We all know the customer service mantra and frankly, I think it is way over done. However, I read this book twice to catch all the wisdom and thoughtfulness that is integral to the service provided by Nordstrom. Robert Spector works in Nordstrom history (which builds your understanding on their philosophies) with countless examples of how employees of Nordstrom have been empowered to focus all their energies on the customer in front of them.
What the book has done for me is to give me a green light to better trust my customers. Yes, there are people that will take advantage of you and who will stop at nothing to work the system. But, why do we cater our rules and our day to day operations to them? It does us no good. In fact, it does us great harm. The burnout rate of people on the front-lines in the public library is high and with good reason. If you had to listen to someone scream at you about a .25 cent fine, you would too. Why can’t we put trust first and do the best we can by each person that we meet? Extend the extra effort and it will come back to you tenfold. Call it what you will-karma, fate or just simple kindness-it is in great need as we move into the interactive generation. 2005, 270 pages.
