4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Strategic Customer Service is Excellent, December 21, 2009
This review is from: Strategic Customer Service: Managing the Customer Experience to Increase Positive Word of Mouth, Build Loyalty, and Maximize Profits (Hardcover)
Strategic Customer Service: Managing the Customer Experience to Increase Positive Word of Mouth, Build Loyalty, and Maximize Profits
John Goodman's book Strategic Customer Service is excellent. In my personal library, I have approximately 150 books on customer service. Goodman's book is easily in the top 1% to 2% of all these books. I give Goodman high marks for three reasons. First, he writes well and is easy to read. Second, he discusses, in depth, a comprehensive range of customer service related subjects. Third, and perhaps most important of all, his book is solidly grounded in empirical findings. I highly recommend Strategic Customer Service to all readers who are searching for a clear, data based, and persuasive explanation as to why customer service is really as important and consequential as its enthusiastic supporters claim it to be.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Making Customer Service Pay Off, February 22, 2011
This review is from: Strategic Customer Service: Managing the Customer Experience to Increase Positive Word of Mouth, Build Loyalty, and Maximize Profits (Hardcover)
As a psychotherapist, consultant and educator for nearly 50 years, I am sure of at least one thing: People act to get their needs met. When faced with questions and uncertainties, people will make choices which are designed to result in a more satisfying and less painful life. I believe this is the basis of all our behavior.
People want to be heard, understood and to be taken seriously....to be appreciated. And when you are fortunate enough to have a dissatisfied customer call, e-mail, fax or otherwise contact your organization, the customer seriously wants someone to pay attention and help get the problem sorted out.
If the customer believes he/she is treated in a responsible manner and the offending concern is addressed, the chances are that the customer will be inclined to purchase additional goods/services from your organization....and they will tell a FEW folk about the positive experience.
On the other hand, if the customer is not satisfied with the response of your organization's Customer Services, the customer will be less inclined to purchase from your organization and they will communicate their dissatisfaction by Word of Mouth to colleagues, golf partners and neighbors and by "Word of Mouse" (a TARP term coined in 1999) to a whole host of people on Facebook and their Family and Friends on e-mail.
John Goodman in his book "Strategic Customer Service" presents 38 years of experience helping organizations, corporations and industries gain positive repurchase intention and positive Word of Mouth so that Customer Relations can become an income center (and that means MAKE MONEY) for the organization rather than being just some well intended organizational fluff.
On 249 pages Mr. Goodman packs together the research, the design, the goals and the "What to do...how and why to do it." of Strategic Customer Service. The goal of this process is: "Managing the customer experience to increase positive Word of Mouth, build loyalty and maximize profits."
Mr. Goodman writes clearly. I appreciated the orderly presentation of the material. Mr. Goodman leaves little room for confusion. He tells you what you are going to learn, presents the material in an organized and understandable manner and before moving on to the next section, he reviews the main points again.
I also appreciated Mr. Goodman explaining the differences between such technical instruments as the Market Damage Model and the Market-at-Risk calculations.
John tells it like it is: Openly, honestly and with stark reality. There is no fluff here. John presents solid, tangible, observable facts built on over 800 customer service studies. He also highlights his points with illustrations from a wide range of industries, corporations and organizations.
If you are in senior management of an organization, corporation or industry, I urge you: DO NOT READ THIS BOOK!!!!!
Rather, study this book....understand what the author is presenting.....digest it and then take the next step.....initiate the actions to "Increase Positive Word of Mouth, Build Brand Loyalty and Maximize Profits" by introducing Strategic Customer Service to your organization.
This work is written for senior management. It is not "dumbed down" for a huge mass market audience. Nor is it a handbook on how to answer the telephone. John Goodman challenges us to stretch our minds, to test our long held and cherished notions and to question biases and "common sense" solutions that just no longer work. The reader's reward for this study will be the assurance that the benefits of Strategic Customer Service are achievable.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Strategic Customer Service, February 1, 2011
The Author - John A. Goodman, "is a very popular speaker and sought after consultant. He founded TARP Worldwide in 1971, John has helped improve the customer service practices of hundreds of companies-including many widely respected firms like GE, USAA, Chick-fil-A, American Express, Marriott, Harley Davidson, and Neiman Marcus." John has "seen it all" as they say and some..." - Dennis E. Gonier, CEO, TARP Worldwide.
Review Summary - Why Strategic Customer Service? Strategic Customer Service is important when measured will improve the customer experience. The content of this book is an easy understandable read and provides excellent information which will help career professionals improve their customer service attitude and "see the power of strategic customer service" to help realize the value and impact a companies bottom line, especially affecting the worldwide economic sensitivities, factors and uncertainty. The author provides proven cases, models and strategies which substantiate his guidance and processes.
What five things gleaned from this book regarding the importance of Strategic Customer Service are:
1. Any leader who fails to see the opportunities and risks in the customer experience will affect their profits even with taking one interaction for granted.
2. Guiding principles and processes when applied will strengthen and provide comfort and confidence in their future dealings. Managers cannot afford to reduce expenses by under-serving their customers.
3. Strategic Customer Service is definitely an intellectual reminder that nothing in more powerful than a positive customer experience and is for all senior management and aspiring CFOs.
4. The practical information, models and processes will allow company's efforts to retain and expand their customer base. The focus is on customer service and word-of-mouth implications of having or not having a strategic approach in management of customer service.
5. When customer service is poor then the customer will go elsewhere and often tell friends and colleagues, ultimately affecting the end-to-end experience.
Concluding that by identifying our own positive customer service experience, incorporate and apply to our companies and/or business will reap benefits only achieved through a planned strategy, success and a sustainable advantage over competitors. "Happy customers will pay a premium or go out of their way to patronize the company." The bottom line... "Manage the customer experience, increase positive word of mouth, build loyalty and maximize profits."
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