Frances Frei & Anne Morriss: Uncommon Service - Blog Business Success Radio

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UPS Foundation Professor of Service Management at Harvard Business School, Frances X. Frei; and Managing Director of the Concire Leadership Institute, Anne Morriss; co-authors of the transformational and groundbreaking book Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business, describe how despite the fact that we are wired for service, it's not enough to demand it from your employees. Instead, companies must design service right into the very core of their entire organization. Frances and Anne provide the framework to put into action a system that allows companies to deliver great service, in any industry, regardless of the employees, customers, or situations. The new model identifies four universal truths about customer service, and weaves customer service into the entire organizational tapestry. Anne and Frances also offer advice for shaping company culture to work with that design that builds in exceptional and sustainable long term service.

Frances Frei and Anne Morriss are my internet radio show guests on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Thursday, April 5, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

UPS Foundation Professor of Service Management at Harvard Business School, Frances X. Frei; and Managing Director of the Concire Leadership Institute, Anne Morriss; co-authors of the transformational and groundbreaking book Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business, describe how despite the fact that we are wired for service, it's not enough to demand it from your employees. You will learn:

* Why in a service economy that great service is so lacking

* Why people are predisposed to provide great service to others

* What are the four truths of uncommon service

* How to incorporate a system for uncommon service in your company culture



Frances Frei (photo left) is UPS Foundation Professor of Service Management at Harvard Business School. As Chair of the MBA Required Curriculum, Frances is also helping to transform the student experience at HBS.

Her research investigates how organizations can more effectively design service excellence and has been published in top-tier journals such as Management Science and Harvard Business Review. In addition, she has published dozens of case studies across a variety of industries, including financial services, government, retail, software, telecommunications, and hospitality.

Frances regularly advises organizations seeking to create greater value through their service experiences. Her advisory work focuses on helping companies to make strategic choices that allow them to profitably differentiate on service. She serves on the board of directors of Advance Auto Parts and on the boards of advisors of several private companies.

Frances received her PhD in operations and information management from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. She holds an ME in industrial engineering from Pennsylvania State University, and a BA in mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania.



Anne Morriss (photo left) has spent the last fifteen years working to unleash social entrepreneurs around the world. She started her career in rural Latin America, where she worked to support the development of local leaders in remote communities.

Anne is now the Chief Knowledge Officer of the Concire Leadership Institute, which she cofounded in 2007 to help leaders in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to uncover and remove the barriers to excellence. She has worked with companies and governments throughout the United States and Latin America on strategy, leadership, and institutional change. Her clients have ranged from Fortune 50 companies repositioning in global markets to public-sector leaders working to build national competitiveness.

My book review of Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business by Frances Frei and Anne Morriss.

Listen live on Thursday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.



If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.



To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with UPS Foundation Professor of Service Management at Harvard Business School, Frances X. Frei; and Managing Director of the Concire Leadership Institute, Anne Morriss; co-authors of the transformational and groundbreaking book Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business, as they describe how despite the fact that we are wired for service, it's not enough to demand it from your employees. Instead, companies must design service right into the very core of their entire organization. Frances and Anne provide the framework to put into action a system that allows companies to deliver great service, in any industry, regardless of the employees, customers, or situations. The new model identifies four universal truths about customer service, and weaves customer service into the entire organizational tapestry. Anne and Frances also offer advice for shaping company culture to work with that design that builds in exceptional and sustainable long term service on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business, Frances X. Frei, Anne Morriss, superior customer service, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.

Uncommon Service by Frances Frei & Anne Morriss - Book review

Uncommon Service

How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business

By: Frances X. Frei, Anne Morriss

Published: February 7, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 272 pages
ISBN-10: 1422133311
ISBN-13: 978-1422133316
Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press











"Good service is still, for the most part, rare. In our experience as economic actors, in industry across industry, we're increasingly frustrated and disappointed", write UPS Foundation Professor of Service Management at Harvard Business School, Frances X. Frei; and Managing Director of the Concire Leadership Institute, Anne Morriss, in their transformational and groundbreaking book Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business. the authors describe how despite being in a service dominated society, the level of customer service is surprisingly low. To remedy this disconnect, the authors provide a systemic approach to creating a new customer service model woven into the very fiber of the organization.



Frances Frei (photo left) and Anne Morriss recognize that organizations don't want to deliver bad customer service, and that customers don't want to be faced with inferior service either. Unfortunately, the reality is that excellent customer service remains a rarity in the marketplace. The authors address the challenge of why customer service is so poor, when the natural human impulse is to provide greater service and satisfaction to others.

For Frances Frei and Anne Morriss, the root of the problem is not that not enough work, attitude, and effort have been channeled toward customer service. Instead, the authors point out that the design choices, developed and incorporated into the very design model of the organization itself, are the real cause of the problem. To counter that issue, the authors propose an entirely fresh approach to customer service through a fundamental system redesign.



Anne Morriss (photo left) and Frances Frei understand the primary importance of a company culture designed with customer service in mind. The authors point out that fantastic customer service can be achieved through a systemic model that offers superior customer service a routine part of the daily business. The benefit of a holistic process is that it allows for all employees regardless of of differences in levels and skills, to be exceptional service providers. The result is an organizational culture that provides tremendous service casually and as a matter of course.

Frances Frei and Anne Morris offer insights into designing an uncommon service model through an understanding of what they call the four universal truths. The four universal truths of uncommon customer service are as follows:

* You can't be good at everything
* Someone has to pay for it
* It's not your employees' fault
* You must manage your customers

For me, the power of the book is how Frances Frei and Anne Morriss combine their theoretical framework of the uncommon service model, with a practical guide for designing the system into the very fabric of the organization. The authors understand the critical importance of creating an all encompassing organizational culture as the foundation for superior customer service. The authors also recognize that a service grounded culture is also a powerful competitive advantage over other companies that fail to embrace the service culture.

Anne Morriss and Frances Frei share case studies of organizations that incorporated the uncommon service process directly into the design their business plan from the start. The authors also provide advice for changing an existing culture through the holistic implementation of the system into an existing organization. Overall, this is a game changing book, filled with important ideas, for any company.

I highly recommend the holistic and results oriented book Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business by Franxes X. Frei and Anne Morriss, to any organizational leaders who are seeking a step by step guide to implementing a systemic approach to customer service excellence int their company. This book will not only create a fresh customer focused culture at the heart of your organization, but it will be sustainable as a long term competitive advantage as well.

Tags: Uncommon Service: How to Win by Putting Customers at the Core of Your Business, Frances X. Frei, Anne Morriss, superior customer service, business book reviews

Jim Beach: School For Startups - Blog Business Success Radio

Listen to Wayne Hurlbert on Blog Talk Radio



Serial entrepreneur, director of education at The Entrepreneur School, founder of International Entrepreneurship, and co-author of the highly practical and results oriented book School for Startups: The Breakthrough Course for Guaranteeing Small Business Success in 90 Days or Less, Jim Beach, describes how to build a business the smart way, without risking major assets like your house or your life savings. Jim Beach offers ideas for funding your venture without investors, entering international markets, and taking full advantage of the internet. Jim also shows how to market a product at little or no cost, deploying a third party to package and ship products, and for taking over an existing business. Jim Beach provides a comprehensive course for establishing a successful small business in ninety days or less. Learn how to start your business the right way, and how to avoid the mistakes and pitfalls that derail an otherwise great business idea.

Jim Beach is my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success; hosted live on BlogTalkRadio.

The show airs live on Tuesday, April 3, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time; 5:00 pm Pacific Time.

Serial entrepreneur, director of education at The Entrepreneur School, founder of International Entrepreneurship, and co-author of the highly practical and results oriented book School for Startups: The Breakthrough Course for Guaranteeing Small Business Success in 90 Days or Less, Jim Beach, describes how to build a business the smart way, without risking major assets like your house or your life savings. You will learn:

* Why a startup business doesn't have to be high risk

* How to finance a startup without loans or investors

* How to market and leverage the internet for success

* How to avoid carrying costly and cash flow hurting inventory



Jim Beach (photo left) has started businesses and has taught entrepreneurship around the world. He was a faculty member of the Institute of International Business at Georgia State University from 2001 to 2009. During this time, he taught international entrepreneurship, with a focus on risk avoidance, creativity, and internet marketing skills. Mr. Beach was the highest ranked professor in the department for 12 straight semesters, was named Study Abroad Director of the Year for the State of Georgia, and was invited to guest lecture at U. of Colorado, U. of Texas, Austin, U. of Utah, and U. of Hawaii.

In 2009, Mr. Beach founded International Entrepreneurship, a web resource devoted to teaching his philosophy of low risk entrepreneurship. He is Executive Director of a non-profit source on entrepreneurship for over 100 countries called International Entrepreneurship. Mr. Beach has presented for several Fortune 500 companies on topics as diverse as the "Future of Oil Scarcity," "How to Export in a Down Economy," and "Getting to Number One on Google."

At the age of 25, Mr. Beach founded American Computer Experience in 1993. From 1993 to 2000, Mr. Beach grew the company with no capital infusion to $12 million in annual revenue and to over 60 permanent and 700 temporary employees, operating in 39 states and in three countries. The company was the world's largest technology training company for children, and enjoyed corporate tie-ins with Microsoft, Intel, Lego, NASA, and many others. In 2000, Mr. Beach closed two rounds of venture funding, one for $2.4 million and another for $6.4 million. The Atlanta Business Chronicle recognized the company was one for the fastest growing companies in Georgia for both 1999 and 2000. In 2001, Mr. Beach was selected as one of the "Forty under Forty" most influential citizens by Georgia Trend magazine. He has appeared on NPR, MBNBC, CNN and other major news sources as an expert on technology and education, and has spoken in Japan, Korea, India, and other countries.

In 2002, Mr. Beach started his first import/export firm, called TimelessChair.com. The firm was the result of a bet he made with a class. The class got to choose the industry and country that he must start a company in, and he had 3 months to start a company with a positive cash flow. The class selected furniture and Pakistan. Mr. Beach, in response, took 100 year old Kilim and Persian rugs and used them as the fabric for very high-end furniture. The firm was profitable by the end of the semester, winning the bet for Mr. Beach. Since then he has started a high end designer leather clothing import firm from Argentina, a leather jacket and purse import firm, and several other import or export related businesses.

Mr. Beach received his Japanese and Business Administration masters degrees from the University of Hawaii and Japan-America Institute of Management Science, of Tokyo, Japan in December 1992. He specialized in Japanese Financial Systems and was selected to receive the Fujitsu Foundation for International Education Scholarship, was a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, and also was awarded Highest Honors. He has worked for the Japanese government trade promotion office (JETRO) where he helped American companies export to Japan and The Coca-Cola Company, both in Japan and in the United States.

My book review of School for Startups: The Breakthrough Course for Guaranteeing Small Business Success in 90 Days or Less by Jim Beach, Chris Hanks, and David Beasley.

Listen live on Tuesday at 8:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Pacific time.



If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for free download as a podcast for iPod, iTunes, and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment. You can also subscribe to the show feed.



To call in questions for my guest, the number is: (347) 996-5832

Let's talk with serial entrepreneur, director of education at The Entrepreneur School, founder of International Entrepreneurship, and co-author of the highly practical and results oriented book School for Startups: The Breakthrough Course for Guaranteeing Small Business Success in 90 Days or Less, Jim Beach, as he describes how to build a business the smart way, without risking major assets like your house or your life savings. Jim Beach offers ideas for funding your venture without investors, entering international markets, and taking full advantage of the internet. Jim also shows how to market a product at little or no cost, deploying a third party to package and ship products, and for taking over an existing business. Jim Beach provides a comprehensive course for establishing a successful small business in ninety days or less. Learn how to start your business the right way, and how to avoid the mistakes and pitfalls that derail an otherwise great business idea on Blog Business Success Radio.

Tags: School for Startups: The Breakthrough Course for Guaranteeing Small Business Success in 90 Days or Less, Jim Beach, Chris Hanks, David Beasley, successful entrepreneurship, Blog Business Success, Blog Talk Radio.