Next Level Blog

FEBRUARY 1, 2022

Back in my own days as an executive, I was hugely influenced by a book called The Discipline of Market Leaders. The authors argued that companies had to pick between one of three paths to value creation and success in the market – operational excellence, customer intimacy or product leadership.

Company 244

Company Customer Intimacy Schein Long-term 244

Six Disciplines

DECEMBER 13, 2013

Another businessman understood how to use this advantage. In small businesses, however, there are fewer decision-makers, and they’re so close to customers, employees and daily operations that they can get a sense of whether a decision is right or wrong very quickly. Customer Intimacy. I feel like a number.

Customer Intimacy 133

Customer Intimacy Hammer Competitive Advantage Organization 133

Six Disciplines

MAY 17, 2013

Another businessman understood how to use this advantage. In small businesses, however, there are fewer decision-makers, and they’re so close to customers, employees and daily operations that they can get a sense of whether a decision is right or wrong very quickly. Customer Intimacy. I feel like a number.

Customer Intimacy 116

Customer Intimacy Hammer Competitive Advantage Organization 116

Harvard Business Review

SEPTEMBER 6, 2013

As a direct marketer we have been good at customer intimacy. We know a lot about our customers. We have known for a long time that we needed to be operationally excellent, but in the past we''ve fixed problems reactively, after the event, to keep customers happy. But it isn''t easy.

Customer Intimacy 8

Customer Intimacy Operations Supply Chain Retail 8

Harvard Business Review

AUGUST 8, 2011

At its 100-year milestone, IBM shows us what it takes to outlast depression, war, and intense competition in order to remain a market leader in the midst of ongoing technological innovation. By 1955, IBM's revenues were $564 million and it led the world market in making computers. Here are several lessons worth sharing.

Customer Intimacy 14

Customer Intimacy How To Mass Marketing System 14

Harvard Business Review

JUNE 24, 2013

and in its home market in the U.K. having sacrificed customer intimacy for increased operational excellence gains through widespread cost cutting, are well documented. In the UK, Tesco lost the plot several times in recent years as they grew to double the market share of competitors like Sainsbury''s and Asda/WalMart.

Organization 8

Organization Supply Chain Customer Intimacy Stress 8

Harvard Business Review

DECEMBER 9, 2013

Given this rather messy environment, entrepreneurs have a few pragmatic choices on how to navigate the seed stage bottleneck: Bootstrap with Services : Many Indian IT entrepreneurs come from the services industry background. Using IT services to generate cash and develop customer intimacy, it is entirely possible to build products.

Incubator 8

Incubator Stage-Gate Venture Capitalist How To 8