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 they commit to five essential decisions about how to run their business.
Bliss has studied and worked with beloved companies, ranging in size from large to small, from longtime successes like Wegman’s and Harley-Davidson, to relatively new companies like Zappos and The Container Store and Zane’s Cycles. Despite their diversity, they all make the same five fundamental choices. For example:
-
Regional Connecticut Hospital, Griffin Hospital, 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.
-
Local favorite Amy’s Ice Cream of Houston, decided to be real by expecting potential employees to be fearless and creative, starting with a white paper bag application.
-
Zane’s Cycles 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 with 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 you 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.
Rave Reviews
“I haven’t found myself nodding my head in agreement as often to the delightfully simple (but powerful) thoughts expressed in a book since I read Atlas Shrugged back in 1962! I believe in this book.”
— 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.
“Adopting Jeanne’s five decisions shared in this book will ensure your customers ‘do a little dance’ every time they interact with your brand.”
—Kip Tindell, Chairman and CEO, The Container Store
|
