Customer Service Books - Page 2

Salesforce.com For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))

Tom Wong, Liz Kao

Amazon Price: $16.49 List Price: $24.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: For Dummies Amazon Marketplace: 55 new & used starting at $13.41

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Subjects -> Business & Investing -> Marketing & Sales -> Sales & Selling -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Ready to start solving business challenges with CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software? Interested in the latest enhancements and updates to Salesforce.com? Salesforce.com For Dummies, 3rd Edition, has just what you need!

Salesforce.com is like an assistant for your sales, customer service, and marketing efforts — one that never takes a day off and never asks for a raise. Because it’s an Internet service, you sign up and log in through a browser, and it’s immediately available. Salesforce.com For Dummies, 3rd Edition shows you how to choose the right edition of Salesforce.com, and then how to use it to:

• Prospect, manage accounts, develop contacts, and calculate forecasts
• Manage your customers and your teams, and close more business
• Analyze, migrate, and maintain your data
• Track and resolve customer service issues
• Generate and pursue more sales leads and boost your revenue
• Use Salesforce with Google AdWords and manage your Internet marketing
• Integrate Salesforce.com with ERP applications for greater value
• Make sales data available to sales reps, managers, and executives
• Follow the sales process from lead to close and see how to maximize your productivity

You already know how competitive business is today, so there’s no time to lose! Salesforce.com For Dummies, 3rd Edition gets you going with this all-important CRM technology right away.

Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless: How to Make Them Love You, Keep You Coming Back, and Tell Everyone They Know

Jeffrey Gitomer

Amazon Price: $19.80 List Price: $30.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Bard Press Amazon Marketplace: 107 new & used starting at $3.12

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 79 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Are your customers satisfied, or loyal? 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 6 people found this review helpful.

The difference between a satisfied customer and a loyal customer is; one MIGHT do business with you again and MIGHT refer others to you, the other WILL do business with you again and CAN'T WAIT to tell others about your business. Of course this is just one of the many differences between a satisfied and a loyal customer. There are many others. Loyal customers cost less, because they are worth more!

Sales guru Jeffrey Gitomer's book, CUSTOMER SATISFACTION IS WORTHLESS: CUSTOMER LOYALTY IS PRICELESS, details these and many other differences that are critical to your business. The beautiful thing about it is, mediocre, or even less than mediocre has become the norm, so when you make just minimal effort at building customer loyalty, your business will literally stick out like a sore thumb. It's so easy in today's business climate to be head and shoulders above your competition.

I've never been a big fan of the way Gitomer lays out his books. Essentially this is a 200-page lesson in a 300-page format. I find it a little annoying sometimes when a page is filled with only eight or ten giant sized words, but must say the book does flow well and is very easy to digest.

I was also pleased to find some very interesting reading on related topics such as company mission statements. Gitomer includes several of these topics one may not initially associate with building customer loyalty, but yet, in their own way, play integral parts in your overall company focus on customer relationships.

I guess the easiest way to summarize this book is this; building customer loyalty is not that difficult, but it does take commitment and effort, coupled with direction and process. You furnish the first two, Gitomer has furnished the rest in this book.

Editorial Review:

Nationally syndicated columnist and sales trainer, Jeffrey Gitomer shows you how to convert satisfied customers into loyal customers.

The Experience Economy: Work is Theater & Every Business a Stage

James H. Gilmore, Joseph B. Dine

List Price: $18.95 By: Highbridge Audio Amazon Marketplace: 11 new & used starting at $6.98

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 40 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Beyond the service economy of the last century is quietly emerging the next age of commerce, the experience economy. Joseph Pine and James Gilmore present a thought-provoking discussion and glimpse into the next evolution in the marketplace.

Sophisticated technology and advanced communications have blurred the line between entertainment and reality, causing consumers to raise their expectations. Farsighted businesses recognize this shift and understand that what consumers want now is a rich, memorable experience as well as hard goods and services.

Mixing theatrical methodology with business acumen, the authors suggest that the best experiences are based on compelling and well-orchestrated themes. From Disney's careful scripting to Cabela's giant indoor mountain set, from the Hard Rock Café's props to Starbucks' inviting living rooms--indeed, the transformation to a new kind economy is already occurring. Clairvoyant and original, The Experience Economy is a blueprint for the business world of tomorrow and a must-have for anyone who wants to compete in the new millennium.

How to Become a Rainmaker: The Rules For Getting and Keeping Customers and Clients

Jeffrey J. Fox

Amazon Price: $11.53 List Price: $16.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Hyperion Amazon Marketplace: 186 new & used starting at $0.06

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 68 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

After a Year the results speak 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I read these reviews for help ascertaining the practical usefulness of a sales book. The thousands of reviews written by fellow authors which abound throughout the review on business/sales books I discount as completely worthless, authors scratching each others backs. Then there are the reviews by all the folks that know nothing of what sales is like in the real trenches of belly to belly selling. Worthless as well. Then the reviews by so called sales people and sales managers that is their opinion of the book being a "good" book or a "bad" book, that have suggestions, systems, etc. that they deem worthy or unworthy based on nothing more then their decree. No help for a salesman looking to better his skills and productivity.

I started last January and used the dollarization principle as part of every sales process for the year. This single principal drove my closing rate into the 90 percentile (93%) when presenting to the decision maker. My closing rate dropped to 76% when I have been forced to "sell by messenger" (i.e. selling my messenger occurred at times due to my own failure to present only to the final decision maker).
I also specifically used the principal regarding a "shot on goal" to close my biggest sale of the year which paid me a commission of a little under $12,000.

I use Mr. Fox's magic appointment setting words that make setting appointments with qualified prospects a natural, zero stress process (next time you have some one on the phone you have qualified and would like to meet just say the magic words..."do you have your calendar handy?" Direct, to the point and works in setting appointments with folks you want to see.

I've read libraries of sales books and my personal feeling has always been that if I pick up just one tip that helps close a sale the book was worth while. Well the rain maker books did that and much more for me. Here are the stats after 1 yr. on a national sales team of 37 sales reps, B2B, financial industry:

* Sales ranking went from 3 in the country to number 1
(4th person in country has 30% of the sales volume as number 3)

* Sales increase 2006 to 2007; 89% increase in sales

* 46% increase in income in 2007 over 2006

So hopefully this was a little more helpful as a review for my friends that are shoulder to shoulder with me in the frontlines of selling.

Editorial Review:

Filled with smart tips given in the Fox signature style, counter- intuitive, controversial, and practiced, this hard-hitting collection of sales advice shows readers how to woo, pursue, and finally win any customer. In witty, succinct chapters, Fox offers surprising, daring, and totally practical wisdom that will help readers rise above the competition in any company in any field. A terrific resource for CEOs, as well as anyone looking to distinguish themselves in salesbe it books, cars, or real estateHow to Become a Rainmaker offers the opportunity to rise above the competition in any company, in any field.

The Cluetrain Manifesto: The End Of Business As Usual

List Price: $32.00 By: Sound Ideas Amazon Marketplace: 12 new & used starting at $4.95

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 152 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Written by four of the liveliest voices on the Web, The Cluetrain Manifesto is a spirited, original and wonderfully irreverent conversation that will challenge, provake, and forever change your outlook on the digital economy.

What if the real power of the Web lay not in the technology behind it, but in the profound changes it brings to the way people interact with business? And what if these changes were altering the nature of your company as profoundly as they have changed your markets?

WWW.CLUETRAIN.COM burst onto the scene with 95 Theses to ignite a vibrant and viral conversation, making hash of corporate assumptions about the nature of online business. Provocative, outrageous and wickedly smart, the manifesto has challenged executiues from Global 1000 companies to sign-on or risk missing a genuine revolution.

A rich tapestry of anecdotes, object lessons, parodies, insights and predictions, The Cluetrain Manifesto illustrates how the Internet has radically refrained the "immutable laws" of business -- and what business needs to know to weather the seismic aftershocks.

The Big Book of Customer Service Training Games (Big Book Series)

Peggy Carlaw, Vasudha K. Deming

Amazon Price: $16.47 List Price: $24.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: McGraw-Hill Amazon Marketplace: 42 new & used starting at $7.39

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 25 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Best for active customer service training and seminars 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Pick and choose as you wish. It added spice and enthusiasm to my meirc customer service training in dubai.

The Big Book of Customer Service Training Games (Big Book of Business Games) 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This would be a great book for a new trainer, but not for a seasoned professional. There are not enough "fun" games in this book. Many of the games are just meant intiate a discussion about a topic. I was under the impression that the games would be more interactive.

Good for basics 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Likely best for entry level through mid level customer service. Enough exercises to get your folks "thinking" and focused on improved communications - a huge piece of excellent customer service.

Editorial Review:

Help your employees to excel in dealing with the public with this stimulating, fun-filled collection of customer service training games. Designed not only to teach important skills but also to spark enthusiasm and a high level of involvement in the participants, these games utilize entertaining and instructive techniques such as role-playing, charades, brainstorming, and debate. As a result of these exercises, employees will learn how to create a rapport with the customer, how to focus on the unique needs of individual customers, how to maintain a positive attitude, and more.

Human Sigma: Managing the Employee-Customer Encounter

John H. Fleming, Jim Asplund

Amazon Price: $15.81 List Price: $25.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Gallup Press Amazon Marketplace: 48 new & used starting at $9.94

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A Book-Length Ad for an Expensive Service 2 out of 5 stars.
2 of 5 people found this review helpful.

While I agree with the reviewers who cited this book's fascinating stories and compelling insights, ultimately I was disappointed because it promised but did not deliver actionable advice on how to employ Human Sigma. I felt like the kid in "A Christmas Story" whose secret decoder ring helps him unscramble the message "Drink more Ovaltine."

Editorial Review:

The groundbreaking methodology Six Sigma changed the face of manufacturing quality. Now, HumanSigma is poised to do the same for sales and service. In the face of widespread perceptions of abysmal customer service and disengaged employees — and all-too-real declining profit margins — the need for change is obvious. Human Sigma addresses this need with an exciting new method for managing customer-employee relations that increases both productivity and profitability. It incorporates cutting-edge research in the neurosciences and behavioral economics — including brain imaging research into customer’s emotional connections to the companies they love — with proven techniques for improving workforce performance and revenues generated from existing customers. This practical handbook appeals to senior leaders and line managers alike who are looking for a way to dramatically increase productivity, retain high value customers, and enhance organizational performance.

Little Red Book of Sales Answers: 99.5 Real World Answers That Make Sense, Make Sales, and Make Money (Jeffrey Gitomer's Little Books)

Jeffrey Gitomer

Amazon Price: $13.59 List Price: $19.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: FT Press Amazon Marketplace: 90 new & used starting at $7.53

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 47 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Salespeople need answers, fast! Now, one book brings together all the proven, tested, instant answers they'll ever want: Little Red Book of Sales Answers. This is the legendary Jeffrey Gitomer, the world's #1 sales presenter and author of the inspirational 250,000-copy bestseller Little Red Book of Selling. This new book goes beyond anything Gitomer's ever done, offering 99.5 quick, fun-to-read, real-world answers guaranteed to make sense, and make money! You'll discover the best ways to leave voicemail...ask for appointments...start presentations...follow up...ask for the sale...respond to angry customers...earn referrals...Here are perfect answers for establishing rapport...improving humor and creativity...making cold calls...getting past gatekeepers...controlling phone conversations...overcoming price objections...recognizing buying signals...using the Internet...getting reorders...finding role models and mentors...becoming a better writer...picking the right contact software...ordering the right business lunch...creating stand-out proposals...setting goals...adding value in every possible way. In your business, you can't afford to settle for the second-best approach. This book provides an extension of a successful brand by moving from a generic selling book to a book that gives a personal, practical guide to fulfilling your goals.

Programming Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 (Pro-Developer)

Mike Snyder, Jim Steger, Brad Bosak, Corey O'Brien, Phil Richardson

Amazon Price: $37.79 List Price: $59.99 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Microsoft Press Amazon Marketplace: 34 new & used starting at $31.91

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Editorial Review:

Announcing a fully revised second edition of this popular SELF-PACED TRAINING KIT designed to help maximize your performance on 70-536, a core exam for the MCTS and MCPD certifications. This 2-in-1 kit includes the official Microsoft study guide, plus practice tests on CD to help you assess your skills. It comes packed with the tools and features exam candidates want most including in-depth, self-paced training based on final exam content; rigorous, objective-by-objective review; exam tips from expert, exam-certified authors; and customizable testing options. It also provides real-world scenarios, case study examples, and troubleshooting labs for the skills and expertise you can apply to the job. Focusing on the fundamentals of .NET application development, this official study guide covers using system types, collections, and generics to help manage data; validating input, reformatting text, and extracting data with regular expressions; developing services, application domains, and multithreaded applications; enhancing your applications by adding graphics and images; implementing code access security, role-based security, and data encryption; working with serialization and reflection techniques; instrumenting your applications with logging and tracing; and interacting with legacy code using COM Interop and PInvoke. Work at your own pace through the lessons and lab exercises. Then assess yourself using 300+ practice and review questions on the CD, featuring multiple, customizable testing options to meet your specific needs. Choose timed or untimed testing mode, generate random tests, or focus on discrete objectives. You get detailed explanations for right and wrong answers including pointers back to the book for further study. You also get an evaluation version of Microsoft Visual Studio® 2008 software and an exam discount voucher making this kit an exceptional value and a great career investment.

Key Book Benefits

Comprehensive exam prep study guide In-depth coverage of exam objectives and sub-objectives plus instructive case studies and troubleshooting scenarios to enhance your performance on the job 300+ practice and review questions Test engine that enables customized testing, pre-assessment and post-assessment, and automated scoring and feedback Microsoft Visual Basic and Visual C# code samples on CD Handy exam-mapping grid Evaluation version of Visual Studio 2008 software 15 percent exam-discount voucher from Microsoft (limited time offer) Entire study guide in searchable eBook format

Lessons from the Mouse: A Guide for Applying Disney World's Secrets of Success to Your Organization, Your Career, and Life

Dennis Snow

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: DC Press Amazon Marketplace: 3 new & used starting at $13.57

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Learn Service Excellence and Customer Loyalty the Disney Way 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

When families visit Disney World, their attention is focused on the majesty of Cinderella's castle, the cultural experiences available at EPCOT Center, and the kids' eager dash to hug Mickey Mouse as he walks down the Magic Kingdom's Main Street, USA. Guests can forget that Disney World is an intricate corporation employing thousands of people who must pay attention to every detail of the park's operation. Without fanatical focus on customer satisfaction and an organized business model, Disney World could not be the fantasy destination for millions of tourists every year. In his new book, Lessons from the Mouse, Dennis Snow shares his experiences as a former Disney cast member, trainer, and manager. Along the way, he provides readers with wonderful advice that can be applied to any business or organization.

Snow develops each chapter of his book to serve perfectly as a step-by-step guide to improving customer service. Each lesson presented by the author begins with a memorable heading, my favorite being Lesson #3 "What Time is the Three O'Clock Parade? is Not a Stupid Question." (Read the lesson and you will learn that the questioner really wants to know when a parade will reach his particular vantage point.) Snow then dives right into specific examples from personal employment experiences at Disney World. In one chapter, the introductory story may be the way in which Snow delicately shared the bad news that Space Mountain was closed for repairs while another lesson may begin with the reminder he received from a guest to smile when doing his job. Snow also makes a point to take the lesson of each chapter and extend it beyond its Walt Disney World roots. Through the clear layout of bulleted points, Snow shares how his lessons can be applied to airlines, hospitals, sandwich shops and collection agencies. Finally, Snow ends each lesson with a distinct set of questions which members of any organization can discuss in order to apply the key points of the chapter to their specific needs.

Snow has an engaging and conversational tone to his writing. I easily can picture him leading a discussion in an auditorium filled with professionals. Therefore, I was not surprised to learn that Snow maintains a schedule of over one hundred speaking engagements every year. Readers will quickly sense the passion that Snow has for superior customer service and the effect that it can have on the success for any organization. As someone who often laments the lack of common courtesy amongst one another in public settings and the seemingly increasing absence of work ethic in our service industry, I found myself nodding in agreement with each piece of advice made in this book. The lessons should be common-sense essentials for a successful business but, as the author indicates through his examples, a basic discussion of these customer service details is long overdue in both boardrooms and break rooms.

Prospective readers should not be turned off by an assumption that Lessons from the Mouse is simply yet another self-help training manual for those in the business world. While the lessons are undoubtedly important to prospective corporate leaders, Snow's approachable style keeps the context engaging and relevant for any reader. I found myself relating to many scenarios described, if only from the perspective of a customer. Haven't we all gotten frustrated when a cashier cannot be bothered to stop her personal conversation while ringing up your groceries or when we cannot place our trash in a fast food restaurant's bins because they are already overflowing? If you have left the house and interacted with a fellow human who is somehow employed in a service capacity, you will be able to relate to this book. And, perhaps you will be challenged to think about how your own attitude may be affecting the quality of your outcomes.

What can you learn from a mouse? When that mouse has been delighting and entertaining hundreds of millions of people for decades, it turns out there is plenty to learn. Readers of any professional background will appreciate and enjoy the advice dispensed by Dennis Snow in Lessons from the Mouse. As a consumer, after reading this book I immediately took notice of the level of customer service I received from local businesses and recognized its impact on my overall satisfaction. Concerning my own work, I am now consciously striving to apply every lesson to my communication with clients. I am confident that each reader will find unique ways to use Lessons from a Mouse in their own lives. Whether you are a physician or a mechanic or a cotton candy vendor at Disney World, Mr. Snow's book is filled with relevant material and should be a must-read for employees and leaders in any field.

Editorial Review:

What can you learn from a mouse? When that mouse has been delighting and entertaining hundreds of millions of people for decades it turns out there is plenty to learn. Dennis Snow s Lessons From the Mouse provides ten no-nonsense, practical principles that anyone, anywhere can apply. He entertains while he educates with chapters like What Time is the 3:00 Parade? Is Not a Stupid Question. The mouse is very candid here no Disney pixie dust blinds the reader. Backstage snafus, onstage errors, and occasional chaos emerge in all their drama, humor, or irony. At its heart, though, Lessons From the Mouse presents ten lessons that guide readers in applying excellence in their own organizations, careers, and lives. Whether being used as a tool for increased organizational effectiveness or a pocket guide for the college grad or new entrepreneur, Lessons From the Mouse offers timeless, straightforward advice.