In the eyes of your customers, 

are you offering the same as everybody else...

making it more difficult to win business & protect your margins?


In this new book you'll discover fresh insights and ideas about how to address the following thorny question...

What do you do when prospective customers think they're comparing "apples to apples", and all they're interested in is getting a deal? 

In a business that becomes commoditized...

  • The conversation is all about price
  • Customers don't respond to your supposed points of differentiation – things that used to be 'order winners' are now just 'order qualifiers'.
  • Salespeople are too quick to offer discounts
  • You're doing a lot of stuff for free in an attempt to separate yourself from the competition - customers are even starting to expect it
  • You have to get more and more efficient just to hold your margins
  • People keep saying you need to think about new 'business models'

If this is ringing true, it's a big problem. To solve that problem, you need to take a new approach. My book will show you how.

(We will send you the hardcopy book, published by Pearson Business, not a downloadable PDF.

We will pay for the full postage and mail it you)

How to tell if you're being turned into a commodity...

  • If all you're competing on is price, you're a commodity.
  • If your customers can't differentiate between you and competitors who are less competent than you, then you are definitely a commodity!
  • And if all your internal discussions are about 'cost, cost, cost', you risk staying a commodity.

Important note about 'Cost Leadership': When I ask companies about their strategies, I'm always a bit worried when I hear the words 'cost leadership'. In any market segment, there can only be one or two real 'cost leaders'. Any company that succeeds with a cost leadership strategy has geared its entire business model to doing so, and has probably invested heavily to that single end. Unless that's you - and it's probably not - then getting involved in price competition is just going to be very painful.

Cost control is important, of course. But as the saying goes, "You can't cut your way to greatness." Most businesses need an entirely different mindset. And that usually means that the people in the business need a different perception of the value that they can create together.

The good news is you can create more differentiated value with resources you probably have already. IF you learn how to Start With What Works.


What leaders say about the Start With What Works approach explained in the book:

Helps you see the resources and talents you have already

‘Rather than waiting for a magic bullet, make your organization better, starting today. Andy helps you see the resources and talents you have already, but just haven’t got around to using properly or fully enough. Even better, the process creates engagement and excitement among employees, because the process honours their expertise and abilities.’

Rooney Anand  //  Former CEO of Greene King Plc; Senior Independent Director, Morrisons plc

A gamechanger

‘Start With What Works is a gamechanger for those who want to accelerate their business growth with greater inspiration and less risk and frustration.’

NANCY MACKAY  //  CEO And Founder, MacKay CEO Forums

Will get you to see your business in a new light

Leaders don’t always realise how much untapped potential, strength and opportunity their organization has. We’ve had great results from starting with what was already working. Andy’s book will get you to see your business in a new light so that you can do that too

Matthew Crummack  //  Group CEO, GoCo Group plc (GoCompare)

Clear, actionable advice

Clear, actionable advice for any organization seeking to grow or innovate. Before you start throwing money at the problem, unlock your hidden potential.

Michael Smets  //  Professor of Management, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford

Find the new perspective you need

Value resides in the mind of the customer. You won’t understand it if you spend all your time in the office. You need a different perspective. This book will encourage you to get out and find one.

Rory Sutherland  //  Author of Alchemy: The Surprising Power of Ideas That Don't Make Sense, and Vice-Chairman, Ogilvy

The world has changed....

It is really easy to be commoditized. Everyone has access to the same 'best practices'. Everyone has access to the same business school theories. Everyone has access to the same tools.

Everyone seems the same. 

YOU NEED TO BE DIFFERENT.

(This is not about being wild and crazy - it's about identifying your unique resources and putting them together in ways that make you different - BETTER - than the competition.)

Who is Dr Andy Bass?

Andy is the founder of BassClusker Consulting, an executive advisory firm that helps leaders grow their businesses faster by using resources they have already. He has advised leaders in more than 30 industries, including professional services, finance, technology, manufacturing, health, education, the arts and media. Andy is also a Forum Chair for MacKay CEO Forums, an international peer-to-peer learning organization for CEOs, and has taught both corporate and SME executives at Warwick, Strathclyde and Aston Business Schools. He has a PhD in Software Engineering. 

In addition to his work with for-profit leaders, Andy is a volunteer for Cranfield Trust, providing pro bono consulting and advice for the CEOs of UK charities.

Andy has written three books: The Performance Papers: incisive briefings for busy leaders, NetworkAbility: building your business one relationship at a time (with Helga Henry), and his most recent, Start With What Works: a faster way to grow your business.

© Copyright 2021 Andy Bass - BassClusker