Uncommon Service

How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business

Frances Frei author Anne Morriss author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Harvard Business Review Press

Published:7th Feb '12

Should be back in stock very soon

Uncommon Service cover

This insightful book reveals how Uncommon Service can transform service into a competitive advantage, driving productivity and profitability in modern businesses.

In Uncommon Service, authors Frances Frei and Anne Morriss challenge conventional views on customer service, presenting it as a vital component for achieving competitive advantage in today's dynamic economy. They argue that service should no longer be seen merely as a reactive function meant to address complaints; instead, it must be integrated into the very fabric of an organization's strategic decisions. By doing so, businesses can leverage service as a powerful tool for enhancing productivity and profitability.

The book outlines a transformative operating model that compels organizations to make deliberate choices about how they define and deliver service excellence. Frei and Morriss prompt readers to consider questions such as what customers truly value—whether that be convenience, friendliness, or price—and how businesses can effectively charge for that value. They emphasize the importance of empowering employees to deliver exceptional service and the need for a supportive organizational culture that aligns with these goals.

Ultimately, Uncommon Service serves as a guide for leaders looking to rethink their approach to service. It provides practical insights on how to engage customers in a way that fosters respect and cooperation, thereby creating a more productive and profitable business environment. By weaving service into core business strategies, organizations can not only meet but exceed customer expectations, ensuring long-term success in a competitive marketplace.

"The book was uncommonly excellent. Very straightforward and to the point. Frei and Morriss uncover four basic truths about customer service, discuss the important ingredient of culture and provide guidance on how companies can scale to get bigger...this might be the best book I've ever read on achieving service excellence." -- Stan Phelps, CustomerThink (customerthink.com) "This book is a practical guide for leaders who want to use service to strategically differentiate their companies from the competition." -- Jeff Toister, CustomerThink (customerthink.com) "Anne Morriss and Harvard Business School Professor Frances Frei make the counterintuitive, but compelling argument that true success for service businesses requires that you give up on being perfect; that you make some tradeoffs." -- Business Insider (businessinsider.com) "Morriss and Frei have a powerful and surprising answer..." -- Forbes.com "In this upbeat and highly readable book, the authors isolate four "service truths" that companies must understand..." -- BizEd magazine "The book is full of case studies showing how companies have harnessed their strengths but cut corners elsewhere, in pursuit of the ultimate goal: excellent service." -- South Africa Financial Mail "I found Uncommon Service to be a refreshing, frank and honest look at how any organization can increase profitability, satisfaction and competitive advantage by delivering consistently outstanding service." -- American Express Open Forum

ISBN: 9781422133316

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 481g

272 pages