Chocolates on the Pillow Aren't Enough: Reinventing The Customer Experience [Hardcover]

Jonathan M. Tisch (Author), Karl Weber (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 26, 2007

Praise for Chocolates on the Pillow Aren't Enough

"Jonathan recognizes that in today's Internet-fed, savvy-consumer world, it is the people-to-people connections, regardless of price point, that differentiate a customer's experience. Gimmicks come and go, but without sincere and caring people delivering the overall experience, from start to finish, well, it's true--chocolates on the pillow are not enough. A great read!"
—David Neeleman, founder and CEO, JetBlue Airways Corporation

"If you don't work for your customer, you're not doing your job. Who better to turn to for lessons in great customer experiences than Jonathan Tisch? He has long been one of the most respected leaders in travel and hospitality, and when it comes to treating all customers like guests, to put it simply, he gets it. And then some."
—Millard S. Drexler, Chairman and CEO, J. Crew Group

"What brings customers back to my restaurants? Why do viewers watch my TV show? It's more than Bam! It's delivering a kicked-up customer experience. Tisch is the guy who knows how to do this best. His book gives the inside scoop on how to excite your customers and bring 'em back for more."
—Emeril Lagasse

"Attention to detail, passion, and dedication are a few of the things that made me successful as an athlete. Jonathan knows that by doing the same in business, you maximize the customer's experience and outscore the competition."
—Tiki Barber

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

According to Tisch, ever-increasing consumer expectations mean that service-based industries have to go beyond the realm of good service to provide an experience that's truly exceptional-and thus, truly memorable. It's a simple premise that needs a rigorous treatment; unfortunately, this effort from Loews Hotels chairman and CEO Tisch (along with business writer Weber) suffers from a lack of ideas and analytical muscle. Tisch (The Power of We) makes some obvious statements, largely pertaining to people's desire for comfort, choice and individualization in their consumer experiences, and then sets about repeating them. The idea that "people want to know that patronizing your business ... won't add to their stress and anxiety....and can offer some respite" gets hammered home early and often. Practical examples of his techniques come by way of a number of businesses, including Loews hotels; as such, anecdotes can read like press releases (on disregarding the rules: in "Loews Hotels ... every housekeeper, bellman, engineer, and desk clerk knows that he or she is permitted-no, expected-to go outside the standard procedures when necessary...to provide that guest with a moment of unexpected satisfaction and delight"). Tisch's latest has a solid subject and some genuinely useful techniques that get lost in a bloated, redundant text.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"The secret to running a good hotel is making guests feel welcome, providing a memorable experience, and ensuring both physical and psychological security, 24/7. Those principles can be applied to any business trying to attract and keep customers, according to Jonathan Tisch, chief executive of Loews Corp. Hotels, part of the Tisch family business empire created by his uncle Larry and father Robert (both now deceased). With co-author Karl Weber, Mr. Tisch shares tips for forging lasting connections with customers in Chocolates on the Pillow Aren't Enough." (Wall Street Journal)

"An insightful primer on crafting your customer experience. I don't care how good you are—there's a tweak or two that you can make to your customer's experience. Let Tisch's stories inspire you to do it a little better." (The Marketing Minute)

"In the book, author Tisch gives examples of companies that are 'doing it right' and breaking out from the crowd of competition to offer a memorable customer experience which leads to customer loyalty—a rare commodity in this over crowded commercial world." (Bizinformer)

"Jonathan Tisch, chairman and CEO of Loews Hotels, shares valuable lessons about customer service gleaned firsthand from his many years in the challenging hospitality industry. Tisch explains how to exceed expectations of good customer service and provide customers with exemplary and fulfilling experiences to keep them coming back. He offers insights into how to use technology and still keep the human touch, how to master "the art of welcome" and how to address customer concerns about physical and psychological safety. Tisch buttresses his tips and ideas with stories drawn from experiences of companies in several industries." (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

There are a lot of great stories in this book—stories we can all use to become great, not better, at creating meaningful experiences for our customers. And by combining the stories with well-thought strategies and insights, Mr. Tisch has created a winner with Chocolates on the Pillow Aren't Enough." (InBubbleWrap)

"This is not a book about hotel guest service. It's a book about building brands, strengthening relationships, customizing the client experience, leveraging technology, and achieving both security and transparency for clients in today's world. Tisch offers examples and lessons from every conceivable industry sector. It's extremely well crafted. Chocolates on the Pillow Arne't Enough is one of those rare books you should not only read for yourself; you should share it with every person in your organization" (Client Service Insights)

"Tisch is one smart cookie and this latest book by him is a must read for anyone involved in marketing." (DownWithTyranny!)

"Tisch hits the nail on the head in describing the evolving power of ethnic and minority consumers as not only a stateside phenom, but a sign of global change in Chinese, Japanese and Indian markets. It really gives perspective to the number of customers—and preferences—up for grabs." (AdvertisingAge)

"Tisch pinpoints the major stresses facing many kinds of business that are making it harder to retain customers:" (USA Today)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (February 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470043555
• ISBN-13: 978-0470043554
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #488,273 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jonathan M. Tisch is the author of CHOCOLATES ON THE PILLOW AREN'T ENOUGH: Reinveting the Customer Experience and the Wall Street Journal besteller The Power of We: Succeeding through Partnerships. He is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Loews Hotels and is also Co-Chairman of the Board and a member of the Office of the President of Loews Corporation, the hotel chain's parent company and one of the largest diversified financial holding companies in the U.S.

Loews Hotels is recognized not just for providing more than a four-diamond experience but also for a corporate culture that believes in achieving enduring success through partnerships that empower employees, satisfy customers, contribute to communities, and improve the bottom line To get a better perspective on the essential connection between upper management and entry-level employees, Tisch starred in the premier episode of Now Who's Boss?, a television series by TLC and New York Times Television, that explored what happens when a CEO is put back in frontline positions at his own company. Tisch also hosts the television series, Open Exchange: Beyond the Boardroom, where he goes one-on-one with the nation's leading CEOs. The program reveals the person behind the successful executive and shows that business is about more than just numbers, but rather guts, hard work, imagination, and people.

Recognized as a national leader of the multi-billion dollar travel and tourism industry, Tisch has served since 1995 as Chairman of the Travel Business Roundtable, a prominent coalition of chief executives representing various sectors of the travel and tourism industry, and in 2003, he was appointed to the United States Department of Commerce U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. He is also a founder of the Disover America Partnership, an effort led by some of America's foremost business leaders to unlock the power of travel to strengthen America's image around the globe.

Tisch frequently can be seen in the media and on Capitol Hill promoting the industry's important role in our economic security, national security and public diplomoacy efforts. He has received numerous honors and accolades for his leadership, including 'Hotel Person of the Year' by Travel Agent magazine, one of the 'Business Travel Industry's Most Influential Executives' by Business Travel News, and one of the '25 Most Influential People in the Meetings Industry' by Meeting News magazine.

Tisch is also committed to a vibrant tourism industry in New York City, where he serves as Chairman of NYC & Company, the city's official tourism agency and local convention and visitors bureau. Concurrent with his national efforts to help stimulate travel and tourism in the aftermath of September 11th, Tisch served as Chairman of 'New York Rising,' a task force set up to help rebuild the city by reviving tourism. Last year the City welcomed a record 44 million visitors. In recognition for his leadership and civic involvement, Crain's New York Business named Tisch one of the 'Top Ten Most Influential Business Leaders.'

Believing you can do well and do good at the same time, Tisch is a champion of corporate responsibility and his community and philanthropic activities are extensive. He served as the Vice-Chairman of The Welfare to Work Partnership, and currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Tufts University, where he is also the naming benefactor of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service. He is also on the Boards of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and the Tribeca Film Institute. In addition, he is on the Board and is the Treasurer of the New York Football Giants.

After graduating from Tufts University, Tisch worked as a Cinematographer/Producer at WBZ-TV in Boston, for which he received two local Emmy nominations.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good clear read. A revitalizing look at customer experience., March 17, 2007

By 

D. Stuart "Researcher at Kudos" (Auckland NZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chocolates on the Pillow Aren't Enough: Reinventing The Customer Experience (Hardcover)

Tisch is passionate about how to transform "customer service" which tends to be a series of isolated deliverables (answering the phone quickly, chocolates on the pillow...) into a much more rounded, holistic concept called Customer Experience. He is also a lively, entertaining raconteur who knows a great story and how to pepper it with apt case studies and examples. So this makes a great read.

What I especially like here is the major focus on the hospitality industry - not because I work in this sector, (I'm a market researcher who investigates customer relationships for a broad range of clients,) but because hospitality is the perfect metaphor for anyone: whether they're in banking or building supplies. When they read this; even the accountants will "get it" when it comes to that connection between the customers' experience and the bottom-line realities that come when you win to-die-for loyalty and a raving fan-base of passionate customers. This is a good value read that charges you up. Tisch does a good job here.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than eating chocolate!, March 6, 2007

By 

Jay "Jay" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chocolates on the Pillow Aren't Enough: Reinventing The Customer Experience (Hardcover)

I read this book cover-to-cover in one sitting and found a lot of helpful information and fun examples. I have a small business and it's so easy to get too caught up in selling and marketing. What really brings customers back to embrace your brand is the whole experience. The book has examples of all kinds of companies and how they find creative ways of making their customer feel special--that's what good business is all about. I learned a lot from this book. Most importantly: when the customer has a great experience, your business will take off and it's a win-win situation for everybody. If the customer just feels sold to, they'll probably go to the other guy.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Give Your Best, Then A Little Bit More, June 4, 2007

By 

Thomas M. Loarie (Danville, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Chocolates on the Pillow Aren't Enough: Reinventing The Customer Experience (Hardcover)

Jonathan Tisch's "Chocolates On The Pillow Are Not Enough" is a must read for anyone who is in the business of serving people - whether in the private, the non-profit, or the public sectors. (I have extrapolated the application of Tisch's ideas to organizations that are not commercial enterprises). Tisch translates his years of experience and observation as a hotelier to address both the why and the how of "meeting a challenge that never ends." It is the challenge of creating deeper, richer, more satisfying connections to your organization in today's complex, rapidly changing world. While you can get closure on a number of key management tasks, you can never declare "mission accomplished" when connecting with customers,employees, or donors. Like other relationships in life, a relationship with any stakeholder is a long-lasting, evolving, living entity.

Themes and practices in "Chocolates" are drawn from some of the world's smartest and most successful organizations including In-N-Out Burger, McDonalds, Dell, Sephora, Commerce Bank (NJ), Virgin Healthcare, Revolution On-line (Steve Case), Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Target, E-Z Pass, 311 phone exchange, Harley Davidson, and EBay. Any reader is bound to find one, two, or three exciting ideas that can be applied immediately in his/her own organization. Tisch adds "Big Aha's" at the end of each chapter summarizing the key thoughts/actions making the book a useful reference.

Tisch provides the hotelier's secret (people remember the experience not the attributes), and answers to the question "What happened to my customers?"(in world beset by discord, inequality, hyper-partisan politics, and the threat of terror). He helps us to re-imagine the customer experience and focuses our attention on creating customers who are happy to buy.

A most valuable part of the book for all will be the sections on the "The Art of Welcome." This is something most companies (and in particular, non-profits) do not give attention to, whether with customers, new employees, or suppliers. Tisch warns us to pay attention to the decompression zone, where people enter, and THEIR threshold resistance. We must learn to understand what makes people feel welcome, comfortable and relaxed. If we do, they want to buy (the customer), or make a significant contribution (the new employee, supplier, or donor).

"Chocolates" highlights why the art of the welcome is crucial to all organizations. And Tisch chides us to give our best, and then, a little bit more.