This document discusses how focusing on reducing lead times through applying lean principles like Quick Response Manufacturing (QRM) can provide significant competitive advantages for businesses. It provides examples of companies that reduced lead times from 75 days to 4 days and from 3-5 days to 1 day for quotations. Shorter lead times allow delivering orders before competitors can even provide a quotation. The document advocates adopting a time-based focus rather than a cost-based focus and reorganizing production around cells rather than functions to reduce lead times through all aspects of the business from design to shipping. Implementing QRM and focusing on lead time reduction is presented as a company-wide strategy that can provide opportunities to gain an advantage over competitors.