I'll hit the highlights of this book and save you some time

This one was a struggle.

I had been engaged by the title of the book, understanding the importance of great customer service. Although the book was published in the early ‘90s, I was enthused at the idea of finding new customer service strategies.

I didn’t. Sorry, Mr. Gross.

These 236 pages are overloaded with stories of great customer service from businesses. Interesting? Yes. Helpful? Not really.

Mr. Gross’ book does provide some tips on providing Positively Outrageous Service, many of which I recommend to my clients. Let me save you the time of reading the book and hit the high points:

-- Take responsibility for the success of your own business. Provide the best service and experience possible for your clients or customers, and the money will come.

-- There are big fish and little fish. Even big fish worry there is a bigger fish around the corner waiting to eat them. It doesn’t matter what size of fish you are. It does matter what kind of fish you are.

-- How do you learn what your customers want? Ask them. A business without a customer feedback system is a business that is waiting to close. Customer comments and complaints can serve as cues for Positively Outrageous Service. In the end, we all vote with our pocketbooks. It is the business that listens to and empowers their customers that wins their loyalty.

-- When asking for customer feedback, follow up with it. If you don’t respond, the customer obviously concludes you don’t care.

-- Two great lines (forgive me if you’ve heard them):

Anybody can give away a product — it takes brains to sell it. What does it take to sell your product to your customers and have them return for more?

A sale without a profit is a donation. Focusing on continually providing the best price to customers can be the demise of a business. If you must discount to survive, your prices are too high, your service is too poor, or your quality is too low.

What are you doing in your business to exhibit Positively Outrageous Service?

Do you have a customer feedback system?

Does the owner of your business connect with clients or customers regularly?

What would your clients or customers say about your business to their friends (or would they remember you enough to even mention your business)?

How can you implement Positively Outrageous Service in 2009 ?