Comments for Building Customer Loyalty http://buildingcustomerloyalty.org Sat, 09 Oct 2010 05:36:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Seven Power Strategies for Building Customer Loyalty by Hui Wing Hei (Vicky) http://buildingcustomerloyalty.org/seven-power-strategies-for-building-customer-loyalty/comment-page-1/#comment-875 Hui Wing Hei (Vicky) Sat, 09 Oct 2010 05:36:47 +0000 http://buildingcustomerloyalty.org/seven-power-strategies-for-building-customer-loyalty/#comment-875 In the competitve world, you have to retain your customers and attract new customers if you want to success in your industry. But, what can you do in order to success? The answer is that we have to learn what is customer loyalty. After understand it, you can let your marketing strategies to be more meaningful. Thus, this book can help you a lot.<p>In this book, it can give out seven strategies to build the customer loyalty. It states that you are not only to satisfy your customers, but also give the extra benfit to them in a positve way. Thus, customers can get over what they want. Hence, they will be more willing to keep business with your company. Although you think that it has succeed, it is not enough. The think you have to do is to build the world-of-mouth. In this book, it can also tells you how to build the word-of-mouth.<p>Besides, the book also tells you how your frontline can do in order to satisfy your customers, such as their outlook, their espression and their technique etc.<p>If you buy the book, you can learn much more about how to build customer loyalty and how it is important for you to success. In the competitve world, you have to retain your customers and attract new customers if you want to success in your industry. But, what can you do in order to success? The answer is that we have to learn what is customer loyalty. After understand it, you can let your marketing strategies to be more meaningful. Thus, this book can help you a lot.

In this book, it can give out seven strategies to build the customer loyalty. It states that you are not only to satisfy your customers, but also give the extra benfit to them in a positve way. Thus, customers can get over what they want. Hence, they will be more willing to keep business with your company. Although you think that it has succeed, it is not enough. The think you have to do is to build the world-of-mouth. In this book, it can also tells you how to build the word-of-mouth.

Besides, the book also tells you how your frontline can do in order to satisfy your customers, such as their outlook, their espression and their technique etc.

If you buy the book, you can learn much more about how to build customer loyalty and how it is important for you to success.

]]> Comment on Seven Power Strategies for Building Customer Loyalty by Kelvin Lui Kah Wai http://buildingcustomerloyalty.org/seven-power-strategies-for-building-customer-loyalty/comment-page-1/#comment-877 Kelvin Lui Kah Wai Sat, 09 Oct 2010 05:02:43 +0000 http://buildingcustomerloyalty.org/seven-power-strategies-for-building-customer-loyalty/#comment-877 From the Department of Marketing, City University of Hong Kong.<br>Nowadays service providers put more emphasis on customer satisfaction and loyalty. This book is about to tell you how to build customer loyalty by 7 strategies.<br>It first told about the importance of customer loyalty and the problems of disconnection between service intentions and reality such as ambiguous goals. <br>Then the 1st strategy was ¡¥Identify Customer Turnoffs¡¦, to identify whether customer turnoffs are value (e.g. quality not as good as expected), systems (e.g. slow service), or people (e.g. employees not helpful). It was the best advertising with decline of customer turnoffs and the cost of a lost customer was so great (there is a formula to calculate the loss in the book). The 2nd strategy was ¡¥Recover Dissatisfied Customers¡¦, after knowing the causes of customer turnoffs, service providers should try to recover dissatisfied customers by paying more attention to receiving complaints and getting feedbacks. The 3rd strategy was ¡¥Create Positive Imbalance with Customers¡¦, satisfied did not represent motivated to be a loyal customer. Therefore, service providers should try to give more than what customers expected so that customers would be more loyal once upon they thought they received more than paid. The 4th strategy was ¡¥Give Customers A-Plus Value¡¦, service providers should try to build A-plus value with packaging, guarantee and warranty, goodness of product fit, memorable experiences, uniqueness and shared values, credibility, as well as other aspects so that customers could receive more than they expected. The 5th strategy was ¡¥Give Customers A-Plus Information¡¦, the information given to customers should be more timely, clearer, or more useful than they anticipate. The 6th strategy was ¡¥Show Customers A-Plus Personality¡¦, developing own personality could be a kind of communication to customers from service providers. The 7t strategy was ¡¥Give Customers A-Plus Convenience¡¦, it could be delivered in several ways, for example, telling customers how long things will take and giving more signage to customers.<br>After understanding these 7 strategies, it was time to actualize them. First was planning an A-Plus strategy. Next was organizing and staffing. Third is leading and motivating. Fourth was controlling and evaluating results. Fifth was harvesting A-Plus ideas. Final was initiating and sustaining A-Plus customer loyalty strategy.<br>All in all, you are recommended to read this book first if you want to build customer loyalty. From the Department of Marketing, City University of Hong Kong.
Nowadays service providers put more emphasis on customer satisfaction and loyalty. This book is about to tell you how to build customer loyalty by 7 strategies.
It first told about the importance of customer loyalty and the problems of disconnection between service intentions and reality such as ambiguous goals.
Then the 1st strategy was ¡¥Identify Customer Turnoffs¡¦, to identify whether customer turnoffs are value (e.g. quality not as good as expected), systems (e.g. slow service), or people (e.g. employees not helpful). It was the best advertising with decline of customer turnoffs and the cost of a lost customer was so great (there is a formula to calculate the loss in the book). The 2nd strategy was ¡¥Recover Dissatisfied Customers¡¦, after knowing the causes of customer turnoffs, service providers should try to recover dissatisfied customers by paying more attention to receiving complaints and getting feedbacks. The 3rd strategy was ¡¥Create Positive Imbalance with Customers¡¦, satisfied did not represent motivated to be a loyal customer. Therefore, service providers should try to give more than what customers expected so that customers would be more loyal once upon they thought they received more than paid. The 4th strategy was ¡¥Give Customers A-Plus Value¡¦, service providers should try to build A-plus value with packaging, guarantee and warranty, goodness of product fit, memorable experiences, uniqueness and shared values, credibility, as well as other aspects so that customers could receive more than they expected. The 5th strategy was ¡¥Give Customers A-Plus Information¡¦, the information given to customers should be more timely, clearer, or more useful than they anticipate. The 6th strategy was ¡¥Show Customers A-Plus Personality¡¦, developing own personality could be a kind of communication to customers from service providers. The 7t strategy was ¡¥Give Customers A-Plus Convenience¡¦, it could be delivered in several ways, for example, telling customers how long things will take and giving more signage to customers.
After understanding these 7 strategies, it was time to actualize them. First was planning an A-Plus strategy. Next was organizing and staffing. Third is leading and motivating. Fourth was controlling and evaluating results. Fifth was harvesting A-Plus ideas. Final was initiating and sustaining A-Plus customer loyalty strategy.
All in all, you are recommended to read this book first if you want to build customer loyalty.

]]> Comment on Seven Power Strategies for Building Customer Loyalty by Robert Morris http://buildingcustomerloyalty.org/seven-power-strategies-for-building-customer-loyalty/comment-page-1/#comment-878 Robert Morris Sat, 09 Oct 2010 00:25:44 +0000 http://buildingcustomerloyalty.org/seven-power-strategies-for-building-customer-loyalty/#comment-878 There are dozens of excellent books which discuss the subject of "customer satisfaction" and/or "customer loyalty." This is among the best of them. Many of those who read my reviews already know that, whenever appropriate, I recommend that several books on the same general subject be consulted. One of the greatest challenges now facing companies is to attract, hire, develop, and then keep the workers they need. A comparable challenge involves customers as well as the additional need to recapture those lost. Timm has much of value to say about that need in Chapter 3 when he discusses Strategy 2: Recover Dissatisfied Customers. (Jill Griffin and her co-authors focus on this same need in Customer WinBack. I also recommend Jac Fitz-enz's recently published The E-Aligned Enterprise in which he offers some excellent strategies re customer recapture.) As Timm skillfully explains, building customer loyalty means building human relationships and that requires constant and committed effort. He introduces twhat he calls the "A-Plus" standard, recommending specific strategies and tactics to achieve and maintain it in terms of value (Chapter 5), information (Chapter 6), personality (Chapter 7), and convenience (Chapter 8). He then concentrates on "Actualizing the A-Plus Customer Loyalty Strategy" in Chapter 9, the final chapter. Along the way, Timm includes a series of ingenious "Worksheets" for the reader to complete. These serve two important functions: They stress key points and they enable the reader to measure (with reasonable if not precise) accuracy the gap between customers' expectations and customers' perceptions of performance relative to their expectations. (We all know that customer perceptions ARE realities.) Appendix A provides a "Sample Generic Consulting Proposal" (well-done but probably not of much interest to some readers) and Appendix B provides "A Quick Review of the Seven Power Strategies" which is also well-done and will be useful to those who wish to review key concepts later.<p>Timm's approach is intentionally practical. His insights and recommendations are obviously based on a wealth of real-world experience. As with any other book in which there is also an abundance of check lists, do's and don's, mini-case studies, assessment mechanisms, self-audits, reminders, etc., it remains for each reader of this book to select, correlate, and then integrate whatever is most appropriate to her or his own needs and interests. With all due respect to Covey, there really isn't anything magical (at least in the secular world) about the number seven. Timm could have just as easily recommended anywhere from five to 25 specific strategies worthy of careful consideration. Those he does suggest are as good as any but will be effective only if they are implemented with sufficient passion, precision, prudence, focus, tenacity, and (yes) patience. Only such sustained effort can activate the "power" to which this book's title refers. <p>When concluding these brief remarks, I presume to offer one (probably obvious) caveat: At a time when change is the only constant, no matter which specific strategies you select, be prepared to revise or abandon those which prove inadequate. Extensive research reveals that, on average, U.S. companies lose half their customers within five years. Given the assistance available from Timm and other experts, you and your organization can certainly improve on that. There are dozens of excellent books which discuss the subject of “customer satisfaction” and/or “customer loyalty.” This is among the best of them. Many of those who read my reviews already know that, whenever appropriate, I recommend that several books on the same general subject be consulted. One of the greatest challenges now facing companies is to attract, hire, develop, and then keep the workers they need. A comparable challenge involves customers as well as the additional need to recapture those lost. Timm has much of value to say about that need in Chapter 3 when he discusses Strategy 2: Recover Dissatisfied Customers. (Jill Griffin and her co-authors focus on this same need in Customer WinBack. I also recommend Jac Fitz-enz’s recently published The E-Aligned Enterprise in which he offers some excellent strategies re customer recapture.) As Timm skillfully explains, building customer loyalty means building human relationships and that requires constant and committed effort. He introduces twhat he calls the “A-Plus” standard, recommending specific strategies and tactics to achieve and maintain it in terms of value (Chapter 5), information (Chapter 6), personality (Chapter 7), and convenience (Chapter 8). He then concentrates on “Actualizing the A-Plus Customer Loyalty Strategy” in Chapter 9, the final chapter. Along the way, Timm includes a series of ingenious “Worksheets” for the reader to complete. These serve two important functions: They stress key points and they enable the reader to measure (with reasonable if not precise) accuracy the gap between customers’ expectations and customers’ perceptions of performance relative to their expectations. (We all know that customer perceptions ARE realities.) Appendix A provides a “Sample Generic Consulting Proposal” (well-done but probably not of much interest to some readers) and Appendix B provides “A Quick Review of the Seven Power Strategies” which is also well-done and will be useful to those who wish to review key concepts later.

Timm’s approach is intentionally practical. His insights and recommendations are obviously based on a wealth of real-world experience. As with any other book in which there is also an abundance of check lists, do’s and don’s, mini-case studies, assessment mechanisms, self-audits, reminders, etc., it remains for each reader of this book to select, correlate, and then integrate whatever is most appropriate to her or his own needs and interests. With all due respect to Covey, there really isn’t anything magical (at least in the secular world) about the number seven. Timm could have just as easily recommended anywhere from five to 25 specific strategies worthy of careful consideration. Those he does suggest are as good as any but will be effective only if they are implemented with sufficient passion, precision, prudence, focus, tenacity, and (yes) patience. Only such sustained effort can activate the “power” to which this book’s title refers.

When concluding these brief remarks, I presume to offer one (probably obvious) caveat: At a time when change is the only constant, no matter which specific strategies you select, be prepared to revise or abandon those which prove inadequate. Extensive research reveals that, on average, U.S. companies lose half their customers within five years. Given the assistance available from Timm and other experts, you and your organization can certainly improve on that.

]]> Comment on Seven Power Strategies for Building Customer Loyalty by Hui Wing Hei (Vicky) http://buildingcustomerloyalty.org/seven-power-strategies-for-building-customer-loyalty/comment-page-1/#comment-876 Hui Wing Hei (Vicky) Fri, 08 Oct 2010 14:12:11 +0000 http://buildingcustomerloyalty.org/seven-power-strategies-for-building-customer-loyalty/#comment-876 In the competitve world, you have to retain your customers and attract new customers if you want to success in your industry. But, what can you do in order to success? The answer is that we have to learn what is customer loyalty. After understand it, you can let your marketing strategies to be more meaningful. Thus, this book can help you a lot.<p>In this book, it can give out seven strategies to build the customer loyalty. It states that you are not only to satisfy your customers, but also give the extra benfit to them in a positve way. Thus, customers can get over what they want. Hence, they will be more willing to keep business with your company. Although you think that it has succeed, it is not enough. The think you have to do is to build the world-of-mouth. In this book, it can also tells you how to build the word-of-mouth.<p>Besides, the book also tells you how your frontline can do in order to satisfy your customers, such as their outlook, their espression and their technique etc.<p>If you buy the book, you can learn much more about how to build customer loyalty and how it is important for you to success. In the competitve world, you have to retain your customers and attract new customers if you want to success in your industry. But, what can you do in order to success? The answer is that we have to learn what is customer loyalty. After understand it, you can let your marketing strategies to be more meaningful. Thus, this book can help you a lot.

In this book, it can give out seven strategies to build the customer loyalty. It states that you are not only to satisfy your customers, but also give the extra benfit to them in a positve way. Thus, customers can get over what they want. Hence, they will be more willing to keep business with your company. Although you think that it has succeed, it is not enough. The think you have to do is to build the world-of-mouth. In this book, it can also tells you how to build the word-of-mouth.

Besides, the book also tells you how your frontline can do in order to satisfy your customers, such as their outlook, their espression and their technique etc.

If you buy the book, you can learn much more about how to build customer loyalty and how it is important for you to success.

]]> Comment on Communities of Commerce: Building Internet Business Communities to Accelerate Growth, Minimize Risk, and Increase Customer Loyalty by Steven Jay Miller http://buildingcustomerloyalty.org/communities-of-commerce-building-internet-business-communities-to-accelerate-growth-minimize-risk-and-increase-customer-loyalty/comment-page-1/#comment-874 Steven Jay Miller Thu, 07 Oct 2010 14:41:41 +0000 http://buildingcustomerloyalty.org/communities-of-commerce-building-internet-business-communities-to-accelerate-growth-minimize-risk-and-increase-customer-loyalty/#comment-874 This is exactly the type of timely work that will help us in our own Silicon Valley venture. Well done, and thanks! This is exactly the type of timely work that will help us in our own Silicon Valley venture. Well done, and thanks!

]]> Comment on Communities of Commerce: Building Internet Business Communities to Accelerate Growth, Minimize Risk, and Increase Customer Loyalty by Delores Palmer http://buildingcustomerloyalty.org/communities-of-commerce-building-internet-business-communities-to-accelerate-growth-minimize-risk-and-increase-customer-loyalty/comment-page-1/#comment-873 Delores Palmer Thu, 07 Oct 2010 05:22:52 +0000 http://buildingcustomerloyalty.org/communities-of-commerce-building-internet-business-communities-to-accelerate-growth-minimize-risk-and-increase-customer-loyalty/#comment-873 I couldn't put Communities of Commerce down and read it in one day! For business owners and others, it captures great concepts and examples of what some businesses are doing to create a powerful network for their business and non-profit communities. <p>Although outwardly, the style of writing looks academically-oriented, the authors engage the reader by explaining the concept as though a movie is being created. Once I got into the rhythm of the book, it was a breeze, and each chapter opened new insights.<p>With my writing tablet quickly filling up with notes, I appreciated the case studies, tips, and checklist at the end of each chapter. This allowed me to immediately evaluate whether my company is appropriate to pursue the "Communities of Commerce" approach.<p>From history to steps to take, the entire book is a gold-mine for business (and community) leaders who want to take their companies into successful Internet avenues. <p>I also appreciated the web listing of the various companies involved. I recommend Communities of Commerce to all serious business and community leaders. I couldn’t put Communities of Commerce down and read it in one day! For business owners and others, it captures great concepts and examples of what some businesses are doing to create a powerful network for their business and non-profit communities.

Although outwardly, the style of writing looks academically-oriented, the authors engage the reader by explaining the concept as though a movie is being created. Once I got into the rhythm of the book, it was a breeze, and each chapter opened new insights.

With my writing tablet quickly filling up with notes, I appreciated the case studies, tips, and checklist at the end of each chapter. This allowed me to immediately evaluate whether my company is appropriate to pursue the “Communities of Commerce” approach.

From history to steps to take, the entire book is a gold-mine for business (and community) leaders who want to take their companies into successful Internet avenues.

I also appreciated the web listing of the various companies involved. I recommend Communities of Commerce to all serious business and community leaders.

]]> Comment on Technology and Customer Service: Profitable Relationship Building (NetEffect Series) by ServantofGod http://buildingcustomerloyalty.org/technology-and-customer-service-profitable-relationship-building-neteffect-series/comment-page-1/#comment-871 ServantofGod Sat, 02 Oct 2010 14:28:46 +0000 http://buildingcustomerloyalty.org/technology-and-customer-service-profitable-relationship-building-neteffect-series/#comment-871 As there is no table of content for it on Amazon and so I would like to take the priviledge to type it here for you. <br /> <br />Ch1. Recognize the role of customer loyalty in your success <br />Ch2. Understand and deal with customer turnoffs <br />Ch3. Exceeding expectation for proactive loyalty building <br />Ch4. Achieve loyalty with A-Plus value and information <br />Ch5. Achieve loyalty with A-Plus personality and convenience <br />Ch6. Use effective call centers to build customer loyalty <br />Ch7. Offer help desks to build customer loyalty <br />Ch8. Apply the powre of CRM to build customer loyalty <br />Ch9. Design websites that build customer loyalty <br />Ch10. Anticipate future technology trends to build customer loyalty <br />Ch11. Manage people and technology to build customer loyalty <br /> <br />As you may be able to infer from the arrangement of the chapters, this is quite a ragtag piecemeal work that fails to give you any total solution or professional perspective to your CRM problems. The information and layout within individual chapters are okay, and a reader can learn a lot of jargons like ACD automatic all distribution and IVR interactive voice response. However, unique insights and copyable frameworks are rare. If you are satisfied of turning yourself from an outsider reader to a psuedo practitioner in the field, it's fine. For those aspire to become CRM professionals, I am obliged to tell you that there are far better alternatives on Amazon. As there is no table of content for it on Amazon and so I would like to take the priviledge to type it here for you.

Ch1. Recognize the role of customer loyalty in your success

Ch2. Understand and deal with customer turnoffs

Ch3. Exceeding expectation for proactive loyalty building

Ch4. Achieve loyalty with A-Plus value and information

Ch5. Achieve loyalty with A-Plus personality and convenience

Ch6. Use effective call centers to build customer loyalty

Ch7. Offer help desks to build customer loyalty

Ch8. Apply the powre of CRM to build customer loyalty

Ch9. Design websites that build customer loyalty

Ch10. Anticipate future technology trends to build customer loyalty

Ch11. Manage people and technology to build customer loyalty

As you may be able to infer from the arrangement of the chapters, this is quite a ragtag piecemeal work that fails to give you any total solution or professional perspective to your CRM problems. The information and layout within individual chapters are okay, and a reader can learn a lot of jargons like ACD automatic all distribution and IVR interactive voice response. However, unique insights and copyable frameworks are rare. If you are satisfied of turning yourself from an outsider reader to a psuedo practitioner in the field, it’s fine. For those aspire to become CRM professionals, I am obliged to tell you that there are far better alternatives on Amazon.

]]> Comment on Customer Service on the Internet: Building Relationships, Increasing Loyalty, and Staying Competitive, 2nd Edition by Mark A Griffiths http://buildingcustomerloyalty.org/customer-service-on-the-internet-building-relationships-increasing-loyalty-and-staying-competitive-2nd-edition/comment-page-1/#comment-868 Mark A Griffiths Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:50:08 +0000 http://buildingcustomerloyalty.org/customer-service-on-the-internet-building-relationships-increasing-loyalty-and-staying-competitive-2nd-edition/#comment-868 One of a very limited number of titles, as far as Internet customer service is concerned, a good starting point for throwing up ideas, although I felt it lacked a basic frame for somebody who was new to the net and looking to establish customer service procedures. As with any text written about technology, one would have to question how current the information was, although I apreciate this would be out of the control of the author. My only other problem was that I thought allot of time was dedicated to the interests of large firms, for example a big section was dedicated to setting up and monitoring disscusion groups, important and usefull sources of information yes, but not a realistic part of a website for a small company, more your major computer business etc. All in all though considering the limited number of titles available, (about two as I write this, including this one) if you have a spare £20 its better than nothing! One of a very limited number of titles, as far as Internet customer service is concerned, a good starting point for throwing up ideas, although I felt it lacked a basic frame for somebody who was new to the net and looking to establish customer service procedures. As with any text written about technology, one would have to question how current the information was, although I apreciate this would be out of the control of the author. My only other problem was that I thought allot of time was dedicated to the interests of large firms, for example a big section was dedicated to setting up and monitoring disscusion groups, important and usefull sources of information yes, but not a realistic part of a website for a small company, more your major computer business etc. All in all though considering the limited number of titles available, (about two as I write this, including this one) if you have a spare £20 its better than nothing!

]]> Comment on Customer Service on the Internet: Building Relationships, Increasing Loyalty, and Staying Competitive, 2nd Edition by Tim Hoban http://buildingcustomerloyalty.org/customer-service-on-the-internet-building-relationships-increasing-loyalty-and-staying-competitive-2nd-edition/comment-page-1/#comment-866 Tim Hoban Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:12:51 +0000 http://buildingcustomerloyalty.org/customer-service-on-the-internet-building-relationships-increasing-loyalty-and-staying-competitive-2nd-edition/#comment-866 As a historical snapshot this book is great. Written in 2000, it captures the vibe of the late 90's dotcom period well. The sense of excitement, possible new busines models, and latest quotes from experts (all dated to the day in 1999) really took me back. <br /> <br />What this book didn't do was give me a sense of how online customer care operates (and can operate) in 2008. The illustrations of web pages and technologies in the book only served to show me how much things have moved on in the last 9 years. While the principles of customer contact are timeless, this book is seriously dated. If, like me, you are looking for a book that identifies what the current state of online customer contact is, and how things might evolve going forward, then this book is way past it's use by date. As a historical snapshot this book is great. Written in 2000, it captures the vibe of the late 90′s dotcom period well. The sense of excitement, possible new busines models, and latest quotes from experts (all dated to the day in 1999) really took me back.

What this book didn’t do was give me a sense of how online customer care operates (and can operate) in 2008. The illustrations of web pages and technologies in the book only served to show me how much things have moved on in the last 9 years. While the principles of customer contact are timeless, this book is seriously dated. If, like me, you are looking for a book that identifies what the current state of online customer contact is, and how things might evolve going forward, then this book is way past it’s use by date.

]]> Comment on Customer Service on the Internet: Building Relationships, Increasing Loyalty, and Staying Competitive, 2nd Edition by Phil Dourado http://buildingcustomerloyalty.org/customer-service-on-the-internet-building-relationships-increasing-loyalty-and-staying-competitive-2nd-edition/comment-page-1/#comment-869 Phil Dourado Fri, 01 Oct 2010 05:18:09 +0000 http://buildingcustomerloyalty.org/customer-service-on-the-internet-building-relationships-increasing-loyalty-and-staying-competitive-2nd-edition/#comment-869 One of the most unpredictable things the Internet achieved was to re-define customer service. One of the first people to notice and to write a book about how to do it in the mid-1990s was Jim Sterne. It's just been updated in this second edition. <p>In the real world, you can pay lip service to customer service and the resultant damage is hidden in the anonymous attrition of customers wandering away to the competition with a sigh and a shake of the head. <p>The Internet, however, is a ruthless amplifier of weakness in business process. Answer a snail mail letter from a customer within two weeks and they might be satisfied. Fail to answer the email the same customer sends you from your website within four hours and they're already fuming at you for your disinterest in them. As all those surveys about customer dis-satisfaction with websites relentlessly show, it's about service, stupid. <p>Before going further, I have to declare a bias here: I first became a fan of Jim Sterne when I saw him give a talk in which he illustrated how to use interactivity and personalisation to achieve web `stickiness'. Sterne chose the unlikely-sounding Clairol site - the hair and beauty products company. It allows you to post a digital photo of yourself on the site and then try on several different hairstyles. <p>The hairstyles come in the form of `virtual wigs' that you stick on your digital head. Sterne had tested the site and showed his audience the result, throwing up a slide of himself, bearded, tie-and-jacket-wearing, grinning defiantly from underneath a long blonde wig. It took several minutes for the audience to recover.<p>Sterne's wit and his relentless honesty are a powerful combination and come through in this book as much as in person, to make this an entertaining as well as informative read. Honesty? Too many Internet authors revel in complexity. Sterne de-mystifies and de-bunks, using an intentionally naïve-looking approach. <p>For example, in the book he asks a couple of experts to explain what the modish CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is all about, allowing the differences in their answers, which he produces verbatim, to show that the software industry is all over the place in trying to define CRM, energetically re-branding everything in sight. Salesforce Automation? Nah, that was last year. This year we're calling it CRM...<p>As well as offering unbiased commentary to help you steer through the maze of software and solutions on offer from the IT vendor community, Sterne takes you step by step through the basics, with impressive attention to detail. <p>The chapter on managing email, for example, is forty-five pages long and packed with examples of how to get it right (and wrong). <p>What makes the nuts and bolts `how tos' in this book so compelling is the lacerating wit that Sterne uses to deal with those who get it wrong. There's a four-page evisceration of Volvo Cars, for example, for consistently failing to allow customers to email complaints about their cars through the company's website. Sterne catalogues the failures mercilessly, before concluding: "Volvo has tried to open a receptive ear to the public, but it forgot the Q-Tips". <p>As well as acting as a manual for developing effective email practises, the book shows you in detail the best ways of approaching now traditional customer help mechanisms like Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQs), how to let customers talk to each other to provide you with vital market knowledge, how to practise personalisation and get to know customers as individuals, and - all-importantly - how to develop measurements that allow you to translate the success of your customer service initiatives into loyalty and retention figures that the Finance Director will listen to. <p>If you want to learn from Jim face to face, and can make it to London this Fall, Jim will be giving two Masterclasses on 11 and 12 October 2000 on how to do this Internet customer service stuff better. (Email Phil@eCustomerServiceWorld.com for details). I was hoping to conclude with a criticism - that the built-in problem with a book like this is that it becomes redundant as soon as it is in print, as the toddler that is web customer service grows up fast to become a spotty adolescent. The past couple of months, for example, have seen a wave of `assisted buying' software solutions break onto the market which further blur the sales/service departmental divide (a functional business divide that is everywhere in the real world but which, as Sterne shows, does not translate to the Web).<p>But, there are too many universal fundamentals covered in this book for that criticism to hold true. And, as hard as I tried to find examples of outdated material, this is one of those rarities, a thoroughly updated second edition of a book. One of the most unpredictable things the Internet achieved was to re-define customer service. One of the first people to notice and to write a book about how to do it in the mid-1990s was Jim Sterne. It’s just been updated in this second edition.

In the real world, you can pay lip service to customer service and the resultant damage is hidden in the anonymous attrition of customers wandering away to the competition with a sigh and a shake of the head.

The Internet, however, is a ruthless amplifier of weakness in business process. Answer a snail mail letter from a customer within two weeks and they might be satisfied. Fail to answer the email the same customer sends you from your website within four hours and they’re already fuming at you for your disinterest in them. As all those surveys about customer dis-satisfaction with websites relentlessly show, it’s about service, stupid.

Before going further, I have to declare a bias here: I first became a fan of Jim Sterne when I saw him give a talk in which he illustrated how to use interactivity and personalisation to achieve web `stickiness’. Sterne chose the unlikely-sounding Clairol site – the hair and beauty products company. It allows you to post a digital photo of yourself on the site and then try on several different hairstyles.

The hairstyles come in the form of `virtual wigs’ that you stick on your digital head. Sterne had tested the site and showed his audience the result, throwing up a slide of himself, bearded, tie-and-jacket-wearing, grinning defiantly from underneath a long blonde wig. It took several minutes for the audience to recover.

Sterne’s wit and his relentless honesty are a powerful combination and come through in this book as much as in person, to make this an entertaining as well as informative read. Honesty? Too many Internet authors revel in complexity. Sterne de-mystifies and de-bunks, using an intentionally naïve-looking approach.

For example, in the book he asks a couple of experts to explain what the modish CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is all about, allowing the differences in their answers, which he produces verbatim, to show that the software industry is all over the place in trying to define CRM, energetically re-branding everything in sight. Salesforce Automation? Nah, that was last year. This year we’re calling it CRM…

As well as offering unbiased commentary to help you steer through the maze of software and solutions on offer from the IT vendor community, Sterne takes you step by step through the basics, with impressive attention to detail.

The chapter on managing email, for example, is forty-five pages long and packed with examples of how to get it right (and wrong).

What makes the nuts and bolts `how tos’ in this book so compelling is the lacerating wit that Sterne uses to deal with those who get it wrong. There’s a four-page evisceration of Volvo Cars, for example, for consistently failing to allow customers to email complaints about their cars through the company’s website. Sterne catalogues the failures mercilessly, before concluding: “Volvo has tried to open a receptive ear to the public, but it forgot the Q-Tips”.

As well as acting as a manual for developing effective email practises, the book shows you in detail the best ways of approaching now traditional customer help mechanisms like Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQs), how to let customers talk to each other to provide you with vital market knowledge, how to practise personalisation and get to know customers as individuals, and – all-importantly – how to develop measurements that allow you to translate the success of your customer service initiatives into loyalty and retention figures that the Finance Director will listen to.

If you want to learn from Jim face to face, and can make it to London this Fall, Jim will be giving two Masterclasses on 11 and 12 October 2000 on how to do this Internet customer service stuff better. (Email Phil@eCustomerServiceWorld.com for details). I was hoping to conclude with a criticism – that the built-in problem with a book like this is that it becomes redundant as soon as it is in print, as the toddler that is web customer service grows up fast to become a spotty adolescent. The past couple of months, for example, have seen a wave of `assisted buying’ software solutions break onto the market which further blur the sales/service departmental divide (a functional business divide that is everywhere in the real world but which, as Sterne shows, does not translate to the Web).

But, there are too many universal fundamentals covered in this book for that criticism to hold true. And, as hard as I tried to find examples of outdated material, this is one of those rarities, a thoroughly updated second edition of a book.

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