Just how competitive to be?

We deal with clients from multi-nationals to government agencies to small-time companies who are smaller than us. Each of them pretends to be larger than they are. The multi-national claims to be the world's best. The small-time companies claim to have more business than anyone in their field.. and the government agencies.. well, they claim to be the most important branch of government.

The past month has been a marathon between clients trying to keep things in order. Everyone continues to be more and more demanding. As budgets decrease, work increases, demands sky-rocket! It really is odd. People want to pay less, because they are paying more elsewhere.. but they expect more work, more quality, etc.

So, I decided to have a look at how companies who do what we do. Well, let me tell you, Dubai/Arab world/Middle East-bashers. There is no comparison. We are far superior in service and quality than the best of the best in the west. This is from first-hand experience. Oh no, it is not just us. I am saying, even our competition, which are inferior in quality in my humble opinion, are superior to their counterparts in Europe and North America.

I wonder if the reason clients are so demanding is that we are too flexible? Perhaps we have to reverse the roles and become as stiff as our counterparts in the West? Are we doing something wrong?

I have read somewhere that one must be one step ahead of the competition. Not more. Being 10 steps ahead of the competition can spell disaster. Could that be the case?