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Secret Service: Hidden Systems That Deliver Unforgettable Customer Service
All businesses have customers, but how many of them deliver unforgettably good customer service? Customer experience expert and author John R. DiJulius reveals the hidden systems of the few exceptional companies that what actions they take behind the scenes to consistently surpass customer expectations. These organizations reap the benefits of greater customer loyalty, exponentially expanded referral networks, lower employee turnover, and stronger bottom-line results. Packed with examples applicable to a wide range of industries, Secret Service provides practical, realistic ways By quantifying and examining each phase of the "Customer Experience Cycle," Secret Service reveals clever, practical ideas that can be transformed into repeatable best practices in any organization and at every level.
172 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 23, 2016
Very enjoyable read. There are a lot of books on customer service that emphasize the acquisition of new clientele, but this book gives a refreshing perspective on retaining your existing clientele and gives many real world examples as to how it can be done. I found this book very useful because admittedly I hadn't put much thought behind going the extra mile for current customers (as opposed to expending lots of energy gaining new ones), yet it makes all the sense in the world. Would recommend to anyone looking to provide legendary customer service regardless of industry.
December 3, 2022
This was a fantastic book for anyone in the service business! I do believe that wowing guests is the most effective way to stand out in a competitive landscape.
June 24, 2013
A fast, good read. Could work as a reference matter too, as continuing idea fodder for customer service improvements.
The overarching premise of the book is that knowledge of your existing customers is the greatest asset at your disposal. What follows from this premise are a number of methods for collecting and using customer information to improve your customer service.
Specifically, DiJulius makes use of a customer database to manage knowledge about customers. Companies can establish processes that allow their personnel to access the database information for their customers and provide a personalized experience. For example, at a high-end restaurant, you could keep information on top customers' drink preferences and have their drinks waiting for them at their table when they're seated. There were a lot of examples, but this kind of personalization was a main focus of the book.
Second, the book pushes the obviously good idea of focusing more of your marketing efforts on your current customers to get them to generate referral business, return for your services more often, and spend more when they do. This can also be accomplished using the database. If you know your product life cycle, and you're paying attention to when your customers are buying, you can market to them around the time when they're due to be purchasing again. He runs through several examples to show how initiatives like sending gift certificates to your regular customers for services of yours that they haven't used yet costs less and returns better results than general advertising. It is also DiJulius's view that retaining customers is more important than generating new customers.
For example, if you send one of your regular customers a $50 gift certificate to try out a service of yours that he isn't currently buying, you lose no money unless he redeems the gift certificate. If he does redeem the gift certificate for the service, he's already been qualified as one of your customers and is more likely to return for more of the same service than a random person who noticed a newspaper ad and is giving the service a first try.
There are a lot of specifics and little points in this book, but these two are the major thrusts of customer-facing principles. There is also a section on creating great employees.
I'm taking a star off because though I took a good number of ideas to implement in my own work, the book's style reminded me of A Passion for Excellence by Tom Peters, which was probably the same style as its predecessor In Search of Excellence. It is a series of chapters broken down by concept and then filled out with several examples of various companies succeeding with those principals. I just find that style a bit dry and grating, for whatever reason. I think it's because you think, 'I get it,' but you can see that there are still a bunch more examples to read through.
The overarching premise of the book is that knowledge of your existing customers is the greatest asset at your disposal. What follows from this premise are a number of methods for collecting and using customer information to improve your customer service.
Specifically, DiJulius makes use of a customer database to manage knowledge about customers. Companies can establish processes that allow their personnel to access the database information for their customers and provide a personalized experience. For example, at a high-end restaurant, you could keep information on top customers' drink preferences and have their drinks waiting for them at their table when they're seated. There were a lot of examples, but this kind of personalization was a main focus of the book.
Second, the book pushes the obviously good idea of focusing more of your marketing efforts on your current customers to get them to generate referral business, return for your services more often, and spend more when they do. This can also be accomplished using the database. If you know your product life cycle, and you're paying attention to when your customers are buying, you can market to them around the time when they're due to be purchasing again. He runs through several examples to show how initiatives like sending gift certificates to your regular customers for services of yours that they haven't used yet costs less and returns better results than general advertising. It is also DiJulius's view that retaining customers is more important than generating new customers.
For example, if you send one of your regular customers a $50 gift certificate to try out a service of yours that he isn't currently buying, you lose no money unless he redeems the gift certificate. If he does redeem the gift certificate for the service, he's already been qualified as one of your customers and is more likely to return for more of the same service than a random person who noticed a newspaper ad and is giving the service a first try.
There are a lot of specifics and little points in this book, but these two are the major thrusts of customer-facing principles. There is also a section on creating great employees.
I'm taking a star off because though I took a good number of ideas to implement in my own work, the book's style reminded me of A Passion for Excellence by Tom Peters, which was probably the same style as its predecessor In Search of Excellence. It is a series of chapters broken down by concept and then filled out with several examples of various companies succeeding with those principals. I just find that style a bit dry and grating, for whatever reason. I think it's because you think, 'I get it,' but you can see that there are still a bunch more examples to read through.
July 25, 2010
Ostensibly this book is about how knowing your clients better will help you provide them with excellent customer service. (And computer systems are what helps you remember the key info about them.) But if you're willing to open your mind a bit, you will find advice on making any business better through creating personal relationships.
May 24, 2010
Really helped me to look at what customer service techniques I could adapt to use at the salon I work at. Furthermore because my attention has been drawn to these opportunities, I will continue to look for excellent customer service from other establishments.
December 15, 2013
I suggest you read this book if you enjoyed "The Starbucks Experience". While TSE emphasizes the importance of customer service, this book takes the need for creating the perfect customer experience to another level by providing concrete and detailed examples on how to create such experience.
March 27, 2010
Practical ideas for incorporating authentic customer service into all businesses. A great resource for small business owners.
June 13, 2011
A MUST read for anyone in the service industry. Fair warning, this will make you a customer service snob.
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October 11, 2011This is one of the best books I've read on Customer Service!
October 8, 2012
Everyone should read this. Period.
December 19, 2014
Excellent primer on customer service. Also a quick read.
March 4, 2010
Great book on creating a consistent customer experience.
November 29, 2014
Loved this book. Makes you think about work/business from different angles.
August 14, 2017
A must read for any salon or stylist!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews