Insight in three circles

On the flight last night I read an interesting article in this months HBR, Insights in Three Circles.  The article implores business managers to look at the overlaps between what their customers want, what they do and what their competitors do.  Surprisingly companies supply many features and service attributes which customers don't value.  Of the features and activities that customers do want, it is difficult to find truely unique features not also offered by competitiors.

 

Seeing as I'm at a supplier conference this article prompted me to think about what does it take to make a good Gilkatho supplier?  What do we really want from our suppliers?  How does a supplier achieve standout success in the coffee industry.

 

My first assumption is that there is no shortage of equipment suppliers.  A brisk walk around the bi-ennial Milan trade fair shows the depth of suppy and choice available to the market.  Each brand has a set of unique features and it is a case of matching the most relevent set.

 

"Service" is the word most often bandied as the difference. Service requirements need to be defined and matched with the suppliers expectations.   I think we also need to add "communication" to th service attributes.

 

A supplier who communicates to us what they are going to do (and also communicates when things go wrong) while providing the service to our business that we need ie scheduled delivery, product updates, competitive pricing would have ot be in a winning position.

 

In a sentence:  Tell us what you are going to do and then do it.