Discovering the Soul of Service The Nine Drivers of Sustainable Business Success

ThiswiseandinspiringbookbyLeonardBerry,movesfarbeyondhispioneeringworkinservicesmarketingandservicequalitytoexplainhowgreatservicecompaniesmeettheirtoughestchallenge:sustaininglong-termsuccess.Inaworldwherecustomersregardflawlessproductsasagiven,serviceisthekeydifferentiatorbetweencompetitorsinanyfield.FromBerry'sexactingstudyoffourteenmature,highlysuccessful,labor-intensivecompaniescomesanastonishingrevelation:thesinglemostimportantfactorinbuildingalastingservicebusinessisnotamatterofsavvybusinesspractice,butofhumanevalues.Inallfourteenaward-winningcompanies--BergstromHotels,TheCharlesSchwabCorporation,Chick-fil-A,TheContainerStore,CustomResearchInc.,DanaCommercialCredit,Dial-A-Mattress,EnterpriseRent-A-Car,MidwestExpressAirlines,MillerSQA,SpecialExpeditions,St.PaulSaints,USAA,andUkrop'sSuperMarkets--values-drivenleadershipconnectswithstrategicfocus,executionalexcellence,controlofdestiny,trust-basedrelationships,generosity,investmentinemployeesuccess,actingsmall,andbrandcultivationtodrivecustomersatisfaction,innovation,andgrowth.Dedicatingachaptertoeachoftheseninedrivers,thisbookisthemostfar-reachingandinsightfulvisioneverpresentedoftheprinciplesandstep-by-stepactionsthatcontinuouslybringsuccesstolifeinacompany.Berry'scomprehensivemodelrevealsthesoulthatunderliesthestrategiesandday-to-dayoperationsofgreatservicecompanies,guidingthethousandsofdailydecisionsofindividualemployees.Clear,compelling,pathbreaking,DiscoveringtheSoulofServiceisessentialreadingformanagerseverywhere.,