Customers as Partners
Book

Customers as Partners

Building Relationships That Last

Chip R. Bell
Berrett-Koehler, 1996
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Editorial Rating

8

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Recommendation

Chip R. Bell combines the practical with the heartfelt in a top-notch guide to creating a partnership with customers. He focuses on the elements of abundance, trust, dreams, truth, balance and grace. The book uses intelligent and creative case histories and anecdotes to illustrate these essential components and, therefore, rises above the level of the basic how-to. The author pays close attention to intangible, human relationship concerns. The book is written in an intimate, yet highly informative style. It weaves stories throughout each chapter. Although getAbstract recommends this book for people who deal directly with customers and people who supervise, manage, or lead others in a service-oriented business, the author correctly points out that the book’s methods also can enhance anyone’s professional and personal relationships.

Summary

Partnership Is...

A customer-based business should develop a relationship with its customers that "nurtures commitment and cultivates loyalty." This customer partnership comes from an attitude of genuine and expressed respect for the customer. As a result, you will know that you’ve done your best to meet or exceed your customers’ needs. Cultivate a rapport with customers that leads them to feel like family and to recommend your services. This partnership approach results in long-term loyalty from your customers. Customer partnerships have certain characteristics. They are anchored in a generous attitude, grounded in trust, bolstered by a joint purpose, and based on balance and grace. These relationships are built on honesty, candor, and straight talk.

The concept of customer partnership generally implies a long-standing relationship, but the feeling of partnership can still be created in any short-term relationship. This service intimacy is based on your commitment to unconditional, high-value service.

Customer partnerships take more work than transient or temporary customer relationships, but they are greatly rewarded. Not all customers want to be in customer...

About the Author

Chip R. Bell is a nationally known speaker and the author of nine books, including Managing Knock Your Socks Off Service and Service Wisdom. He consults with large and small companies on service quality and customer loyalty. He manages the Dallas, Texas office of Performance Research Associates, Inc.

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