Joshua Feinberg and Mark Bjornsgaard discuss the importance of data center operators investing in community outreach in the U.S. and the need for more than just superficial engagement.
They highlight that while operators spend on community events, it's often seen as mere "badging" rather than genuine integration.
Bjornsgaard cites an example of Google facing public backlash in the UK due to the visual impact of their data center next to a housing estate, suggesting that providing community benefits like subsidized heat could improve public perception.
Feinberg emphasizes the necessity of understanding and personalizing communications to stakeholders, while Bjornsgaard stresses the need for courage in large businesses to adopt different, socially responsible strategies.
This video is excerpted from the podcast Ep. #40 Mark Bjornsgaard, Founder and CEO of Deep Green Technologies | Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast.
Action Items
- Understand the stakeholders' top-of-mind concerns and personalize the value proposition to demonstrate what's in it for them.
- Explore ways to directly integrate data center operations with the local community's needs, such as providing free or subsidized heating.
Outline
Community Outreach Efforts by Data Center Operators
- Joshua Feinberg highlights that major data center operators in the US invest significantly in community outreach, including sponsoring community fairs and concert series.
- Mark Bjornsgaard criticizes the superficial nature of these efforts, suggesting that they are more about "badging" than genuine integration into the product.
- Mark Bjornsgaard shares an example of Google facing public backlash in the UK due to the visual impact of their data center next to a housing estate, emphasizing the need for more meaningful community engagement.
- Mark Bjornsgaard proposes that data centers could go beyond sponsorships by providing community benefits like subsidized heat, which could improve public perception and integration.
Challenges of Stakeholder Engagement
- Joshua Feinberg discusses the importance of understanding different stakeholders' needs and personalizing communications to make them relevant and relatable.
- He mentions the concept of "the job to be done" and the value canvas as tools to explain the benefits of data centers to various stakeholders.
- Mark Bjornsgaard stresses the need for courage in large, established businesses to try new approaches and differentiate themselves through social good initiatives.
- He argues that framing data center quality in terms of social benefits can be effective, even in a B2B context, and that the world is moving away from purely rational, numbers-driven decision-making.
Resources
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