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Lasermonks: The Business Story Nine Hundred Years in the Making
In the beginning, a hardworking group of Cistercian monks ran out of ink for their office equipment. When they saw the high price of replacement cartridges, they decided to launch their own company, selling ink and toner cartridges online at competitive prices. Soon, they caught the attention of two marketing and management consultants who-inspired by the monks' dedication to charitable work-formed MonkHelper Marketing, Inc. to help promote and ultimately run the business. This is the gospel according to LASERMONKS Based upon the centuries-old principles of St. Benedict, LaserMonks' unique approach to business has set a new standard for socially conscious companies. Their unusual and fascinating story is a true testament to the concept of “good work.” By combining simple customer courtesy, savvy marketing techniques, and strong community service, you'll learn how to stand out from the competition-and reap the rewards. You don't have to be a saint-or a monk-to benefit from these five building blocks to success. LaserMonks will show you how 1. Create a market space by reshaping the reasons why consumers purchase. 2. Provide excellent customer care by following the Rule of St. Benedict (courtesy and hospitality for all). 3. Find and capitalize on your unique strengths. (LaserMonks set themselves apart by making charity-giving an integral part of their business.) 4. Streamline operations. 5. Manage your success by balancing profits and giving, keeping cutomers happy and staying true to your mission. Filled with step-by-step advice, insider strategies, and uplifting spiritual guidance, this is so much more than a business book. It is a complete way of life-for you, your company, and your community. A way to overcome the challenges of a crowded marketplace and build strong relationships with your customers. A way to serve everybody's needs…personally, professionally, and profitably. For your business, it's a revelation. For your soul, a blessing.
- GenresBusiness
180 pages, Hardcover
First published October 12, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 15, 2020
Intéressant mais qui commence à dater un peu (2007 vs 2020) notamment sur la petite technologique.
Depuis la compagnie s’est faite racheter par une compagnie californienne.
Depuis la compagnie s’est faite racheter par une compagnie californienne.
April 18, 2008
When your printer runs out of ink, wouldn’t you feel better buying a replacement cartridge from a business that gives part of your purchase price to good works?
That’s the story behind “LaserMonks: The Business Story Nine Hundred Years in the Making,” by Sarah Caniglia and Cindy Griffith.
It’s about a group of Cistercian monks in Wisconsin who run a mail-order ink- and-toner business so their abbey can be self-sustaining. They also believe in going the extra mile when it comes to customer service and donating to charities.
“In the next 10 years, the trend toward purchasing with a purpose will continue to grow. Consumers will demand that the goods and services they purchase come from companies that are actively involved in doing good works in the community,” write the authors.
The monks choose a “charity of the month” each month and announce it on their Web site. They also allow customers to choose additional charities to receive funds.
That quirky little premise was enough for me to give the book a read. That and the fact that they call their employees “MonkHelpers.” Weird, but cute.
Caniglia and Griffith are these two marketing geniuses who moved to Wisconsin to live with the monks to try to help make the business a success. They run MonkHelper Marketing, Inc., the company that manages LaserMonks.com on the monks’ behalf.
The two women developed a customer-service philosophy, along with their monk friends, that follows the Rule of St. Benedict: “kindness, hospitality, and charity above all.”
Treating customers well and continually seeking to improve the customers’ experience kept them coming back.
“We realized that rather than pat ourselves on the back for satisfying 98 percent of our customers, we needed to dig deeper into the two percent who had a less-than-stellar experience,” Caniglia and Griffith write.
The company now surveys customers quarterly to find ways to improve customer service.
“The more we do to care for our customers, the more they care for LaserMonks, which enables us to do more for the community at large,” the authors write.
Since the concept was developed in 2001, the LaserMonks’ business has grown to a $10 million per year venture, all the while keeping charity at the heart of everything they do.
This kind of story — monks in middle America running a successful online business and sharing their marketing secrets — isn’t published every day. Though it was a little dull and longwinded in parts, the core philosophy is unique and interesting.
The next time my printer needs ink, I’ll look to LaserMonks.com. Not just for the competitive prices and mission of charity, but for the knowledge that if I need customer service, I will be taken care of. That’s a rarity in today’s world, and especially in e-commerce.
That’s the story behind “LaserMonks: The Business Story Nine Hundred Years in the Making,” by Sarah Caniglia and Cindy Griffith.
It’s about a group of Cistercian monks in Wisconsin who run a mail-order ink- and-toner business so their abbey can be self-sustaining. They also believe in going the extra mile when it comes to customer service and donating to charities.
“In the next 10 years, the trend toward purchasing with a purpose will continue to grow. Consumers will demand that the goods and services they purchase come from companies that are actively involved in doing good works in the community,” write the authors.
The monks choose a “charity of the month” each month and announce it on their Web site. They also allow customers to choose additional charities to receive funds.
That quirky little premise was enough for me to give the book a read. That and the fact that they call their employees “MonkHelpers.” Weird, but cute.
Caniglia and Griffith are these two marketing geniuses who moved to Wisconsin to live with the monks to try to help make the business a success. They run MonkHelper Marketing, Inc., the company that manages LaserMonks.com on the monks’ behalf.
The two women developed a customer-service philosophy, along with their monk friends, that follows the Rule of St. Benedict: “kindness, hospitality, and charity above all.”
Treating customers well and continually seeking to improve the customers’ experience kept them coming back.
“We realized that rather than pat ourselves on the back for satisfying 98 percent of our customers, we needed to dig deeper into the two percent who had a less-than-stellar experience,” Caniglia and Griffith write.
The company now surveys customers quarterly to find ways to improve customer service.
“The more we do to care for our customers, the more they care for LaserMonks, which enables us to do more for the community at large,” the authors write.
Since the concept was developed in 2001, the LaserMonks’ business has grown to a $10 million per year venture, all the while keeping charity at the heart of everything they do.
This kind of story — monks in middle America running a successful online business and sharing their marketing secrets — isn’t published every day. Though it was a little dull and longwinded in parts, the core philosophy is unique and interesting.
The next time my printer needs ink, I’ll look to LaserMonks.com. Not just for the competitive prices and mission of charity, but for the knowledge that if I need customer service, I will be taken care of. That’s a rarity in today’s world, and especially in e-commerce.
November 12, 2008
Great model for customer service.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews