The Collapse of Distinction: Stand Out and Move Up While Your Competition Fails

Enterprise Rent-a-Car Founding Father, Jack Taylor, created an empire by putting customer service above everything else. His philosophy was simple (but not necessarily "easy"): Always deliver more than you promise, and always strive to exceed customers' expectations. It worked; Enterprise grew from being a small start-up company in 1957 to become the largest and most profitable car rental company in the world by the early '90s. Clearly, what Jack Taylor managed to accomplish is what the author, Scott McKain is advocating in this terrific book. To be a dominant force in the market place, a company needs to successfully stand out from its competitors; by aggressively providing real value for its customers and marketing that competitive advantage to leverage growth, success stories like Enterprise Rent-a-Car happen. During tough economic times (such as these), the ability to stand out from the crowd is critical for long-term survival. Master the techniques McKain provides, and a company will not only survive; it will thrive.

Who's your competition? And what do you do to compete with them? Do you mimic their tactics and hope your lower price will attract more customers so you're able to make up for your now, discounted margin? Do you continue using the same, tired strategies you've been using for years and hope for the best? Or do you step back and reevaluate how your customers perceive you and your competition, and then implement new tactics that differentiate your brand from the market? That's precisely what Scott McKain's newest book Collapse of Distinction addresses. Regardless of the businesses you're in, regardless of the longevity you've had in your respective business, Collapse will renew your passion for your career and instill a new sense of urgency to grow your business. Here for you now are a selection of quotes from Scott's book that spoke to me: "Being different, standing out, getting noticed in a sea of sameness is vital to an organization's sustained growth and profitability." "Unless you cannot find it within yourself to become emotional, committed...about differentiation, then you had better be prepared to take your place among that vast throng of the mediocre who are judged by their customers solely on the basis of price." "It is overwhelming how many companies focus on not losing to the competition rather than delivering on what customers really want." "...emulation...does not create space in the marketplace, it ensures that a pack of non-differentiated competitors includes you!" "...truly differentiated organizations never try to attract anyone, and through their clarity, they take themselves out of the running for the business of some potential customers." "When you relate a story...you now present potential customers with a compelling reason to do business with [you]." "...the purpose of any business is to profitably create experiences so compelling to the customers that their loyalty becomes assured." As a former musician, every so often, a song will play and inspire me to pick up the guitar again. Scott's book inspired me in the same way. Personally, it inspired me to present my story differently. To not take for granted what I've done, and what I know I've done. But to take a step back and tell you who I am and why that means something to you -- why that means I'm different from other marketing and design consultants. And most importantly, how that benefits you. As a freelance consultant, my interaction with my clients is mainly through email. And for me, it works. It's convenient, it's timely, and it's non-disruptive. So as my main point of contact, what can I do through my communication to differentiate myself? Is it replying to your email within the same hour you've sent it, is it emailing you back when I don't necessarily think a response is warranted, but I do it anyway to maintain productive two-way communication. Or perhaps do I turn off the computer, pick up a pen and send you a thank you note in a tangi

Whenever I meet with a prospective consulting client in need of help with marketing, I always pose three basic questions that consumers tend to ask: Who are you? What do you do? Why should I care? The third question is the most important because one of the greatest challenges that organizations now face is to differentiate themselves and their products and services from competitors. In this volume, Scott McKain provides a wealth of information and counsel that can help decision-makers in almost any organization (regardless of size or nature) to "stand out and move up while [the] competition fails." In the introduction, he asks a basic question of his own: "Can your customers tell the difference between you and your competition?" In some instances, the answer is "no. "In other instances, the answer is "I have no idea." And in still other instances, the answer is "Yes, unfortunately." Whatever the response, the fact remains that - with rapidly increased commoditization and expanded globalization -- competition in almost every marketplace has become ferocious and is certain to become moreso. McKain provides a roadmap for understanding how the phenomenon of "sameness" happened and what to do in response to it. His function is to serve as a guide to assist his reader during efforts to make her or his business distinct in the marketplace. He outlines and discusses various strategies that, if executed effectively, can help to make a significant and (key word) sustainable difference to his reader's own customers and he succeeds brilliantly. Distinction (or differentiation) initiatives must be based on a solid foundation. McCain identifies four and devotes a separate chapter to each: total Clarity about who and what the organization is...and isn't, exemplified by Starbucks; continuous Creativity that is nurtured and supported at all levels and in all areas of the enterprise, exemplified by Enterprise Rent-a-Car; effective Communication that makes maximum use of storytelling, exemplified by High Point University; and a razor-sharp Customer Experience Focus, as exemplified by Nordstrom and Ritz-Carlton. On average, most of us receive about 2,500 messages each day from various sources (e.g. print and electronic media as well as interaction with others) and experience what McCain characterizes as "The Ebert Effect," inspired by what film critic once observed: "When you are overwhelmed with such boring similarity, you begin to perceive that [begin italics] different is better! [end italics]" According to McCain, the Ebert Effect occurs when people, from their perspective, "are inundated with indistinguishable choices, they perceive a product, service, approach, or experience with a specific point of differentiation to be superior." The comments just quoted really caught my eye because, if I fully understand their significance (and I may not), they indicate that it is possible to be crystal clear about who and what your organization, product, service, etc.

Scott McKain knows his customer service, and more. This is a great book, and goes well beyond Scott's good advice about branding, marketing and serving clients. With memorable case histories and stories, this book is one that will keep you interested at one sitting. Don't delay, get it - and use it! Terrific read and a terrific help for your company - large or small.

This is the best book on business/customer service that I've ever read. This book serves as a guide to assist companies and individuals in making themselves distinct from competition. Scott McKain does a masterful job in highlighting the downfall of many organizations because of their lack of distinction. Scott begins by listing three destroyers of differentiation which are: Capitalism Produces Incremental Advancement, Dynamic Change is Delivering New Competition, and Familiarity Breeds Complacency. These destroyers are the backdrop that the author uses to enlighten the reader on the need to become distinct and different. One of my favorite chapters is chapter 4 "The Ebert Effect". This chapter highlights an encounter the author had with a gentleman by the name of Roger Ebert. Mr. Ebert is a famed movie critic, who has an incredible body of work including writing reviews in the Chicago Sun-Times, to the Emmy-nominated Siskel & Ebert & the Movies. The author, McKain writes about an exchange he had with Mr. Ebert over dinner one night during a reception for movie reviewers in Hollywood. Through the course of dinner Mr. Ebert asked McKain reviewing films and what had most surprised him about the industry. McKain responded by saying that he could not understand why so many movie reviewers gave so many glowing reviews to foreign films. At this Mr. Ebert shared an insight that changed my entire prospective about being different and it is this: when people, from their perspective, are inundated with indistinguishable choices, they perceive a product, service, approach, or experience with a specific point of differentiation to be superior. McKain concludes the book by listing four cornerstones of distinction which are: Clarity, Creativity, Communication, and Customer-Experience Focus. This book is a must read for anyone it is all inclusive, you don't have to be a business owner to apply the concepts presented within. You can apply them to your personal career and have great success. Go get your copy today!!!!