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Volume 23, Number 15 Copyright 2006 Business Book Review, LLC All Rights Reserved

Satisfaction
How Every Great Company Listens to the
Voice of the Customer

By Chris Denove and James D. Powers IV


2006 J.D. Power and Associates
Adapted by permission of Portfolio
ISBN: 1-59184-109-7

Reviewed by Jennifer Cuthbertson

Introduction

Customer satisfaction is a mantra in many companies. Read the mission statement or annual report of many businesses
and they talk about the importance of their customers. In Satisfaction: How Every Great Company Listens to the Voice
of the Customer, Chris Denove and James D. Power IV make a case that companies must do much more than talk about
customer satisfaction. Through examples and anecdotes gathered from customer satisfaction surveys, Denove and Power
show why customers must be the focal point for every aspect of a businessfrom the top down, and the authors provide
guidance for anyone who wants to ensure that his or her customers walk away 100 percent satisfied.
Business Book Review Vol. 23, No. 15 Copyright 2006 Business Book Review, LLC All Rights Reserved

Satisfaction

PART I: WHAT IS CUSTOMER SERVICE?

The authors begin the book by disclosing two conclusions


drawn from their experience measuring customer service.
First, despite what is written in policy, many organizations
have not made a commitment to customer satisfaction, and
secondly, the failure to do so costs money. This is due to
what the authors describe as an intractable connection
between high levels of customer satisfaction and increased
shareholder value.
Many executives fail to push customer service as
much as they should, because they believe that if there is a
pay-off for good customer service, it is somewhere in the
future, and most executives are too focused on the bottom
line of the here and now. To overcome this mindset, it is
necessary for management to understand how customer
service affects their business.
The link for most companies is usually one of the
following:

loyaltysatisfied customers will come back;


word of mouthsatisfied customers will spread
the word;
price premiumscustomers will pay more to
reputable companies;
reduced operating costscompanies will have
lower warranty expenses;
customer close ratesif the sales experience is
a satisfying one, the customer is more likely to
make the purchase.

Shareholder value is also impacted by customer


satisfaction. The authors looked at results of customer
satisfaction studies from between 1999 and 2004. They
hypothesized that if a company improved its customer
satisfaction index (CSI) during this time period, they should
have seen improvement in things like loyalty and word of
mouth, which in turn should have a positive impact on
shareholder value.
The results showed that there is a very strong link
between customer satisfaction and shareholder value.
Denove and Powers divided the companies they looked
at into three categories: a) companies whose customer
satisfaction rank was consistent; b) those whose rank
improved; and c) those whose rank dropped relative to their
competitors. The companies who improved satisfaction
increased their shareholder value by more than 50 percent.

Chris Denove and James D. Powers IV

Key Concepts
Denoves and Powers Principles of Consumer
Satisfaction:
1. Draw the financial link between satisfaction and
profits.
2. Understand the difference between satisfaction
and advocacy.
3. Identify a companys unique customer
touchpoints.
4. Heed the dangers of overpromising.
5. Build a culture of customer satisfaction from the
top down.
6. Understand the role of management versus the
role of frontline employees.
7. Empower frontline employees to do the right
thing.
8. Use problem resolution as an opportunity to
drive advocacy..
9. Use the Internet to drive customer satisfaction.
10. Focus on real customer satisfaction not just
customer satisfaction scores.
11. Develop an infrastructure built around the voice
of the customer.
*

Information about the author and subject:


www.jdpower.com
Information about this book and other business titles:
www.penguingroup.com
Related summaries in the BBR Library:
Customer Culture
By: Michael D. Basch
One to One B2B
By: Don Peppers and Martha Rogers

Those whose rank declined lost 22 percent of their value


over the period of the study.
Many companies are indifferent to their customers
needs because those at the top are unaware that there is
a problem with customer satisfaction. By the time they

Business Book Review Vol. 23, No. 15 Copyright 2006 Business Book Review, LLC All Rights Reserved

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Satisfaction

Chris Denove and James D. Powers IV

recognize it, considerable damage has been done to their


the frequency of purchase, the availability of information
companys reputation and poor customer service is now
about alternatives, the cost of purchase, and the use of
linked to their brand. Another factor that plays into this
loyalty programs. The actual cost of switching is less about
scenario is time. Once management realizes that there is a
money than it is about the risk of switching to a new or
customer service problem, it takes time to fix the problem
unknown brand. Customers will stay with a brand, even one
and to change consumer attitudes.
that has disappointed, if they are afraid that the alternatives
Another reason many companies do not place enough
might be worse.
importance on customer service is that they simply do not
Businesses depend on word of mouth advertising and
make the effort to understand how customer satisfaction
loyal customers become the best advertisement. When
impacts the bottom line. In order to
Unless customer satisfaction pays off in the form of increased
be able to use customer satisfaction
profits, it is nothing more than a buzzword destined to be cast out
as a tool for driving profitability, among a long list of business theories.
they must first understand that
customer satisfaction is not a goal in and of itself. Executives
trying to determine the link between the bottom line and
must understand how to use customer satisfaction as a
customer service, a company needs to know how important
bridge between the companys service and the consumers
word of mouth advertising is to it. There are three questions
buying power. Behavior is the key concept here
that any executive should be able to answer:
One behavioral fact is that customer satisfaction is a
does the purchase involve a significant
major component of loyalty, which is one of the factors
investment?;
that determine if a customer will come back. The authors
is there sufficient published information available
point out the first law of loyalty, The likelihood that a
from which consumers are able to make an
customer will remain loyal is directly linked to the number
informed decision?; and
of competitors to which your existing customers may defect.
how frequently are consumers in the market for
The easier it is for your customers to switch to another
that product or service.
brand, the more likely they are to do so if you fail to meet
Denove and Powers illustrate this with the example of
their expectations.
Pulte Homes. Even though builders cannot rely on repeat
There are many factors that affect the link between
customers to grow their business, they do rely on word
satisfaction and loyalty. They are the number of competitors,
of mouth advertising. In 1999, Pulte began organizing
around customer needs and at that time 20 percent of their
About the Authors
sales were influenced by the positive recommendation of
customers. Today, that number is 45 percent.
Chris Denove is a vice president of J.D. power
Some companies do not feel customer service is
and Associates, where he specializes in helping
important
because they are a low-price brand and customers
businesses improve customer satisfaction and profwill remain loyal because of price alone. Hyundai found out
its through listening to the voice of the customer.
the fallacy in this argument. Their attitude after their car
He previously held positions managing automobile dealerships and practicing consumer law in
was first introduced in the United States was that people
California.
should not complain, because a fully loaded Excel sold
for so much less than a Honda. They learned that there
James D. Power IV is an executive vice president
is a certain threshold of customer service that you cannot
and oldest son of the company founder. Before
afford to fall below.
joining the family business in 1990, he worked for a
Consumers will pay more for brands that offer greater
leading advertising agency and a major automobile
satisfaction. Online brokerage firms with higher customer
manufacturer. Today, he represents the company
around the world as leader of its international
service ratings have a larger share of their customers
operations.
wallets. While most traders still will not give all of their
business to one broker, those who are highly satisfied give
Business Book Review Vol. 23, No. 15 Copyright 2006 Business Book Review, LLC All Rights Reserved

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Satisfaction

Chris Denove and James D. Powers IV

a larger percentage. Another way that companies benefit


from increased customer satisfaction is through ancillary
sales. If customers are pleased with the experience of buying
a suit, they are more likely to purchase shirts and ties and
shoes from the same retailer.
One important customer service rule for any company

their friends. Some advocates have almost a religious zeal


for companies who win their loyalty. Advocates are also
immune to competitors claims.
On the other hand, customers who are extremely
dissatisfied become assassins. They too will spread their
story to anyone and everyone and, in the process, kill
a companys reputation. A third type of
Customer satisfaction problems are insidious. They grow
customer is the apathetic. These customers
silently like a cancer, strangling the foundation upon which a are in between advocates and assassins,
brand is built.
and they are customers who are simply
satisfied.
to remember is that no matter how sound your customer
To create an advocate a company must go beyond
service policies, they are being carried out by the employees
the expected level of service and quality. Customers
who have direct contact with the public.
become apathetic when a company merely meets their
This can be especially problematic for a company that
basic expectations. These customers are susceptible to
has many branches. Each branch will tend to take on its
competitors because they think the grass might be greener.
own personality and have its own reputation. It is important
Assassins are created when a company fails to meet
to each branch and to the company as a whole that they
the basic expectations and/or fails to promptly rectify a
have high customer service ratings, because this will
problem.
impact the bottom line of both the branch and ultimately
Denove and Power believe that companies need to
the company.
reevaluate their goals when dealing with angry customers
Enterprise Rent-A-Car experienced a period of profound
and they need to redefine what they consider a win in
growth, and managing growth is a challenge. Enterprise
this situation. Most companies believe they have won the
gives its branch managers a great deal of autonomy, so that
customer service battle if they terminate an encounter as
it is a large company that feels like a small one to customers.
quickly as possible, avoid a public scene, and accomplish
Each manager has targets for profitability and for customer
both of these without incurring a monetary cost. The
satisfaction, but the manager has discretion on how he or
problem with this philosophy is that it only provides shortshe reaches those targets.
term relief. It does not take into consideration the costs
This allows for each manager to be creative and to rely
associated with creating an assassin.
upon his or her talents and personality. This can lead to
A single assassin story does not mean that a company
satisfied employees and customers, but it can also lead to
is bad and has no disregard for its customers. Companies
wild inconsistency. Enterprise points its managers in the
are made up of humans and humans do make mistakes.
right direction by measuring the customer satisfaction at
However, a company should take every assassins story
each of its 6,400 branches. The first surveys that Enterprise
seriously. The authors did find a remarkable relationship
conducted raised a lot of concerns because of the gap in
between a companys likelihood to have an assassins story
scores among the branches.
written about it and that companys likelihood to score in
A pattern emerged from these surveys. No matter
the bottom half of satisfaction of our satisfaction surveys.
where they were located, those branches with the highest
In fact, they found that for the companies for which a
customer satisfaction ratings were the most profitable.
customer shared an assassins story, almost two-thirds
Enterprise management did not micromanage all of its
scored in the bottom half of their industry survey. Of all the
branches after the survey results. Instead, they allowed
companies that had an advocacy story, only a third scored
the high-performing branches to continue and focused on
in the bottom half.
helping out the branches that were not measuring up.
Merely satisfying customers is the same as running in
Customer satisfaction can make the difference between
place or sliding backwards. If a company merely meets but
making a customer an ally and making them an enemy.
does not exceed basic levels of customer service and quality,
Customers who are satisfied become advocates who tell
Business Book Review Vol. 23, No. 15 Copyright 2006 Business Book Review, LLC All Rights Reserved

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Satisfaction

Chris Denove and James D. Powers IV

a company is vulnerable. Apathetics might be willing to


change those or influence those that are a problem for
stay loyal to a brand, if nothing better comes along, but
them.
they probably will not endure any inconveniences or pay
a premium. They might also succumb to a competitors
message.
PART II: DO CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
However, the authors caution that making arbitrary
PROGRAMS ENSURE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION?
changes in order to improve customer satisfaction carries
One area that companies have little to no control over
risks as well. In fact, they believe that company executives
is customer expectation, and expectation plays a large
must understand what the return on investment will be
role in customer satisfaction. Today, customers have high
before they make a change to increase
It is important to note that customer satisfaction is not a giant
customer satisfaction. Therefore,
blanket that fits snugly over every company and every industry.
executives must determine how a
change will impact the way a customer
expectations. They have an unprecedented amount of choice
feels about products and services, and how this change
in goods and services, and they know that there have been
will impact how customers behavetheir loyalty, word
major improvements in quality and design. Satisfaction is a
of mouth, willingness to pay price premiums, etc.
product of a consumers expectations going into a business
Customer service impacts different businesses in
encounter, and the actual experience itself.
different ways. Service providers must provide customer
Reality is that customers have learned to expect more,
satisfaction in three areas:
making expectation a moving target. Consumers expect

the objective price of the service performed;


the subjective experience of how the service is
performed; and
the process by which the service is acquired.

For product manufacturers, there are two primary


and two secondary touchpoints where a client must be
satisfied. The primary touchpoints have to do with product
executionthe features, performance, design etc. of a
product. The second primary touchpoint is the product
quality. The secondary touchpoints are sales experience
and service experience. Most product manufacturers have
control over the primary touchpoints but little to none
over the secondary. Sales and service are usually provided
through retailers and dealers that have little to no connection
to the manufacturer.
So, product manufacturers need to ask themselves two
questions. The first is, how consumers decide at which
retailer to shop. The second is, what are the retailing
touchpoints that drive satisfaction? Most consumers
evaluate four key factors before making a decision on
what retailer to shop. They are concerned about location,
selection, price, and shopping experience.
Denove and Power issue a word of warning to
product manufacturers. There is not one path that leads
to customer satisfaction. Savvy companies look at their
specific consumer touchpoints and act accordingly. They

better performance and better service, and what wows a


customer today is standard tomorrow. With this in mind,
companies often forget that customer satisfaction is not
a sprint or a marathon. There is no finish line. Customer
satisfaction is a continuous challenge.
Planned obsolescence is a thing of the past. Washing
machines, cars, and computers are built to last longer.
Programs like Total Quality Management have set new
standards for products leaving the factory. The bottom line
is that consumers do not care why things last longer. They
just want the product to work the minute it is removed from
the box and to keep working for many years to come.
Some companies address this higher expectation by
adding new features and benefits. However, after a while
these new features come to be expected. How long before
DVD players are just standard equipment on any new
automobile?
Many companies find that service improvements are
right there under their noses. But, discovering them is
only half the battle. Many companies are afraid to initiate
a new program. They are afraid that it will then come to
be expected, and that competitors will follow suit and add
the new program as well, and, perhaps, the competitor
will up the ante. Consider the automobile rebate. In 2001,
it was a novelty. Today, many consumers wait for a rebate
to purchase a car.

Business Book Review Vol. 23, No. 15 Copyright 2006 Business Book Review, LLC All Rights Reserved

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Satisfaction

Chris Denove and James D. Powers IV

When enacting a new customer service program,


companies must ask themselves:

go wrong? BCS promises are probably the easiest customer


satisfaction issues to fix. Just do not make the promises.
One way to ensure that employees or managers do not
How much will this service cost our company?
make a BCS promise is to make sure everyone understands
How much will the service increase customer
the implicationsthe costsfor making such a promise.
satisfaction, and will this satisfaction translate into
One plumbing company that the authors cite as an example
sales?
of excellent customer service is Diamond Plumbing. The
Will the competition follow our lead, and how long
owner, Mike Diamond, commits that if his plumber does
can we keep a competitive advantage? and
not show up on time, the service call is free. Diamond
If the competition follows, will the service
believes that this causes his schedulers and his plumbers to
justify higher prices and create opportunities to
understand that a promise is a promise and not a target.
win new customers?
If a companys commitments are being broken because
One thing that many companies need to keep in mind
of inefficient systems, then the problem is fixable. One
is that if they do institute a new program or make new
easy fix for consumer-driven companies is to minimize
promises, they must keep them. Denove and Power point
the number of stops between complaint and resolution. The
out, One way to watch your customer satisfaction scores
best way is to empower employees to handle the problem
plummet is to over promise and under deliver.
on their own.
If a manager suspects that his or her company is having
When companies empower employees, when they
problems with broken promises, there are three questions
follow through on promises and actually provide customer
satisfaction, they put teeth in their
The journey to higher profitability through customer
platitudes. The truth is that many
satisfaction cant begin until you understand all the different
companies talk about customer service
ways your company touches its customers.
and the importance of the customer, but
they do not actually act on it.
that must be answered. First, did the company sanction or
Enterprise Rental Car decided to show its employees
promise the commitment or promise, or was it made by an
how serious they were about customer satisfaction and
individual who acted without authority? Second, was the
decreed that no manager would be eligible for promotion if
promise a good faith promise or was it made knowing
their groups customer service score fell below the corporate
that it could not be kept? And third, was the promise made
average. Once a few capable managers were passed over for
during the sales process or was it made to an existing
promotion because of low scores, everyone got the message.
customer?
Enterprise even redesigned its operating reports so that the
Based on answers to customer satisfaction surveys,
customer satisfaction score was displayed as prominently
Denove and Power know that many customers turn into
as the profit and fleet growth.
assassins due to broken promises, and those feelings can
The authors stress throughout the book that companies
linger. Sometimes the company representative makes the
must
consider more than just satisfying the customer. They
promise and has the intention or hope that it will be fulfilled.
must also weigh the benefits of customer satisfaction against
The authors refer to these as best-case scenario (BCS)
the cost. Some components of customer satisfaction cost
promises. These promises are likely to be kept as long
a company very little. Two low-cost factors that impact
as everything goes exactly rightthe part is ordered and
the level of a customers satisfaction are the processes that
shipped on time, nobody calls in sick, etc.
management imposes and the personal interaction that
First of all, companies need to refrain from making BCS
takes place between employees and customers.
promises whenever possible. This means they must address
Management may have simple processes for solving
the reasons these promises are made. Are they made to avoid
customer
problems, but if they are carried out by rude
conflict, or are they made because of overly complex or
employees, it will not matter. The converse is also true.
inefficient processes that increase the likelihood things will
If the resolution process is difficult and time consuming,
Business Book Review Vol. 23, No. 15 Copyright 2006 Business Book Review, LLC All Rights Reserved

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Satisfaction

Chris Denove and James D. Powers IV

it does not matter how friendly the employees are.


of customers is if the company fails to live up to the
Customer satisfaction results from a combination of
characteristics that spawned the community. Customers
policies, procedures and processes, as well as from personal
will not stand for being sold a bill of goods.
interaction between employees and customers.
High satisfaction companies follow a few critical rules.
Denove and Power list four key tenets for those who hire
1) Never underestimate the emotional power of humans
employees. First, focus on personality rather than technical
and their desire to belong. 2) Reach out to customers.
skills. Second, pay above the market average to
Customer expectations are tightly wound around an
attract the best candidates. Third, look for career- unprecedented flow of information.
minded individuals by promoting from within.
Fourth, have creative employee benefits that create a more
Do not wait for them to get in touch with you. 3) A
desirable working environment.
strong brand community puts a barrier up between you
Companies that hire the right people can then confidently
and the competition. 4) If products and services fail to
delegate more decision-making power down through
consistently meet standards, loyalty will fade. 5) Building
the ranks. Empowerment can be a scary and dangerous
community does not require clubs. It can be a shared spirit
prospect. But, it is not as dangerous as having institutional
or philosophy.
policies that do not allow employees to use their judgment,
Some companies build their community using their
or that force customers to work complaints up through
Internet sites. All companies should pay attention to the
multiple layers of bureaucracy.
Internet. It grants companies an unprecedented ability to
collect, collate and deliver information quickly. It has been
estimated that two-thirds of all Americans use the Internet
PART III: TURNING CUSTOMER SERVICE
regularly, and three-fourths go online to research products
AROUND
and services before buying.
Customers do understand that from time to time
The Internet also gives consumers an unprecedented
things will go wrong, and they do have a large capacity
amount of power. They can post company reviews online
for forgiveness. When a problem is solved quickly and
both good and bad ones. In the past, companies with poor
efficiently, customers have higher satisfaction than
customer service could exist and even thrive, because
customers who do not experience problems. Customers
dissatisfied customers only had the ability to tell so many
who feel that their problems have been handled efficiently
others about their experience. Now, they can tell unlimited
and fairly are also more likely to be loyal. So in some cases,
numbers about their experience.
advocacy is born out of adversity.
The Internet poses another threat to companies as well.
In the long run, it is best for a company to get it right
It makes changing brands a little less risky. Consumers
the first time. Luckily, there is a forgiveness cycle that can
can research competitors on line and find reviews by other
save the day when things do go wrong. Recovery is a second
consumers. They can evaluate another brand without any
chance to satisfy the customer.
monetary investment. Consumers also have to be cautious
One thing that distinguishes companies with high
and make sure that the information is from a legitimate
customer satisfaction ratings from those who do not is
source.
building a community around an organization or brand.
The authors note that the companies that are most
Communities lead to loyalty. The authors cite Harleyimpacted by the Internet are the last to understand it and
Davidson as a prime example of this. Their motorcycles
to try and use it to their advantage. Many of these do
represent a lifestyle embraced by many people all over the
not understand that the online customer experience is as
world.
important as the in-person experience. Larger companies
Some brands have an easier time building a community.
seem to have a harder time managing their Internet
It is easier to build a community around a motorcycle than
presence.
it is around some other products. Those who can pull it off
Sometimes, when customers deal with a company
reap great dividends. The danger in building a community
online, they feel they are dealing with a totally different
Business Book Review Vol. 23, No. 15 Copyright 2006 Business Book Review, LLC All Rights Reserved

Page 7

Satisfaction

company than the one they deal with in person. This


impression can be due to everything from the look and feel
of the site to the fact that there is a disconnect between the
Web site and the company. Think about a retail store that
has an online site and will not allow customers to return
merchandise to its retail outlet.
The best Web sites, like the best stores and companies,
create a complete circle around the customers experience.
This is especially important as many of todays consumers
have grown up with the Internet and have high expectations
for their online experiences. They do not have patience for
sites that are too slow and cumbersome and those that are
too fancy and difficult to navigate.
Denove and Power note that the automaker Kia has a
Web site that gets high customer satisfaction ratings. It is
not fancy. In fact, the authors describe it as pedestrian.
Kia does not have talking cars or let you download their
commercials, but it lets consumers see the cars. The options
for each vehicle are clearly labeled and displayed using large
black print against a clean white background. The home
page gives visitors key information and it is uncluttered
with promotional information.
For companies who provide customers a good Internet
experience, the payoff is huge. Customers are more likely
to visit a retail outlet of a brand that provided a good online
experience. Web sites need to appeal to two different types
of customers 1) those who are seeking quick access to basic
information and 2) those who want to know more about
everything a company does.
Focusing on customer satisfactionwhether online,
over the phone or in personmeans that branch managers
and field personnel have more pressure to deliver customer
satisfaction. The goal is to create customers who are
advocates. Some companies try to create advocates by
coercing customers into giving them high customer
satisfaction ratings.
Managers who are rewarded monetarily for high
customer satisfaction rankings may be more prone to
coercion. They may have a tendency to start valuing and
aiming for the monetary reward rather than for satisfied
customers. Companies who pay managers for high customer
satisfaction must let it be known that the goal is satisfied
customers and coercion will not be tolerated.
Companies with high customer satisfaction rankings
incorporate the voice of the customer into everything they

Chris Denove and James D. Powers IV

do. They revamp and fine tune based on customer feedback.


In order to do this, companies must gather feedback from
their customers and use that information effectively.
Many companies can do the first well, but they have a
harder time turning that feedback into action. In order
to include customers voices, a company must collect the
right information, analyze the information, and act upon
the information.
Those that collect the right information know how
satisfied their customers are in relation to their competitors.
They also measure how well each branch or department
ranks with customers and will understand their customers
needs. They will also know how closely customer satisfaction
is tied to the companys bottom line.
Collecting the information is the easy part. Analyzing
and interpreting it is harder, and putting it into playeven
harder. Often times the data does not go to the right people
within a company. This may be due to the politics within a
company. It is important to make sure there are not barriers
between those who collect the data and those who need
to use the data. But using the information is crucial to a
companys bottom line. Who better to tell a company how
to satisfy customer needs, than the customer.
*
* *
A chapter-by-chapter summary and a bibliography
are provided.

Remarks
Denove and Power discuss customer satisfaction from
A to Z, and they provide good information about what
makes a consumer satisfied. They back their conclusions
with compelling research taken from decades of customer
satisfaction surveys and with anecdotes from companies
that understand how to satisfy customers.
The authors put together a strong case for why customer
satisfaction should matter to every executive, and they link
it to the bottom line. Satisfied consumers are loyal, and
if a company is lucky, they will turn into advocates for a
companywalking advertisements if you will. But, it is a
thin line between assassin and advocate and Satisfaction:

Business Book Review Vol. 23, No. 15 Copyright 2006 Business Book Review, LLC All Rights Reserved

Page 8

Satisfaction

How Every Great Company Listens to the Voice of the


Customer gives sound advice for how to stay on the right
side of that line.
Many of the fixes are surprisingly easy. They have to
do with being aware of customers and their voices and of
company policy. It has to do with streamlining processes
so that the time between complaint and resolution is as
short as possible.
One of the points that the authors make from beginning
to end is that customer satisfaction is about more than saying
customers are important. It is about showing customers
they are important. This means gathering information
about what consumers want and putting that information
into practice.

Reading Suggestions
Reading Time 10-12 hours, 264 Pages in Book
This book is densely packed with ideas, information,
research, and anecdotes. Each point the authors make is
richly illustrated. Each chapter is basically a lesson on some
aspect of customer satisfaction that comes complete with
problem, diagnosis, solution, and plenty of examples.
For those who want the complete course on customer
satisfaction, it will be best to read the entire book in order
to understand the psychology of the customer, and how to
put systems and processes into place that will best serve
the customer. A complete reading will help an executive
to completely understand the link between profits and
satisfaction, and how to institute a customer satisfaction
program that will provide a strong return on investment.
This book can also be used as a refresher course or how to
guide, if you have a specific area of customer satisfaction
that needs to be addressed.
However a reader chooses to use this book, it is a good
read for anyone who is interested in learning more about
customer service.

Chris Denove and James D. Powers IV

CONTENTS
Chapter 1: Show Me the Money
Chapter 2: Loyalty: The Common Denominator for
Improving Customer Satisfaction
Chapter 3: Sorry, Boss, But it Was Out of my Control
Chapter 4: The Good, the Bad, and the Advocates
Chapter 5: Different Companies, Different Touchpoints
Chapter 6: Too much of a Good thing
Chapter 7: Promises, Promises
Chapter 8: Sending a Message from the Top
Chapter 9: Hitting the Jackpot
Chapter 10: The Superhero Who Dressed as a Janitor
Chapter 11: Trusting Employees to do the Right Thing
Chapter 12: Turing Bad Customer Encounters into Wins
Chapter 13: Building a Community, or How to Turn Your
Customers Into Fans
Chapter 14: The Internet: Filling the Information Void for
Customers
Chapter 15: Taking Control of the Online Experience
Chapter 16: Manage the Store, Not the Score
Chapter 17: Voice of the Customer

Business Book Review Vol. 23, No. 15 Copyright 2006 Business Book Review, LLC All Rights Reserved

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Satisfaction

Chris Denove and James D. Powers IV

A Note to Our Readers


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Business Book Review Vol. 23, No. 15 Copyright 2006 Business Book Review, LLC All Rights Reserved

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