The Orange Revolution: How One Great Team Can Transform an Entire Organization by Adrian Gostick
Great Places to Work surveyed 350,000 people and Adrian and Chester analyzed it to figure out what makes team go. In the end the key ingredients are Wow, No Surprises and Cheering each other on. They also look at hurdles, improving communications, recruiting and hiring, etc.
More about the book here, and Adrian, here.
24 Hour Customer: New Rules for Winning in a Time-Starved, Always-Connected Economy by Adrian Ott
When we think about our customers being always-connected, it means much more than just how the customer service department is organized. This book looks at how the product offerings take into account how we live today. How does your brand interact with that? Are you in their face or a silent partner? Customers consider not just the cost, but the time it will take to switch or sign up. Incorporate the customer’s time into your mix, and see what kind of home run you can create.
I talk to Adrian about how time affects how we do business, the difficulty of being a silent partner, the scoop on bundling, and more.
More about the book at http://24HourCustomer.com/.
The 1% Windfall by Rafi Mohammed
If we aren’t careful, pricing can be like a pendulum with large across-the-board increases or discounts. There’s a line for every customer, and getting the right amount of profit for each is the thesis of this book. The beauty of this is, increased profits for your company may not be from the endless pursuit to cut costs or restructuring. Rafi lays out 50 different ways you can increase your profits a little at a time. Now 1% may not sound intriguing, but consider this: if Wal-mart increased it’s profit by 1%, it would mean billions more in profit.
I talk with Rafi about how this works, bringing dormant customers back into the fold, and how to compensate salespeople.
More about the book at PricingForProfit.com.
I Love You More Than My Dog by Jeanne Bliss
We read and hear the stories people tell about Zappos, Trader Joe’s and other companies that don’t just have customers, they have fans. These are beloved companies, as Jeanne calls them. They have created a connection with their customers by how they’ve chosen to interact with them. This book looks at the 5 key decisions they make, and challenges you to find your way to join the ranks.
I talk with Jeanne about trusting your customer, what these decisions are and more.
More about Jeanne at CustomerBliss.com
Duck and Recover by Steven S. Little
While survival is on the mind of many, Steven wants to not only see you survive, but also to use opportunities around you to grow. So the book is divided into two parts: “Ducking” is positioning yourself at your strongest point. Think of a football linebacker in a three-point stance. “Recover” is growing while those around you are satisfied with just hanging on. He does this by challenging common held beliefs and giving guidance on cash flow, pricing and profit margins.
More about the Steven at StevenSLittle.com
