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Shaun Smith

Shaun Smith

Powerful Speaker and Author

Books

Uncommon Practice

Uncommon Practice

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In an increasingly crowded market place, there are certain companies that really stand out from their competitors - companies like Tesco, PizzaExpress, Amazon.com, Virgin, easyGroup, First Direct, Harley Davidson, Krispy Kreme and Pret A Manger.

Uncommon Practice - People who deliver a great brand experience, a new book by Interbrand and Forum, demonstrates, through interviews with key executives from these and other leading companies, how they provide remarkable experiences for their customers and staff alike. The premise behind Uncommon Practice is that that this success stems from their distinctive cultures uniquely developed to meet the needs of customers. The companies featured have defied conventional wisdom and broken the traditional rules of management to engender exceptional levels of commitment from their people, who, united behind a clear brand vision, translate their belief in the company into exceptional customer service.

Editors Andy Milligan and Shaun Smith have taken care to let the voice of the organisation speak for itself. Uncommon Practice is not a 'how to...' book, and does not provide a 'quick-fix' list of invariable rules for success. The editors do however provide insight into the core principles and practices that the leading companies featured share but which are uncommon in many organisations today.

Managing the Customer Experience: Turning customers into advocates

Managing the Customer Experience: Turning customers into advocates

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Customer Satisfaction is no longer enough. 80% of customers who switch suppliers express satisfaction with their previous supplier. To lead the market companies need customers who are enthusiastic 'advocates', customers who are highly loyal and drive new business to the company. For example 38% of First Direct's business comes from customer referrals. Advocacy comes from creating a customer experience that becomes synonymous with the brand, what Forum calls a Branded Customer Experience.

Research for this book with organisations like Amazon.com, Virgin, Pret A Manger, Krispy Kreme, Harley-Davidson, Manchester United and many others has identified the 'Uncommon Practices' that help these organisations create a Branded Customer Experience. Such an experience requires Marketing, Operations and Human Resources to work together to deliver the brand creating a common strategic agenda within the organisation.