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In Search of Excellence Review
In Search of Excellence is a book written by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman. It’s a book about marketing, but they never explicitly refer to the marketing concept. The marketing concept is to satisfy the customers of an organization, while still making profit and maintaining sustainability. Although the book is not explicitly about marketing, it does refer to this marketing concept. The authors agree that a company is only as good as its people and that although a company does focus on sales and product orientation, this is because the company wants to provide the best product or service for the customer. Peter and Waterman talk about what excellent companies are in their minds. They say that an excellent company has “a sound mind in a healthy body.” Profit is not the final end all, but what comes first in customer orientation. “Profit is like health. You need it, and the more the better. But it’s not why you exist.” This is a new way of thinking about businesses. As far as the marketing concept is concerned, this is best exemplified by the example of Joe Girard. He was a salesman who sold two times as many cars annually then his closest competition. His success largely came from the fact that he made his customers feel like he cared about them. He sent Christmas cards and letters even after he completed the sale. This means that the customers are satisfied and helps Joe Girard’s ultimate prosperity. Marketing principles are also seen in many of the companies that are mentioned In Search of Excellence show many of these concepts. For example, Fritos-Lay’s has a dedication to the customers that goes beyond the call of duty. Also, HP encourages their workers to adjust other workers’ designs. Disney has something called “Cross Utilization Week.” Executives wear costumes of Disney characters, work at food stands and rides employees a cross-functional policy. These excellent companies were selected based on
In Search of Excellence is a book written by Tom Peters and Robert Waterman. It’s a book about marketing, but they never explicitly refer to the marketing concept. The marketing concept is to satisfy the customers of an organization, while still making profit and maintaining sustainability. Although the book is not explicitly about marketing, it does refer to this marketing concept. The authors agree that a company is only as good as its people and that although a company does focus on sales and product orientation, this is because the company wants to provide the best product or service for the customer. Peter and Waterman talk about what excellent companies are in their minds. They say that an excellent company has “a sound mind in a healthy body.” Profit is not the final end all, but what comes first in customer orientation. “Profit is like health. You need it, and the more the better. But it’s not why you exist.” This is a new way of thinking about businesses. As far as the marketing concept is concerned, this is best exemplified by the example of Joe Girard. He was a salesman who sold two times as many cars annually then his closest competition. His success largely came from the fact that he made his customers feel like he cared about them. He sent Christmas cards and letters even after he completed the sale. This means that the customers are satisfied and helps Joe Girard’s ultimate prosperity. Marketing principles are also seen in many of the companies that are mentioned In Search of Excellence show many of these concepts. For example, Fritos-Lay’s has a dedication to the customers that goes beyond the call of duty. Also, HP encourages their workers to adjust other workers’ designs. Disney has something called “Cross Utilization Week.” Executives wear costumes of Disney characters, work at food stands and rides employees a cross-functional policy. These excellent companies were selected based on