Play-Doh was never meant to be a toy. It started as a wallpaper-cleaning compound, used to remove coal dust from walls. For a while, it worked well. Then homes changed. Wallpapers became washable, and the product suddenly lost relevance. Sales declined, and the business was close to shutting down. The turnaround didn’t come from R&D or new technology.It came from…

Baskin Robbins is known for flavors, not philosophy.Yet one incident showed how human decisions at the frontline can outperform large marketing budgets. During the COVID lockdown, a daughter sitting in Boston tweeted for help. Her elderly mother was alone in New York, unable to step out to buy essentials. She asked if anyone nearby could help and mentioned she was ready to pay.

In many Indian villages, women were silently suffering from fibrocystic breast disease.Doctors knew the medical reason—iodine deficiency. The government even provided free iodine injections and medicines. Yet adoption remained low. When asked why they didn’t take the medicine, many women responded:“We are not sick. Why should we take medicine?” From a data perspective, availability was not the problem.

I used to think customer delight came from discounts, offers, or fast fashion alone.H&M changed that perspective for me. While walking into an H&M store, you rarely feel pressured to buy. Staff usually gives you space. The store layout invites browsing, experimentation, and time. That experience is intentional—and deeply data-informed. But what truly differentiates H&M is what happens beyond transactions…