Conversations on Customer Service & Sales

Anne M. Obarski
Insight Publishing (2005)
ISBN 1932863265
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (10/06)

This “Life Enhancement Tool” is a unique marketing anthology, featuring informal conversations with nationally known leaders in customer service and sales. These practical speakers and authors offer their insights and expertise regarding relevant issues and proven strategies that work in the arena of today’s ever changing economy, internet marketing, and innovative technical development. These cutting edge ideas can set you apart from your competition.

Questions are directed to this panel of experts by David E. Wright, President of International Speakers Network. In this review of the book, I have highlighted a principle or two from each contributor that I found of particular interest to me personally. Note each participant has offered many additional cutting edge concepts for you to assimilate and adapt to your specific needs.

John Eric Jacobsen of Jacobsen Business Programs challenges the reader with this foundational premise on customer service. “Today’s marketplace is super competitive, and business cannot survive on good customer service alone…Corporate America needs to shift its thinking away from customer service, and magnify its focus on creating euphoric and loyal relationships with their customers.”

Brian Tracy, a leader in personal and profession development stresses the importance of credibility, and of a dedication to learning the basic skills of the craft of sales, continually upgrading these skills. Bobbi Kahler of Kaler Consulting Group defines and discusses the importance of developing customer advocates.

Joseph Rosales is considered to be the customer service guru of the retail service industries. He is author of “Customer Service Is a Contact Sport” and offers insight into the process and importance of employee development. Read Bradford is CEO of Bradford Systems Corporation of Chicago, a leading company in records and information management. Read offers pointers on the characteristics and abilities sales people need to develop and master.

Don Hutson, CEO of U. S. Learning, is known for empowering his audience with the skills and cutting edge strategies needed to succeed in today’s business environment. In this interview he offers seven simple behaviors to make and keep customers happy. Ken Edmundson, founder and CEO of Edmundson Northstar Companies reveals his “4 Laws of the Overachieving Sales Organization.”

Peter Quinones author of “The Dream Factory” discusses timeless sales principles based on finding out what people want and helping them get it.
Jim Cathcart, one of the top twenty most popular speakers in the world, offers advice on a selling mentality or mindset. He contrasts the impression of genuine helpfulness with the suspect of persuasion in customer service applications.

Anne Obsarski, author, professional speaker, and retail consultant presents insights for companies that are people, performance and profit focused. She challenges the reader to see their businesses through their customer’s eyes.

Dan Kosch and Mark Shonka, co-authors of “Beyond Selling Value”, discuss trends related to selling, and the issues and challenges faced by sales professionals as a result of these trends. Richard Tyler, CEO of Tyler, International, Inc. and author of “Smart Business Strategies” talks about training and developing customer service and sales representatives.

The practical insights and proven strategies presented by these industry leaders in “Conversations on Customer Service & Sales” provide the reader with a working manual to be read, reread, assimilated and put into practice by every customer service and sales organization’s management and staff seeking a cutting edge share place in today’s business environment.

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