"I Love You More Than My Dog": Five Decisions That Drive Extreme Customer Loyalty in Good Times and Bad (Hardcover)

~ Jeanne Bliss (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"If you are dedicated to a cause that you feel could make the world or a town or an organization or even yourself a better place/person and want some commonsense, practical approaches as to what causes people to believe in you and to want to tell your story, then I Love You More Than My Dog is a MUST READ!"
- Colleen Barrett, president emeritus, Southwest Airlines (from the Foreword)

"If you want to be a business that is defined by not only how many new customers you acquire, but also the number you keep and how passionately they help spread the word, then I highly recommend reading this book!"
-Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos.com

"Jeanne Bliss has written the right book at the right time. She identifies the key decisions that lead to great customer experiences. I recommend that all executives interested in customer experience read this book, and pass it on inside their company."
-Bruce D. Temkin , VP & principal analyst, Customer Experience, Forrester Research, Inc.

"Now more than ever, successful companies must have a deep-rooted passion for and commitment to delivering the utmost in customer service-there's no other option if you want to stay afloat in this day and age. Adopting Jeanne's five decisions will ensure your customers 'do a little dance' every time they interact with your brand."
-Kip Tindell, chairman and CEO, The Container Store

"I simply love Jeanne Bliss' book. You must read it if you have made business decisions to 'hug' or 'love' your people and customers. Her five simple, insightful steps will ensure you and your team extraordinary, superior customer service. She skillfully writes a fun, easy-to-read book that should become a new bible in this field."
-Jack Mitchell, CEO Mitchells / Richards / Marshs and author of Hug Your Customers and Hug Your People.

"I know you're reading these endorsements to see if you should buy this book. I say buy it! But most importantly, apply this book, and you too can become what Jeanne calls 'a beloved company,' one in which employees and customers alike love."
-John Christensen, co-author of Fish! & CEO, ChartHouse Learning, Home of the Fish! Philosophy

Product Description

"believe in this book!"-from the Foreword by Colleen Barrett, president emeritus, Southwest Airlines

What makes the difference between having customers who like you and customers who love you?

Lots of businesses are respected, but only an elite few have passionate, loyal, vocal fans. The kind of customers who not only come back time and time again, but rave to friends, family, and even strangers. The kind who can drive explosive growth via e-mail, blogs, Facebook and Twitter.

Jeanne Bliss is an expert on what it takes to earn that kind of customer. The bad news, she says, is that there's no shortcut; the world's biggest marketing budget can't make people love you. But the good news is that a company can become beloved-if you commit to five essential decisions about how to run your business.

Bliss has studied and worked with dozens of beloved companies, ranging in size from large to small, from longtime successes like Wegman's and Harley-Davidson, to relatively new companies like Zappos, The Container Store, and Zane's Cycles. Despite their diversity, they all make the same five fundamental choices. For example:

* Griffin Hospital, a regional hospital in Connecticut decided to believe in their patients and give them full access to their medical records; ending secrecy led to a sharp decrease in lawsuits.

* Apple decided with clarity of purpose to make their stores easy to hang out in, despite the extra cost.

* Amy's Ice Cream of Austin, Texas decided to be real by expecting potential employees to be fearless and creative, starting with a white paper bag application.

* Zane's Cycles, a Connecticut bike shop that sells 13 million dollars' worth of bikes and supplies a year, decided to be there for riders by giving away parts that cost less than a dollar.

* Netflix decided to say "sorry" before most customers even realized there was a delay in shipping dvds.

The common denominator, explains Bliss, is that beloved companies consistently find ways to weave their humanity into their business decisions. They never lose sight of the people affected by everything they do. Their reward: an army of cheerleaders and volunteer publicists who tell everyone they know over the internet and urge friends and colleagues to try these companies, with statements such as, "I'd marry them if I could," and "I love you more than my dog!"

If you're ready to join this elite group, Bliss's advice and case studies can help you drive growth and profit in any economy.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Portfolio Hardcover; First Ed. edition (October 15, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591842956
• ISBN-13: 978-1591842958
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #22,092 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thought provoking case studies, December 15, 2009

By	Holly (Fleetwood, PA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I recommend this book to anyone who is dealing with the "But we can't because" syndrome. "I Love You More Than My Dog" is a collection of easy-to-read and understand case studies that provides thought provoking ideas on delivering customer service. She shows how companies overcame legal and regulatory barriers, fear of legal issues and "we've always done it this way" barriers to take customer service to new heights.

Read the entire book or just a few pages and you'll immediately begin the process of self-reflection and focus on the parellel between the case studies and your work.

It's not Pollyanna, it's not an instruction book--but it is the first step to identifying problems and getting your plan in place. It forces you to think--and then act.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Real service for real people, October 19, 2009

By	Andrea L. Driessen (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

In this digitized world, the need for authentic, humane, heart-felt connection and service has never been greater. That's why Jeanne Bliss's book is so important: via her compelling stories from the corporate trenches and her hard-won expertise, she shows us how to bring more purposeful, sincere, relevant experiences to customers. In short, how to deliver real service to real people. I loved it!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The essential guide for growing your business with loyal customers, October 16, 2009

By	Lenard Reid - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is for anyone who is trying to create a company of people that inspire loyal customers. When is the last time you remember that someone said WOW, I had a great purchase experience!You should go and buy from X.

Those companies that create the extraordinary customer experience are those companies that flourish and grow, especially in these challenging times.

Jeanne has created a book that not only provides concepts on how to create a great customer centric company, but provides great examples to back them up. Unlike some books, you can begin implementing some of these examples right away. A great guide for doing it right.