Customer Reviews

B-A-M! Bust A Myth: Delivering Customer Service in a Self-Service World

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The people we do business with constantly tell us that our ability to deliver customer service is critical to their experience of satisfaction with our companies, our products and our services. BAM! Bust A Myth - Delivering Customer Service in a Self-Service World, by Barry J. Moltz and Mary Jane Grinstead, clearly and effectively communicates how each organization competing in today's market place can develop its individual definition of "good customer service" and then put into practice those systems and processes which help make it a reality.

Barry and Mary Jane demonstrate that no matter what our business, be it manufacturing energy saving solar panels, flying passenger airplanes, or conducting executive searches for Lean CEOs, delivering customer service which is appropriately tailored to the needs of each of our unique customers is at the core of our long-term viability and success.

In this quick and easy-to-read text (just over 200 pages), the authors dispel many of the common customer service myths that many early entrepreneurs, and even Fortune 1000 companies, often cling to, many times because the fog of anecdotal "evidence" overwhelms the truth. Some examples I like are: Myth #2: The customer is always right; Myth #10: Unhappy customers tell their stories to more people than happy customers do; Myth #12: Customers don't care about great service - they just want the lowest price possible; and perhaps my personal favorite, Myth #17: Customer service systems should focus on trouble shooting - if it isn't broken, don't fix it.

This last Myth personally hit home because of my own strong belief in the Lean & Six Sigma principles which are at the core of continuous improvement philosophy and culture so necessary today if our companies are to thrive in this competitive market place. In fact, Barry and Mary Jane strongly advocate at every turn that you go see for yourself what's really happening on the front lines of your business (in Lean terminology,"go to the Gemba, or workplace"), a concept so familiar to Lean practitioners all over the world.

In summary, BAM! is: well-written with a light touch of humor, offers good insights into situations to which we can all relate, and presents practical suggestions for solving a broad range of customer service issues.

And that's the way I see it. Adam Zak

The customer may not always be right, but for any business to thrive in today's tough economic climate, they'd better find out what makes them tick; namely, what drives their decision making process when choosing who they want to do business with. Invariably, these decisions are based on the level of satisfaction they realize; make them happy, and chances are you'll get the business.

Barry Moltz & Mary Jane Grinstead are a couple of customer service gurus who collaborated on this particular book, designed to help any business understand the nuances of customer service. Although the suggestions provided are not particularly ground-breaking, they are valuable nonetheless. One thing is clear: If a business loses focus on its most important resource - the customer - they're probably going to be wondering why their bottom line is so battered.

The harsh reality is the customer usually has multiple choices in who they choose to do business with. If you're not exceeding their expectations on a regular basis, you can expect to lose them as a customer; plain and simple.

Length:: 2:15 Mins

You've heard a million times how you need to take care of and "love" your customers, and about how they are always right. Right? Well, BAM! takes apart the myths of excellent customer service and delivers a clear guide about the things you NEED to be doing to really make a difference in your business when dealing with your customers. A must-read for any business owner who's dissatisfied with the growth of their business. Hint: Treat your customers right and watch your profits skyrocket. BAM! will show you how.

BAM is an excellent book on customer service, that every business owner or leader needs to read. I have never read a book that REALLY takes into effect what the customer is thinking and feeling. Barry goes VERY deep into the customer for not what we have to offer them but what they want. And I can tell you I have heard this line a hundred times but didn't get it until I read this book. I think that the most surprising thought that I had by reading this book was that every customer has their very own point of view of what "good customer service" is. And it could be different for every customer. This book took what "I" thought was customer service, even though I pooled 100 customers for their opinion, quite simply back to the customer that is in front of me at the time. You can have a consensus of 100 customers and know what they want as a whole but until you focus on that customer in front of you will you ever find out what they want personally. Good customer service is not the consensus of a group but for the one customer that I am serving at the moment. And until I point blank ask that one person that I am serving at the moment, what would make this relationship between us a great experience, I will only be guessing, even with survey statistics starring me in the face. Thank you Barry for another one of your great books. You continue to make me a fan by the quality work you put out!
Deborah White, A Matter of Balance [...] serving Weary Working Women to balance work and life through time management.

The importance of customer service to a business can't be overstated. This is a good refresher and reminder of just how important customer service is to growing a successful business. Some important points I got out of it:

1. Tie customer service to revenue & profits.
2. Proactive support is key.
3. Think of customer service as a feature.
4. Think of customer service as part of your brand.
5. Tie customer service to surprise.
6. Consistency is key.
7. Empower your people.
8. Loyalty programs work.
9. You should sweat the small stuff.

Bring up the concept of "customer service" and you will certainly cause someone's blood to curdle. As much as just about every company provides service and support to its customers for its products and services, so many do it so poorly to the extent many times it's easy to swallow the loss and buy from someone else. Well, at least I have done it that way a few times.

But why is it that way? This question and more around customer service are answered extremely well in the book BAM!: Delivering Customer Service in a Self-Service World, by Barry Moltz and Mary Jane Grinstead. Within the pages of this must-read for anyone who is in business, they share many personal customer services stories - both good and bad - as well as demystifying the entire process of customer service. The term "BAM" is for "bust a myth" and it dispels various customer service myths throughout the book. I was graciously given a copy of the book by Barry, with whom I have worked with in the past. After reading it, I was reassured as to why I worked with him!

There's a lot to take away from BAM! and here are a few of my major takeaways.

Customer service must be baked into your business - Issues with customer service being removed from the core of a company are rampant. Sometimes, they are removed so far away it is outsourced to a third-world country! Not only should customer service be within the core of your company, it should be designed into the products and services you develop. Why create a product that you can't support? Short-term gains will only last so long.

You must want to be able to deliver good customer service as it won't just happen - The road to good fortune is paved with good intentions. If you don't have a plan in place to offer good customer service, it just won't happen. If you only have 1 or 2 people to handle support and you need more like 50, good luck.

Have a customer service manifesto - Want to offer good customer service? Write it down, and tell everyone.

BAM! is a great read for a round-trip flight. It is also a book you'll want to pass along to colleagues, especially those who have responsibility for customer service in a company. It also has lists of the various myths and examples that are real and ready to use. I highly recommend BAM! to anyone in business or those thinking about starting a business, so that they are ready to offer good service to their clients and customers.

Barry has nailed it. BAM! provides every company with a roadmap on how to keep your most profitable and strategic customers. This book is not another theortical book on how to delight your cutomers...it contains realistic actions companies can implement quickly. Especially in tough economic times when customers aren't spending much and buyers have more power than sellers, BAM! customer service will not just help your company stay alive but grow!

What a useful book for all. Barry addresses those of us unique folks who are in businesses that are in the business of unpleasant and hard times. My customers are families; families who truly deserve great service. BAM! is a great reminder of how to deliver exceptional customer service every time.

The book is laid out in an easy-to-read, bulleted format. Great book of a plane trip or airport lay-over.

As a small business owner, I am always try to keep apprised of "best practices" in all areas of our business. While Barry's book is specifically about customer service, I found it helpful in many ways, as customer service seems to infiltrate most of what we do on a daily basis. I found ideas for my employees, clients and vendors alike. I definitely need to make some shifts in the way I (we) think about customer service, yet the ideas recommended in this book feel "right" and "natural" as opposed to some of the practices we've been following. My thanks to Barry for putting his suggestions into this no-nonsense, easy to read book.

Customer service is a make-or-break factor in the success of small businesses today. With the ease of internet shopping and increased competition, outstanding customer service gives you leverage to win customers and keep them. In their new book, BAM! Bust A Myth: Delivering Customer Service in a Self-Service World, Barry Moltz and Mary Jane Grinstead logically explain what exactly constitutes effective customer service. They make good business sense and bust some ill-conceived or outdated ideas. The icing on the cake is the action plan they provide: concrete steps to craft a plan of excellence that will make your company shine. They teach you how to create a manifesto for your company that will ensure consistent effectual customer service and increase your bottom line. I highly recommend this book for any company that is not a monopoly.