Written to sway businesses to a new way of interacting with customers, Ivey Professor Niraj Dawar’s new marketing book has also tilted significant attention its way.
Since hitting the shelves November 5, TILT: Shifting Your Strategy from Products to Customers has generated numerous interviews ranging from The Globe and Mail in Canada to podcasts in the U.K., U.S. and Australia.
Forbes magazine even placed it fourth on its list of 13 recommended readings for creative leaders in 2013.
The day after its release, the Harvard Business Press book was the second (Kindle) and third (hardcover) bestselling marketing book in the world.
Dawar also attracted a full house to an Ivey Idea Forum in Toronto on November 27. Part of his official book launch in Canada, Dawar spoke to Ivey alumni and other Toronto-area executives about the premise behind TILT. He was joined by John Watson, Executive Vice President, Customer Operations, Bell Canada, who shared firsthand insights on the importance of a strong customer focus.
Dawar pointed out that an antiquated philosophy has been driving business strategy – one that dates back to when the first factories were built 250 years ago. To absorb the fixed costs of factories, businesses had to move a lot of product. He stressed that today customers choose to buy from companies for reasons beyond product offerings, including “soft factors” such as comfort and ease of doing business. To win the war for customers, he said more attention needs to be placed on the “downstream,” which is the set of business activities companies perform in their interactions with the customers, such as customer acquisition, satisfaction, and retention.
“We may be spending the bulk of our time managing the wrong things. Products allow you to play the game and innovation allows you to stay in the game. What allows you to win is innovation in the downstream,” he said. “I’m not saying that products are not important, but they are difficult to maintain as a competitive advantage.”
For more on TILT:
Watch the Ivey Idea Forum webcast
Read the Ivey Business Journal article
Read the Harvard Business Review article
Check out the media coverage:
