This Cemex story illustrates just how readily firms can improve their own procedures by observing what other firms do, even those in apparently unrelated industries, and then adopting what works best. Nowadays managers can't afford to just benchmark their own direct competition. They have to scour the world looking for valuable concepts that they can apply to their own challenges. A caution for your readers: When even Mexican firms are successfully reorienting their procedures from placating insiders (especially bosses) to satisfying customers, your own focus on serving your customers with the best business ideas anywhere may soon be a mere recipe for survival rather than a route to success.

Dr. Mark White
White & Associates
Mexico City

Dear Dr. White:

You make some excellent points. The people at Cemex looked at Federal Express and others for guidance in creating their new business processes. And it's true that their orientation had previously involved pleasing their inside constituencies first. As one of the company's plant managers told me, "I used to work for a boss. Now I work for the customer." Last, I appreciate your admonition that The Front Lines will be in trouble when the exceptional becomes commonplace, but I think that's still a long way off. Thanks a million.

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