The Dutch Study in Japan is referred to by the notion of "Rangaku." This notion emphasizes how keen the Japanese were to absorb new information and Western technologies. This is shown in a picture by Shiba Kokan, which shows a Chinese person in one corner and a Japanese person sitting next to a Westerner holding a book with Western medical illustrations of human anatomy.

Although studying from China for many years, Japan finally overtook its old teacher in the 19th century and became the first developed Asian country. This illustrates how, like companies in any market, one may outperform their instructor or forebears by learning new things and accomplishing more.

Yet when things are going well, brands frequently fail to learn because they get complacent. Reflecting on past outcomes and testing long-held ideas are tiresome aspects of learning.

The hardest part of learning is "unlearning" what was previously held to be true, which calls both bravery and a strong will—qualities that are exclusive to victors.

Although it might be tempting to rest on one's laurels, it's crucial to keep growing and evolving. Brands run the danger of losing ground to other enterprises that can better serve the market.

Source: Christie’s

Practices

Brands can learn from a variety of places, such as:

  • Competitors: Brands can learn from their competitors by looking at their business plans, marketing campaigns, and ways to get customers involved.
  • Customers: Brands can learn from their customers by using surveys, social media listening, and customer reviews to get feedback and insights.
  • Experts in the field: Brands can learn from experts in the field by going to conferences, webinars, and workshops, or by reading reports and magazines about the field.
  • Data and analytics: Brands can learn from their own data by looking at how customers act, how sales are trending, and how many people visit their websites.
  • Partners and vendors: Brands can learn from their partners and vendors, like ad agencies or tech companies, because they bring their own knowledge and insights to the table.
  • Internal teams: Sales, customer service, and product development are all examples of internal teams that can teach brands about their strengths and weaknesses.
  • From other industries: Brands can look at how other industries solve problems that are similar to or the same as the ones their customers are facing.

By using these sources, brands can learn more about their market, their customers, and the trends in their industry. This lets them make better decisions to improve their performance.

Examples

Domino's Pizza, in the late 2000s: The company was having trouble because customers didn't like how good their pizza was or how long it took to deliver. They decided to focus on the customer and started a campaign called "Pizza Turnaround," in which they admitted their mistakes and promised to make changes.

Domino's made big changes to their recipe, like a new sauce and cheese blend and more fresh ingredients, to improve the quality of their pizza. They also put in place a new online ordering system to speed up delivery and make it easier for customers to keep track of their orders.

Because of these changes, customers' opinions about the quality of Domino's pizza and how long it takes to deliver it changed a lot for the better. The company's sales and profits also went up a lot, which shows that learning and solving problems can have a big effect on the success of a brand.

Source: AdsSpot

Domino's Pizza, at the beginning of the 2010s: It was losing money due to poor pizza reviews. Domino's placed customers first and used criticism to improve.

The firm rebranded by improving ingredients, updating the menu, and producing pizza from scratch. They also heeded client feedback.

Domino's invested heavily in technology because it understood the restaurant industry's dependence on digital platforms. They created a smartphone app to make online ordering, tracking, and real-time feedback easier. They also created a digital loyalty program that rewarded frequent shoppers.

These actions transformed Domino's company. By 2018, their stock price had risen over 3.000%, and they were one of the world's largest pizza companies. Their success comes from listening to consumers, learning from their failures, and changing their company strategy.

Source: People
Source: Brands Vietnam