microsoft rebranded to Microsoft Edge, a more modern and secure internet browser. It has way better features than its predecessor. And it’s easier to trust.
With this, we can learn that it’s easier to rebrand than to revive a severely bleeding brand name. Microsoft can defend Internet explorer all they want. But its reputation is already ingrained in most of us.
People might still be skeptical because it’s technically Internet Explorer 2.0. But more and more people might give it a try because it’s something new.
It’s the same in remote working. You might not change your past mistakes. Or even your name for that matter. But you can totally rebrand your services to offer something more reliable.
It’s Never Too Late to Start Again
The incident just speaks that we all make mistakes. But instead of doing nothing, we can start over again.
Yes, there might be naysayers to bring us down. Well, after all, we screwed we kinda deserve some of it. But it doesn’t mean you can’t change?
It’s the same in remote working. Even though a client didn’t like your work, you can always learn from it. And start over again. As long as you have the courage, the determination, and the dream, failure is just a stepping stone to move forward.
So let’s fail forward and reach our goals through remote working. Cheers!
