Got Soap?

Over the last few months, I've been exploring various lunch options near our Bangalore office. Initially, I gravitated toward restaurants known for their flavorful dishes and competitive pricing. However, despite great food and attractive prices, none of these places felt entirely right for me.

One restaurant had outstanding dishes, another had great value meals, while another had a great ambiance, but none of them had what I was really looking for.

Then, quite unexpectedly, I discovered a restaurant with food that was just slightly above average and prices noticeably higher. However, this restaurant had something unique: a spacious washbasin area and consistently pure, undiluted soap. Over several visits, I found myself increasingly drawn to this restaurant, despite the fact that taste and price alone wouldn't justify this as a rational choice.

This subtle yet critical detail was my "aha" moment. It made me reflect on how true differentiation in highly competitive markets often occurs in ways that aren't immediately obvious or seemingly central to a core product or service.

This concept aligns closely with the ideas presented in "Blue Ocean Strategy" by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne. They emphasize that true differentiation comes not from merely competing in traditional areas like price and quality—"red oceans" filled with fierce competitors—but from creating new, uncontested market spaces, or "blue oceans," by focusing on overlooked customer needs and pain points.

Just as the restaurant recognized a subtle but critical need—comfort and cleanliness—that competitors neglected, we too can identify hidden opportunities to add unique value. In business and management, these hidden factors often determine customer loyalty, team cohesion, or stakeholder satisfaction.

Leaders and organizations that consciously seek out these unconventional ways to create value can redefine the competitive landscape. Instead of endlessly competing on common attributes, they open new spaces where competition becomes irrelevant.

Just as the simple yet impactful choice of providing undiluted soap in a spacious washbasin area won my loyalty, discovering your industry’s, your team’s, or even your personal equivalent could be your pathway from good to exceptional. Every market, every team, and every individual has these subtle differentiators—often hidden, frequently overlooked, yet incredibly powerful in shaping decisions. Those who actively seek out these hidden opportunities, pay close attention to nuances others dismiss, and commit themselves to addressing unmet needs will consistently Shoot to the Top!