Customer Reviews

Take Their Breath Away: How Imaginative Service Creates Devoted Customers

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I recently read Take Their Breath Away: How Imaginative Service Creates Devoted Customers by Chip R. Bell and John R. Patterson.

This is a book with a number of short stories about highly successful companies that have been imaginative in their customer service to create a major differentiation.

The book starts with twelve different strategies that can take people's breath away.
1. Animation
2. Reinvention
3. Decoration
4. Camouflage
5. Concierge
6. Partnership
7. Cult-Like
8. Luxury
9. Air
10. Air Defense
11. Scout's Honor
12. Firefighter


Animation is having the positive attitude that is somewhat unusual in dealing with customers.

The following spirit of greatness pledge sums it up.
"I promise to be in charge of my attitude each and every day, to let no one affect that attitude at any time, and to be a contagious spirit of greatness-- 24/7, 365 days a year!"

Under reinvention, Andy Grove sums this up. "Breakthroughs come from an instinctive judgement of what customers might want if they knew to think about it"

Decoration is simply setting yourself apart by having better window designs, layout, unique surroundings, logos, business cards, etc.
A list of the following are:
-Theme
-Sense
-Simple Sense
-Comfort
-Function
I'm not going to elaborate on these, you'll have to read the book to get that.

The book uses a series of vignettes about real people, real businesses that have set themselves apart by uniqueness in customer service. What I like about the theory is that many of the uniquenesses don't seem to cost much but do help differentiate the business.

It also reinforced focus. Often one service differentiator was all it took.

Messrs. Bell and Patterson bring insights, passion and clear writing to their book. While many of the examples are drawn from the world of retail service, their explication of strategies for creating a powerful "story" and client experience is just as relevant to(and perhaps more needed by)professional service firms, not-for-profit programs, and yes even government agencies. I happened to read this book as the same time I was reading Jim collins' "How the Mighty Fall," two very different examinations of organizational performance. The Collins book is a well crafted head trip; Messrs. Bell and Patterson draw us in emtionally to rethink how we can engaged clients and stakeholders in the telling/acting out of our enterprise story. There are a lot of management books out there, this one will go into my flight bag to be shared with consulting clients who are trying to reconnect their enterprise's raison d'etre with current customers, stakeholders and staff.
Ron Morgan

As an avid reader of books on customer loyalty, I can say without reservation that this is not only the most comprehensive description of what you have to do to hold onto your customers in today's market, but it is also a handbook of what you have to do to have those same customers dragging their friends over to also do business with you.

While I agree with all the other reviewers so far, I must also observe that their reviews fall short of the mark. Not because those reviews are inaccurate, but simply because they don't go far enough.

The book is indeed worth your time to read as one reviewer said. It is fresh and novel and packed with insight as another said. And it is definitely a great read. And the reviewer who predicted that "it will be one of the most well-worn companions on your bookshelf and one book that you will consistently recommend to others" was right on the mark with that prediction.

But none of those reviews capture the full impact this book can have on you and your business because no review - including this one - can capture the full impact because the richness of the detail, the exquisite blending of theory and practice, the pragmatic and imminently actionable ideas, the strength of the authors' suggestions, and the obvious depth of their knowledge. That can only be fully comprehended when you have the book in your hands.

And the only way to do that is to buy Take Their Breath Away for yourself. Now, when you do that, you'll probably agree that it's one of those things you can't fully describe to someone else who hasn't already experienced it.

Buy it today and start reading it the moment it arrives!

Chip Bell and John Patterson have put together a sensible, practical, entertaining book that gives business leaders the rationale and "how-to's" of retaining customers. Regular readers of Chip Bell's books will recognize, and appreciate, the down-to-earth quality, common sense, vivid examples, and humor. For those of us who understand the importance of customers, especially in today's rocky environment, this book will be a go-to guide.

Ok, I know the grammer is bad. I also admit to procrastinating buying this book. Who needs another book on "customer service"? Bell and Patterson were right - I was bored, disillusioned by companies who learned the customer satisfaction jargon but continued to do business as usual. Thank goodness I read TTBA. It was actually fun to read the stories of truly distinctive service and it restored my faith that some companies and some people really do give a darn about making me happy. Then, Chip and John told me exactly how those companies make it work, and I found myself thinking "hey, we could do something like that as well." TTBA started the creative juices flowing again and you can bet it will serve as inspiration for taking our service to a new level. It's not revolutionary - it's not intended to be. It does say that there is still room to be distinctive in your service delivery and for that, it's well worth the read.

I don't have a lot of extra time to read so when I do take the time to read a book about customer service I want it to be really worth my time. This book met that criterion. I got many ideas I can use today to impress my customers as well as learned many creative strategies that will lead to even greater customer devotion. A great read!

Chip and John have done it again AND in a way that is completely fresh and novel. The book caused me to consider service in ORIGINAL ways; I have new sets of approaches that will generate long-term payoffs. What the authors may not realize it Take Their Breath Away extends beyond service issues -- it's packed with terrific insight on organization design, people development, and teamwork. The book is also creating huge interest and buzz among my colleagues. If you're concerned with taking the game in your organization to the next level, and creating devoted customers through imaginative service, purchase this book. I suspect it will be one of the most well-worn companions on your bookshelf and one book that you will consistently recommend to others.

Take their Breath Away is a book that gives you that magical combination of solid content, great story-telling, practical tips, concrete recommendations and invigorating inspiration - all in 278 pages! A must read for any business who wants to build customer relationships in a challenging economy!

What I love most about this book is that I could begin employing ideas and insights before I finished reading. It is chocked full of rich stories, and you'll be inspired by the authors' experience and innovation. This is a book you will tell your friends about!

Chip Bell and John Patterson have proven themselves, again, as experts on the subject of building systems and practices to deliver exceptional experiences for your customers. This is a great read and you will walk away with enough great ideas to justify the purchase and commitment to read it.