Book description
In Uncommon Service, Frances Frei and Anne Morriss show how, in a volatile economy where the old rules of strategic advantage no longer hold true, service must become a competitive weapon, not a damage-control function. That means weaving service tightly into every core decision your company makes.
The authors reveal a transformed view of service, presenting an operating model built on tough choices organizations must make:
• How do customers define “excellence” in your offering? Is it convenience? Friendliness? Flexible choices? Price?
• How will you get paid for that excellence? Will you charge customers more? Get them to handle more service tasks themselves?
• How will you empower your employees to deliver excellence? What will your recruiting, selection, training, and job design practices look like? What about your organizational culture?
• How will you get your customers to behave? For example, what do you need to do to get them to treat your employees with respect? Do you need to make it easier for them to use new technology?
Practical and engaging, Uncommon Service makes a powerful case for a new and systematic approach to service as a means of boosting productivity, profitability, and competitive advantage.
Table of contents
- Cover
- Copyright
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction: If This Is a Service Economy, Why Am I Still on Hold?
- Chapter 1: Truth Number 1: You Can’t Be Good at Everything
- Chapter 2: Truth Number 2: Someone Has to Pay for It
- Chapter 3: Truth Number 3: It’s Not Your Employees’ Fault
- Chapter 4: Truth Number 4: You Must Manage Your Customers
- Chapter 5: Now Multiply It All by Culture
- Chapter 6: Getting Bigger
- Conclusion
- Notes
- Index
- About the Authors
Product information
- Title: Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business
- Author(s):
- Release date: February 2012
- Publisher(s): Harvard Business Review Press
- ISBN: 9781422133316
You might also like
video
Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business
In a volatile economy, the old rules of strategic advantage no longer hold true. In this …
video
When to Disappoint Your Customers
Frances Frei, Harvard Business School professor, explains why trying to offer great customer service so often …
book
How to Lead a Values-Based Professional Services Firm
We live in a values-driven world. As times change, businesses must evolve. The way that leaders …
book
Brilliant Customer Service
Keep them coming back for more Brilliant Customer Service is your guide to help you deliver …