Foreword

by Jim Ellis
Dean of the Marshall School of Business,
University of Southern California

Jerry Power and Tom Ferratt address in a head-on manner the scarcest resource we have—that of time—in every aspect of business. Advances in technology have allowed businesses to become more efficient and they have made markets more competitive. The next frontier for businesses has to place much more emphasis on the efficiencies we bring to customers with the products and services we provide. The examples they use from many diversified sectors are significant in that they show how the issue of time can be addressed successfully. The book is extremely practical, a thoughtful read, and one that anyone doing business with anyone else must read.

In the past, inventory, quality, and pricing were chief differentiators in success. The increased use of data sets pushes the envelop further by allowing companies to become more anticipatory rather than reactive. This book addresses the differentiator of customer time, the final logical piece of the puzzle. The consumers of today know they have a finite number of minutes in their day, and they want to maximize those—this book gives organizations ways to up their game in order to save customers time when buying and using their products and services. The authors have created an outstanding template for us to think about how we serve the market faster. It is a game changer of thought, as it truly makes you think.

Jim Ellis
Dean of the Marshall School of Business
University of Southern California