Aligning the Stars: How to Succeed When Professionals Drive Results: Jay W. Lorsch, Thomas J. Tierney

• Filed under: Business

Editorial Reviews

Combining perspectives of “a doer and a teacher” with experiences of two dozen professional service firms representing the ups and downs of the Old and New economies, Aligning the Stars offers detailed analysis of such firms today–and specific suggestions for their future success. Jay W. Lorsch, professor of human relations at Harvard Business School, and Thomas J. Tierney, former chief executive of Bain & Company (and now chairman of its nonprofit affiliate), interviewed principals at successful and struggling law firms, ad agencies, investment banks, and similar institutions to determine the practices that have helped the best thrive. Their conclusion: “Outstanding firms are consistently able to identify, attract, and retain star performers; to get stars committed to their firm’s strategy; to manage stars across geographic distance, business lines, and generations; to govern and lead so that both the organization and its stars prosper and feel rewarded.” Their book subsequently provides specific ways these “stars” (key performances critical to organizational success) can be “aligned” (via practices and structures that match their needs with those of the business). Lorsch and Tierney progress logically through client-centered strategies, development- and motivation-oriented people systems, corporate structure and governance, organizational culture, and leadership. A final section aims to help readers succeed in these newly shaped environments. –Howard Rothman

From Publishers Weekly
Focusing on the sector of professional service firms (including ad agencies, law firms, executive search firms, tech service providers, strategy consultants and more), Harvard Business School professor Lorsch and consultant Tierney explain how to manage talent for success. The authors examine 18 organizations, from Goldman Sachs to Ogilvy & Mather, to show readers how “alignment” (organizing a firm’s talent) results from leadership and its implementation. Professional service firms are a major component of business today, making the market for Lorsch and Tierney’s book a substantial one. Their suggestions are timely and specific.

Order Aligning the Stars: How to Succeed When Professionals Drive Results: Jay W. Lorsch, Thomas J. Tierney form Amazon.

Driving Customer Equity : How Customer Lifetime Value is Reshaping Corporate Strategy: Roland Rust, Valarie Zeithaml, Katherine Lemon

• Filed under: Business

Editorial Reviews

Review
Serban Teodoresco VP Operations, DiverseyLever Consulting, Unilever Group An insightful and powerful new model for establishing clear strategic priorities. Faced with fast wealth migration in their industry and customers with more options than ever, companies will need such models if they want to remain competitive. — Review

Review
Gary W. LovemanCOO, Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc.Customer equity is the key concept around which we have distinguished Harrah’s Entertainment as a customer relationship-driven company in a product-centric industry. The ideas in this book have paid big dividends for us.

David ShoenfeldSenior Vice President, Worldwide Marketing, FedExMake customer equity the focus of your brand management and investment strategies with an eye toward customer lifetime value, and unlock the potential that your customers truly represent.

David K. FindlayCEO, DuPont Flooring Systems, Inc.Driving Customer Equity puts the focus of strategic thinking back on the customer. It provides an intriguing set of frameworks and evaluation processes on which to build business models in tune with today’s competitive realities.

Lance RosenzweigCEO, PeopleSupport.comExciting to read — business owners and managers in all industries can quickly apply these brilliant insights and practical examples to make key decisions to increase the value of their businesses.

Serban TeodorescoVP Operations, DiverseyLever Consulting, Unilever GroupAn insightful and powerful new model for establishing clear strategic priorities. Faced with fast wealth migration in their industry and customers with more options than ever, companies will need such models if they want to remain competitive.

Don Peppers and Martha RogersPartners, Peppers and Rogers GroupRead this book before your competitors do. It will help you get a handle on customer value and loyalty as must-know metrics in the new economy.

Order Driving Customer Equity : How Customer Lifetime Value is Reshaping Corporate Strategy: Roland Rust, Valarie Zeithaml, Katherine Lemon form Amazon.

Who Said So The Questions Revolutionary Businesses Ask That Make Them Successful: Michael E. Parker

• Filed under: Recommended

Editorial Reviews

In Who Said So?, Michael Parker introduces you to the unique leadership philosophy known as Value-Centered Management. Using the exciting, creative format of a business narrative, the book contrasts the familiar pains of traditional business management with Value-Centered Management by contrasting the opposing style of father and son managers. Following this enlightening business tale, you’ll learn how to focus your business on what your customers truly value—and how to turn that into new business and profit.

From the Inside Flap
Who Said So? is a business story that will transform the way you serve all your clients and accounts. Using a compelling fictional narrative that contrasts the different management styles of a father and son, it introduces a revolutionary management philosophy called Value-Centered Management.

Value-Centered Management is a customer-focused approach that leads to amazing results that will pleasantly surprise even the most jaded manager or success-minded business professional. In Who Said So?, you’ll follow John, a successful yet frustrated team manager, as he discovers and implements this new and revolutionary management style in order to save his biggest client—and his career.

What John discovers changes his entire perspective on management and business. While tradition divides our businesses into different departments with different goals and motivations, Value-Centered Management unites an organization behind one goal—giving customers exactly what they value. Like John, you might think you have to do things the traditional way in order to succeed, but who said so? If a business isn’t focused exclusively on customers, what is it focused on?

Who Said So? answers these questions and more. It shows you how to find out what your customers truly value and do what it takes to give it to them. It’s an aggressive and effective way to build an organization solely around what your customers want most. As this dramatic business fable unfolds, you’ll discover the courage it takes to look at your organization from a value-centered perspective and learn all the steps to rebuild your business with the customer at the center.

Who Said So? is a novel, but one that imparts important and valuable business insight. Step inside and meet John, a manager—perhaps just like you—who has to do something radical to save his most important account. Does he have what it takes to seek out what his customer truly values and then deliver it?

DO YOU?

Order Who Said So The Questions Revolutionary Businesses Ask That Make Them Successful: Michael E. Parker form Amazon.

The Momentum Effect: How to Ignite Exceptional Growth: J.C. Larreche

• Filed under: Recommended

Review
“Momentum does offer a big unifying theory… Read and enjoy this book.” - Financial Times, May 2008 “Larreche’s research throws new light on age-old debates about marketing budgets and marketing effectiveness” - Marketing Week May 2008
–This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

One of the most frequent challenges that managers and executives face today is: How do I keep on growing and at the same time, make a profit?’ Based on the author’s extensive research on over 350 Fortune 1000 Firms, The Momentum Effect proves that the old method of spending big on marketing and slashing the manufacturing costs doesn’t work anymore. Instead, it provides new evidence to show that in order to achieve profitable growth you have to create new value for customers through innovation, ingenuity and most importantly by seeing things from a customer perspective. This strategy generates a positive, reinforcing momentum which leads to further growth. Why limit your business growth? With Momentum, you won’t have to.
–This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Order The Momentum Effect: How to Ignite Exceptional Growth: J.C. Larreche form Amazon.

The Secret to GE’s Success: A Former insider Reveals the Leadership lessons of the World’s Most Competitive Company: William E. Rothschild

• Filed under: Recommended

From Publishers Weekly
Looking beyond GE’s legendary CEO Jack Welch, Rothschild takes a wider perspective on the company’s history in this unwieldy management guide. Structuring the book around the various phases in the company’s evolution, he looks all the way back to the founding by Thomas Edison in 1879 and analyzes the business lessons that have gradually emerged. At the same time, Rothschild, a former GE insider who formed his own consulting company in 1984, focuses on five key success areas: leadership, adaptability, talent, influence and networks, reinforcing key “takeaways” at the end of each chapter. Unfortunately, the book’s chronological structure and overwhelming detail makes it read more like an annotated history than a management guide with business-changing insights. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Learn why GE has always had the best inventors, the best strategic planners, and the best results

William Rothschild, who witnessed GE’s revolution firsthand, explains the five keys that made GE a global phenomenon—and gives managers a complete toolkit for duplicating its remarkable success. He explains the GE Code—the hallmark of all GE leadership teams—and provides a far-ranging prescriptive plan for strategizing the GE way.

Order The Secret to GE’s Success: A Former insider Reveals the Leadership lessons of the World’s Most Competitive Company: William E. Rothschild form Amazon.

Many Unhappy Returns: One Man’s Quest To Turn Around The Most Unpopular Organization In America (Leadership for the Common Good): Charles O. Rossotti

• Filed under: Recommended

From Publishers Weekly
A successful businessman but political neophyte, Rossotti was appointed commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service in 1997; this book is a matter-of-fact recounting of his five-year tenure, which included many of President Bush’s changes to the code. An entertaining insider’s account, it reads like the bureaucratic equivalent of a police procedural. With refreshing clarity, Rossotti describes such impediments as political pressure from the White House and the “senseless issues that the [IRS] lawyers insisted on pursuing.” None of the villains are identified by name, but the author’s determination to name and praise everyone who helped sometimes make the book read like an overlong Academy Awards acceptance speech. It succeeds as a management case study, clearly laying out Rossotti’s initial analysis of apparently intractable problems, followed by the development of strategies for change, the recruitment of stakeholders and the use of skills and tricks required to shepherd the process to a successful conclusion. And the book demonstrates that dedication by honest and talented managers can produce results (even if one disagrees with them). It’s also an inspiring bit of political truth telling. (Mar.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
In 1998, with public opinion of the IRS at an all-time low, Rossotti was hired as IRS commissioner. He faced the daunting task of reorganizing the behemoth organization, which had not been done since 1952. With the public and Congress clamoring for heads to roll, Rossotti was under the microscope. He was facing woefully outdated technology, including a telephone system that was busy 99 percent of the time, creaky computers with code that had been written in the 1970s that were about to collapse with the impending doom of Y2K, and a terrible system of quotas that ensured that American taxpayers were being, in many cases, persecuted and buried under red tape. Rossotti describes how he took on this challenge, which required delicacy, diplomacy, and bold initiative. Under his leadership the IRS has become more customer-friendly and moved into the information age: the IRS Web site is accessed more than nearly any other, and 40 percent of federal tax returns were filed online last year. David Siegfried
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Order Many Unhappy Returns: One Man’s Quest To Turn Around The Most Unpopular Organization In America (Leadership for the Common Good): Charles O. Rossotti form Amazon.

The Satisfied Customer: Winners and Losers in the Battle for Buyer Preference: Claes Fornell

• Filed under: Recommended

Review
“‘In today’s world of intense global competition, customer satisfaction is a given. Without it, customers quickly move on to another of their endless choices. And they never return. That’s why The Satisfied Customer is a must read.’ - Jack Trout, author of The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing and Differentiate or Die: Survival In Our Era of Killer Competition ‘First rate! An engaging and practical book full of useful concepts and tools by one of the foremost experts on consumer satisfaction. Be a winner in the battle for customers and read this book.’ - Bernd Schmitt, author of Customer Experience Management and Big Think Strategy ‘Claes Fornell reminds us if we want to achieve long-term growth and success, companies must invest in their customers. The challenge is knowing how to make smart investments and what measurable outcomes are essential to create satisfied customers. Professor Fornell is providing an important resource for all of us who rely on customer satisfaction to drive the growth of our brands and businesses.’ - David Brandon, chairman and CEO, Domino’s Pizza, Inc.”

Review
“In today’s world of intense global competition, customer satisfaction is a given. Without it, customers quickly move on to another of their endless choices. And they never return. That’s why The Satisfied Customer is a must read.”–Jack Trout, author of The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing and Differentiate or Die: Survival In Our Era of Killer Competition“First rate! An engaging and practical book full of useful concepts and tools by one of the foremost experts on consumer satisfaction. Be a winner in the battle for customers and read this book.”
–Bernd Schmitt, author of Customer Experience Management and Big Think Strategy

“Claes Fornellreminds usif we wantto achievelong-term growth and success, companies must invest in their customers. Thechallenge is knowing how to makesmart investments and what measurableoutcomes areessential to create satisfied customers. Professor Fornellis providingan important resource forall of us who rely oncustomer satisfaction todrive the growth of our brands and businesses.”

–David Brandon, chairman and CEO, Domino’s Pizza, Inc.

“The concepts and strategies discussed in this book will greatly help business leaders align their organizations in a way that provides tangible results in value creation, customer retention and improved brand position. Fornell’s insights bridge from the boardroom and investors all the way to the frontline serviceworker.”

–Jon Ward, Managing Director, Lazard Freres & Co., LLC

“For more than 100 years, AT&T has adhered to the philosophy that delivering an unparalleled customer experience is the key to the long-term reputation and financial health of a company. Mr. Fornell’s passion for this same principle makes him one of the business world’s leading customer service champions.”

–Ralph de la Vega, President and Chief Executive Officer, AT&T Mobility

See all Editorial Reviews

order The Satisfied Customer: Winners and Losers in the Battle for Buyer Preference: Claes Fornell now and save money!

The Momentum Effect: How to Ignite Exceptional Growth: J.C. Larreche

• Filed under: Recommended

Editorial Reviews

Review
“Momentum does offer a big unifying theory… Read and enjoy this book.” - “Financial Times, May 2008″ “Larreche’s research throws new light on age-old debates about marketing budgets and marketing effectiveness” - “Marketing Week May 2008″
–This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

One of the most frequent challenges that managers and executives face today is: How do I keep on growing and at the same time, make a profit?’ Based on the author’s extensive research on over 350 Fortune 1000 Firms, The Momentum Effect proves that the old method of spending big on marketing and slashing the manufacturing costs doesn’t work anymore. Instead, it provides new evidence to show that in order to achieve profitable growth you have to create new value for customers through innovation, ingenuity and most importantly by seeing things from a customer perspective. This strategy generates a positive, reinforcing momentum which leads to further growth. Why limit your business growth? With Momentum, you won’t have to.
–This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

$Order The Momentum Effect: How to Ignite Exceptional Growth: J.C. Larreche From Amazon and save money$

Who Said So The Questions Revolutionary Businesses Ask That Make Them Successful: Michael E. Parker

• Filed under: Recommended

Editorial Reviews

In Who Said So?, Michael Parker introduces you to the unique leadership philosophy known as Value-Centered Management. Using the exciting, creative format of a business narrative, the book contrasts the familiar pains of traditional business management with Value-Centered Management by contrasting the opposing style of father and son managers. Following this enlightening business tale, you’ll learn how to focus your business on what your customers truly value—and how to turn that into new business and profit.

From the Inside Flap
Who Said So? is a business story that will transform the way you serve all your clients and accounts. Using a compelling fictional narrative that contrasts the different management styles of a father and son, it introduces a revolutionary management philosophy called Value-Centered Management.

Value-Centered Management is a customer-focused approach that leads to amazing results that will pleasantly surprise even the most jaded manager or success-minded business professional. In Who Said So?, you’ll follow John, a successful yet frustrated team manager, as he discovers and implements this new and revolutionary management style in order to save his biggest client—and his career.

What John discovers changes his entire perspective on management and business. While tradition divides our businesses into different departments with different goals and motivations, Value-Centered Management unites an organization behind one goal—giving customers exactly what they value. Like John, you might think you have to do things the traditional way in order to succeed, but who said so? If a business isn’t focused exclusively on customers, what is it focused on?

Who Said So? answers these questions and more. It shows you how to find out what your customers truly value and do what it takes to give it to them. It’s an aggressive and effective way to build an organization solely around what your customers want most. As this dramatic business fable unfolds, you’ll discover the courage it takes to look at your organization from a value-centered perspective and learn all the steps to rebuild your business with the customer at the center.

Who Said So? is a novel, but one that imparts important and valuable business insight. Step inside and meet John, a manager—perhaps just like you—who has to do something radical to save his most important account. Does he have what it takes to seek out what his customer truly values and then deliver it?

DO YOU?

$Order Who Said So The Questions Revolutionary Businesses Ask That Make Them Successful: Michael E. Parker From Amazon and save money$

Passionate & Profitable: Why Customer Strategies Fail and 10 Steps to Do Them Right!: Lior Arussy

• Filed under: Recommended

Editorial Reviews

Review
“This is a provocative, thoughtful guidebook for executives who are struggling with the complicated questions that surround today’s sophisticated buyers.” (Monitor, 3/8/06)

“…clearly laid-out…frequent excellent diagrams to illustrate a point…” (Media Week, 16^th August 2005)

“This is a provocative, thoughtful guidebook for executives who are struggling with the complicated questions that surround today’s sophisticated buyers.” (Monitor, 3/8/06) “…clearly laid-out…frequent excellent diagrams to illustrate a point…” (Media Week, 16th August 2005)

“I’ve always said that education without execution is just entertainment – and Lior illustrates this beautifully in his book. It is important to learn HOW to implement a successful Customer focus strategy and you need knowledge and process to do it well. Read this book and learn.”–Tim Sanders, Author of “Love is The Killer App”

“Lior brings original thought to the world of business, ideas drawn from reality, based on solid observations with the clear objective of helping people make money. Read this and profit.”–Jerry Vass, Author of “Soft Selling in A Hard World” and President Vass Consulting

“You might not like this book. It’s not filled with easy shortcuts and feel-good platitudes. BUT, when you’re ready to walk the walk and not just talk the talk) about treating your customers right and growing your business, Lior’s book is a fine place to start down that rarely-followed, very profitable path.”–Seth Godin Author, Purple Cow & Free Prize Inside

“Lior Arussy is a true customer advocate. This book is a must-read for anyone who knows that the only sustainable competitive advantage is to create a unique and meaningful customer experience.”–Ginger Conlon, Editor-in-Chief, CRM magazine

According to Strativity’s 2003 CEM global study, 450f executives surveyed do not believe they deserve the customer’s loyalty. Following a decade of customer-centric books, the market is in a state of crises with over 50ustomer focused projects fail. Passionate and Profitable is a new book that takes a critical look at the state of the companies’ commitment to customers and exposes the fatal mistakes companies make and the lip service they pay to their customers.

Full of examples and statistics, Passionate and Profitable argues that customer strategies success depends on making serious tough choices and not cosmetic works. It is those tough trade offs that will help companies unleash their passion for customers and in return, increase their profitability and sales.

$Order Passionate & Profitable: Why Customer Strategies Fail and 10 Steps to Do Them Right!: Lior Arussy From Amazon and save money$