Synopses & Reviews
Ex•cel•lence (n.) 1. The clearly false and destructive theory that a company ought to be great at everything it does. 2. A mistaken goal in which the predictable outcome is that the company ends up world-class at nothing—not well-differentiated and therefore not thought of by consumers at the moment of need.
Based on exhaustive research, The Myth of Excellence provides conclusive evidence of the futility of trying to be excellent in all aspects of a commercial transaction—price, product, access, experience, and service. Instead, the strategy for your products and services should be to dominate on one element, differentiate on a second, and be at industry par (i.e., average) on the rest. Yes, it is okay to be average as long as your customers know specifically where and how you are superior and world-class.
Synopsis
Too many companies try to be world-class when it comes to their product, its price, and the service, experience, and access they offer their customers. This is, surprisingly but certainly, a mistake. In the Wall Street Journal business bestseller The Myth of Excellence, Fred Crawford and Ryan Mathews make a compelling case for the wisdom of focusing energy and resources on more targeted goals. By choosing the attribute on which to dominate, differentiate, or be at industry par, they provide a new way to be relevant to customers without breaking the bank.
Synopsis
Includes bibliographical references (p. 239-241) and index.
About the Author
FRED CRAWFORD is executive vice president and global sector leader of Cap Gemini Ernst & Young's consumer products, retail, and distribution consulting practice. From his base in New York City he travels the globe working with senior executives on how to reach today's elusive consumer.
RYAN MATHEWS is a principal at FirstMatter LLC, a leading futurist firm that works with companies such as Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Grey Advertising, General Motors, Georgia-Pacific, and Coca-Cola to anticipate the trends shaping corporate America, global business, and e-commerce.
From the Hardcover edition.
Table of Contents
Field notes from the commercial wilderness -- The new model for consumer relevancy -- Would I lie to you? : the overrated importance of lowest price -- I can't get no satisfaction : service with a smile? -- I still haven't found what I'm looking for : access, physical and psychological -- Why "good" is good enough : choice and the issue of product bandwidth -- Do you really get me? : the experience factor -- Making consumer relevancy work -- Supply-chain realities -- Consumer relevancy and the future.