What do you think?
Rate this book
The Science of Service: The Proven Formula to Drive Customer Loyalty and Stand Out from the Crowd
When it comes to customer satisfaction, consistency is king―not the customer.
While it’s been proven that customer satisfaction can greatly impact many financial aspects of a business―from cash flow to profitability and share price―most companies have not considered the science behind customer service or built a system for it. With Mark Colgate’s FAME model―standing for Framework, Accountability, Moments , and Endurance ―companies and organizations will be able to differentiate themselves, and create a unique approach that will communicate their service brand to their customers in a compelling, clear, and memorable manner.
Colgate’s model demands effort, innovation, practice, and endurance, but it will also empower readers to distinguish their businesses among competitors, win over customers even when they’re proving difficult, and help companies achieve service fame. Backed by case studies and scientific research, this book will help readers to understand the science, tools, and frameworks needed to create their own consistently high-calibre customer service for their organizations, boosting annual returns as a result.
While it’s been proven that customer satisfaction can greatly impact many financial aspects of a business―from cash flow to profitability and share price―most companies have not considered the science behind customer service or built a system for it. With Mark Colgate’s FAME model―standing for Framework, Accountability, Moments , and Endurance ―companies and organizations will be able to differentiate themselves, and create a unique approach that will communicate their service brand to their customers in a compelling, clear, and memorable manner.
Colgate’s model demands effort, innovation, practice, and endurance, but it will also empower readers to distinguish their businesses among competitors, win over customers even when they’re proving difficult, and help companies achieve service fame. Backed by case studies and scientific research, this book will help readers to understand the science, tools, and frameworks needed to create their own consistently high-calibre customer service for their organizations, boosting annual returns as a result.
208 pages, Hardcover
Published September 18, 2018
9 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 8, 2018
When I opened this book, I expected book about customer service. What it truly was for me was a collection of lessons in the form of short stories from the author's travels around the globe. While reading I took notes, I reflected, and most importantly I laughed out loud. A thoroughly entertaining way to learn about service excellence, leadership, and empowering our teams to succeed.
September 21, 2018
Learning about the importance of the 3Rs and how to build a strong service system were new ideas that helped me see service in a different light. Chapters 2 and 3 were among my favourites and I especially loved the Whistler Chamber case study and how it showed that you can build great service throughout a whole community. Tie it all together with humour, years of research, case studies, random stories, and lived experiences... This is a great book!
July 24, 2019
Great book based on experience and theory - great combination. Chapter 2 are three and my favs but the author's model means you need to read until the last chapter. I like it!
August 22, 2025
Mark Colgate’s The Science of Service is a clear, highly usable playbook for leaders who want to make service excellence repeatable rather than accidental. The book’s core ideas—the 3Rs (Reliability → Responsiveness → Relationships) and the FAME model (Framework, Accountability, Moments of Power, Endurance)—give teams a memorable order of operations and a shared language. Real-world cases (Kiwi Experience, T-Mobile’s “Un-carrier,” Whistler’s community rollout, Commonwealth Bank) keep the concepts grounded and show how small behavioral disciplines compound into brand equity and loyalty.
What works best is the ruthless emphasis on consistency. Colgate argues convincingly that if reliability isn’t nailed first, warmth and speed won’t land, and he backs this with research summaries and concrete examples. The “Moments of Power” chapters (context, expertise, relationships, problem handling) are especially actionable; they help frontline managers turn fuzzy ideals into specific coaching targets.
Where it’s weaker: some examples are old and would benefit from fresher data points and more digital/omnichannel depth (self-service design, AI support, recovery analytics). The humour and anecdotes add lift but occasionally overstay.
Bottom line: If you lead service teams or teach service/experience design, this is a very strong practical field manual with sticky frameworks you can deploy Monday morning. It won’t answer every technology question, but it will align your people around behaviors that actually move NPS/retention.
What works best is the ruthless emphasis on consistency. Colgate argues convincingly that if reliability isn’t nailed first, warmth and speed won’t land, and he backs this with research summaries and concrete examples. The “Moments of Power” chapters (context, expertise, relationships, problem handling) are especially actionable; they help frontline managers turn fuzzy ideals into specific coaching targets.
Where it’s weaker: some examples are old and would benefit from fresher data points and more digital/omnichannel depth (self-service design, AI support, recovery analytics). The humour and anecdotes add lift but occasionally overstay.
Bottom line: If you lead service teams or teach service/experience design, this is a very strong practical field manual with sticky frameworks you can deploy Monday morning. It won’t answer every technology question, but it will align your people around behaviors that actually move NPS/retention.
January 20, 2023
Great examples of some companies that are killing it (service), how to’s, and tying it all together are personal anecdotes and ‘random stories’ that struck me as laugh-out-loud funny. This deserves a repeat read-through, but lots of practical nuggets to digest and implement now. Great value!
April 9, 2021
Great service book for novices or experts. I really the practical cases and use of science. Short and easy to read.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews