“Business people face increasing pressure from local and global competitors. They face customers who have more and more information about alternatives and more and more access to suppliers from all over the world. Given these pressures, business people are looking for approaches that make sense and will continue to make sense. I think many are fed up with management fads that may or may not provide any benefit and don't continue to work over time.” PeopleThinkingWorldManagementMake SenseFed Up Author:Barbara Bund
“Often people say they can't base their strategies on customers because customers make unreasonable requests and because customers vary too much. Such opinions reveal serious misconceptions. The truly outside-in company definitely does not try to serve all the needs of its customers. Instead, its managers are clear about what their organization can and should do for customers, and whatever they do they do well. They focus.” PeopleTryingOpinionFocusSeriousStrategyVaryMisconception Author:Barbara Bund
“Often, very talented technical people find it extraordinarily difficult to take the viewpoint of customers, who are often ignorant about the technology and who may have strong and perhaps incorrect prejudices about it. The technical people may believe, deep down, that they know better what customers "should" need. Customers, of course, have a different perspective. They want products that will solve customer problems and provide other customer benefits, and will do so without undue risk or cost. Not infrequently, customers view advanced technology itself as a risk.” PeopleBelieveDifferentProblemStrongDifficultTechnologyRiskPerspectivePrejudiceIgnorantDifferent Perspective Author:Barbara Bund