Distinguishers: Winning Customers at Speed, Scale & Lower Costs

This business book is different, going beyond digital disruption and business transformation.

The authors introduce Distinguishers – people, brands and businesses that win customers at speed, scale and lower costs. Distinguishers displace mature, stale brands & enterprises – who the authors call Extinguishers.

Distinguishers change consumer behaviour, delivering better outcomes for an expanding customer stakeholder universe. They open up space and create wealth using less resources better, that last longer. They use the technology differently. They know that customers won’t pay for baggage that adds no value or humanity.

It examines over 100 cases from all over the globe, revealing the recipe on how to become a Distinguisher. The formula they offer is practical, potent and progressive:

1. Shake up – disrupt the status quo: Many examples to see why and how it’s done.
2. Shape up – frame the emerging future: Existing and emerging global trends, projecting a future world with fascinating new ideas and concepts to help frame the next normal.
3. Speed up – make things happen faster: Trends, tools, tactics and practices being used and still evolving to do better what they can also do faster.
4. Scale-up – get and stay ahead: Tools and tactics used to scale up at low cost gets and keeps the enterprise ahead.

Reviewers comments

***** I found myself learning so much about so many companies. Every CMO should read it. It’s creative and innovative thinking. – Prof. Philip Kotler

***** A glorious dance through the technology changes positively impacting customer experience. Felt invigorated by this book, a first for a business book! – David Wheldon, President, World Federation of Advertisers

***** The authors have taken the lid off traditional growth models, creating a sweet shop of new strategies, ideas, principles and examples snackable, exciting, smart and practical for the open source world. An inspiring read that will make every business leader and marketer ask difficult questions about whether they are set up for growth or set up for extinction. – Bart Michels, CEO, Kantar Europe

***** Shows how winners seemingly come from nowhere to challenge conventional thinking by deploying differentiated business models that deliver value at speed and scale. – Prof. Nicola Kleyn, Dean Rotterdam School of Management

***** This is not a book you will read and put down. You will keep coming back to it. It is beyond a book, it is more like a reference manual to understand today’s world. – Arpit Kaushik, Hypha

***** Professor Sandra Vandermerwe foresaw the last customer revolution and sets out here to show how the very best are taking their sectors & the world forward in the most challenging of times. – Justin McLaren, CE0 8hwe

***** If you want to excel in the digital world, whether you are a startup or a mature organization, read this book. You won’t be sorry. – Micheal Jordaan, Investor

***** This is a fantastic book. Different. Meaningful. Release it at scale. With speed. – Lisa Lindström, CEO, EY Doberman

***** Fresh, relevant and insightful. A must-read for anyone wanting to thrive in a post-pandemic, ever-changing business world. – Anton Ossip, CEO, Discovery Insure

***** Love the perspective of this book, an easy must-read for anyone in the business of growth. – Neville Hounsom, Consulting Partner, Deloitte

About the authors

Sandra Vandermerwe: Extraordinary Professor at GIBS (SA), was Professor at IMD and Imperial College Business School, having worked on executive programmes at business schools and with executives throughout the world.

David Erixon: Founded digital learning Hyper Island and digital experience firm Doberman (now part of EY). An associate of Trinity Business School and marketing director at NatWest Group.