Market Leadership Strategies for Service Companies [ILLUSTRATED] (Hardcover)

by Craig Terrill (Author), Arthur Middlebrooks (Author) "FOR THE PAST TWO DECADES, SERVICE INDUStries and service companies have emerged from relative obscurity in our business community..." (more)
Key Phrases: new service developers, market leadership strategies, new service development process, Federal Express, Willow Creek, Southwest Airlines (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
" Finally, someone understands the strategic role of marketing in a service organization. This book offers words to work by." -- Lu M. Cordova, CEO, TixToGo.com

"The number one problem for every service firm today is differentiation. Craig Terrill and Art Middlebrooks challenge us to become market leaders by doing things differently in employee engagement and service innovation. This book is the bible for service industry executives who want to be change agents in their business and who seek practical solutions to achieving growth." -- J. Terrence Franke, Principal, Sales and Marketing, Hewitt Associates

"With the American economy becoming increasingly more service-based, this insightful book provides timely guidance for the growing number of service marketers. Middlebrooks and Terrill clearly define what all of us need to do to maximize the marketing and operational impact of our key resources of people, processes and innovation." -- Thomas D. Shapiro, Brand Director, General Nutrition Corporation GNC

Product Description
Market Leadership Strategies for Service Companies reveals the key strategies for creating and sustaining a market leadership position for any service business. Service industry experts Craig A. Terrill and Arthur G. Middlebrooks affirm that in order to become a dominant market leader, a service company must find ways to:

• Define their service business and the benefits customers receive
• Reveal the intangible aspects of the service experience
• Move in a different direction from competitors by addressing new, intense, and unmet customer needs
• Put people back into the equation, not just automate and reengineer to increase operational efficiency
• Find ways to move away from the parity battles (i.e., fights over the perceived equality of the same type of service from different companies) in their particular industry

Offering a detailed, comprehensive plan, the authors employ examples drawn from a wide selection of recognizable service companies, such as Southwest Airlines, Dominos Pizza, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Fed Ex, Home Depot, IBM, Marriott Hotels, MiniMaids, and more. The result is a highly effective practitioner's guide that includes best practices and case studies. Praise for Market Leadership Strategies for Service Companies " The number one problem for every service firm today is differentiation. Craig Terrill and Art Middlebrooks challenge us to become market leaders by doing things differently in employee engagement and service innovation. This book is the bible for service industry executives who want to be change agents in their business and who seek practical solutions to achieving growth." -- J. Terrence Franke, principal, sales and marketing Hewitt Associates

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (October 11, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0844224413
• ISBN-13: 978-0844224411
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #511,480 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Whoever heard of a New "Service" Development process?, January 25, 2001

By A Customer

Until now, it seems that most every book written on the topic of developing something new at a company has replaced the word "Product" with the word "Service" and carried on as if nothing changed.

Well, it has.

Products and services are two different business animals, and these authors FINALLY call a spade a spade and then deal with the consequences. While many of the approaches between new product development and new service development are deceptively similar, the authors point to some key differences that substantially affect results.

They answer questions like: When do you solicit customer input? How can reengineering save money but kill a service your company offers? Why are company new service brainstorming sessions ineffective? The answers seem intuitive - but only after you've read it.

It also gives you some talking points about why "Being better" can trap your company as an also-ran. I winced during and after taking their survey.

The part of reading this book that wasn't fun was realizing the work I needed to do in my company. The fun part was knowing I now have a map to get there. I found the book readable and useful, and I've already made changes based on its recommendations.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A No Non-Sense book on Services Marketing, May 23, 2000

By	Anupam (India) - See all my reviews

Market Leadership Strategies for Service Companies is an interesting book for companies in the services sector. The book explains in detail the key strategies which every service company needs to implement if it wants to become a market leader. The book is universally applicable as the services sector is witnessing tremendous growth more so in countries like India.

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Marketing Service Book I Have Ever Read, May 24, 2000

By	Scott M. Davis (Chicago) - See all my reviews

As the Managing Partner for a major consulting firm and having spent 13 years in the services sector, I can honestly say I have read hundreds of business books. This is by far one of the best I have ever read.

Terrill and Middlebrooks provide scores of frameworks and client examples that provide a literal How-To roadmap for anyone serious about growing their company -- in an extremely profitable way.

I found especially insightful the authors perspectives on how to fill the financial growth gap that most companies find to be the most challenging part of their longer term strategy. From new product development to segmentation to positioning and branding to communications, Terrill and Middlebrooks basically give you an MBA in a book.

I have to admit I have borrowed their concepts fairly liberally since I read this book as it serves only to provide my clients (as well as my company) with the best possible solutions to their growth challenges.

Thanks guys for taking the seminal thinking that already exists in the services sector several steps further.

Bravo!