Reverse Benchmarking Your Competition

In New York City, restauranteur Will Guidara aimed to transform his restaurant, 11 Madison Park, from number 50 to number one in the world rankings. 

He took his team out for a meal to dine at the then-best restaurant. The team started taking notes on what the restaurant did excellently, essentially to copy them. But, on going back Guidara explicitly instructed them not to focus on the good things being done, but to identify the areas where that restaurant fell short. They would then focus on doing those things exceptionally well.

At the time, two such areas were coffee and beer service, both considered merely average at the top restaurant. Guidara assigned passionate staff members to become a dedicated coffee sommelier and a beer sommelier, exceptionally elevating those experiences for guests. The team created memorable moments that guests would recall for years, precisely because they were unexpected and neglected by the competition.

Rory Sutherland, Vice Chairman at Ogilvy, recently shared this in his note at Welcome Conference 2025.

Why does this matter? 

Because, rational business minds benchmark competition in a quest to achieve parity. But, reverse benchmarking doesn't just improve service; it helps businesses differentiate and break out of direct competition. By tackling what others overlook or do poorly, companies can deliver surprises that create long-lasting emotional impressions and brand loyalty.

Human brains are wired to notice what’s unexpected, allocating more attention and memory to surprises than to routine experiences.

Do take out time to watch his wonderful keynote that makes a case for "magic" and "creativity" in a world increasingly dominated by left brain thinkers.