Case Study

Sustaining customer centricity at Châteauform’

15 pages
August 2014
Reference: IMD-7-1593

The Châteauform’ case describes how Jacques Horovitz founded a unique concept in the saturated hotel and seminar market that existing hotel chains find difficult to copy and conquer. The case outlines why the new company has entered that market successfully and how Horovitz grew this concept by copying his success formula in other countries and for different target groups. Permanent questioning and reinvention were keys to the sustainability of Châteauform’, which maintained the agility and nimbleness of a startup even though it had grown to a company with revenues exceeding €100 million and almost 1,000 employees. Key to the success of the Châteauform’ model are some very original solutions to classic supply chain management quagmires in the service industry. The case describes how Horovitz successfully managed this growth. It is a good illustration of how to implement a strategy built on customer centricity and customer intimacy. An interesting element of this case study is the emphasis on managing by values rather than rules and on realigning the whole value chain to make sure the value creation is indeed managed at the customer level, forcing a corporate structure that is very innovative.

Learning Objective

Service management, customer centricity, supply chain in hospitality, managing fast growth, corporate culture.

Keywords
Supply Chain Management, Service Business, Service Management, Hospitality, Demand Analysis, Supplier Relationship, Strategy Implementation, Customer Intimacy, Customer Centricity, Value, Control System, Performance Management, Strategic Innovation, Human Resource Management, Growth Management, Service Culture, Brand Extension
Settings
Europe, France
Châteauform’, Services, Travel and Leisure, Hotels and Restaurants
2000-2014
Type
Field Research
Copyright
© 2014
Available Languages
English
Related material
Teaching note, Video
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