BOOK OF THE WEEK

Billed in its preface as a book written to help companies apply the “basic human touch principal” across their business, the author John McKean recognises that too many CRM projects communicate with customers as consumers and not people. The key is making the customer experience, not more perfect”. McKean says employees should strive to understand how to interact with customers as people, recognising that only 30% of people base their buying decisions on their concerns as consumers. More important to the average punter is acknowledgement as an individual, respect, and trust in the products and services. McKean examines in detail the processes that lead to customers feeling they are being treated as human beings. He offers some insightful examples of good and bad practice, from the importance of a smile to the recognition that people sometimes enjoy standing in queues for your product—we are social animals, after all.  But a lot of what McKean writes feels like common sense and rigorous courtesy, which if taken on-board promises to convert the customer to trust and loyalty.

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