From Impressed To Obsessed, by Jon Picoult,starts with the claim that “If you’re aspiring to satisfy your customers, then you are aspiring to mediocrity.” The author argues that, instead, companies should be so totally focused on delivering an extraordinary customer experience that they truly stand out, resulting in growing revenues, reduced costs, and improved shareholder value. He identifies what he calls the “12 principles for creating lifelong fans.” The book is primarily made up of a chapter on each of these 12 principles. Throughout the book, the author provides compelling stories of companies that demonstrate (positively or negatively) the 12 principles and provides helpful guidance in how practically to implement each principle.
This approach works incredibly well. Each chapter is very engaging and informative. The writing style is clear and the content is very practical. I often found myself sharing with others the stories I had just read and thinking about how to implement the principles in different businesses I am currently (or have previously been) engaged with.
I strongly recommend From Impressed to Obsessed for any business leader, whether or not “customer experience” is in your job description. The principles are applicable whether you view your “customer” as an end user of your company’s product, an internal group that you serve, or your own employees. Many of the principles seem like “no brainers”, but unless you intentionally focus on them, they are easy to overlook when dealing with all the other factors in today’s competitive environment. The book is an easy read, full of valuable insights, and very practical in its focus on implementation.