Author: Jack Mitchell

Publisher: Hyperion; 1st edition

Pub. in: June, 2003

ISBN: 1401300340

Pages: 302

Measurements: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1.0 inches

Origin of product: USA

Order code: BA00011

Other information:  

Hug Your Customers: The Proven Way To Personalize Sales And Achieve Astounding Results by Jack Mitchell is a great book for entrepreneurs who operate service businesses and, especially, for business owners who operate retail operations.

Jack Mitchell is co-owner and CEO of Mitchells/Richards, the upper-end clothing retailer. Today, Mitchells/Richards sells $65 million in apparel annually. Mitchells/Richards dresses many Fortune 500 executives. However, the store began as a modest family business, started by Jack's dad in 1958.
Mitchell writes: "When the store opened, there were a few dozen shirts, some socks, a couple of sweaters, and a few ties. Plus, exactly three Doncaster suits, the brand Dad created for the store, priced at $65 apiece. A size 40 banker's stripe. A 42 navy blue. And a 42 charcoal gray... Nowadays we stock over three thousand suits-for men and women."

Mitchell credits his family store's success to making the store a home, where customers feel welcome.

Mitchell says his parents: "...understood that customers wanted five things more than they wanted a great location or enormous inventory:

1. A friendly greeting
2. Personal interest
3. A business that makes them feel special
4. A 'no problem' attitude
5. Forward thinking

Mitchell says that to be successful in the service industry, you must build a customer centric organization-one that hugs the customer. It's not enough to have satisfied customers. You need extremely satisfied customers.

Mitchell writes: "When you have strong relationships, customers will do more of their buying from you. They'll refer other customers. They'll communicate with you better and tell you what they like and what they don't like, in turn making your business more efficient and effective."

Mitchell points out that hugging is difficult to quantify, and many companies ignore customer satisfaction and customer profiling altogether. While inventory is recorded on the balance sheet, Mitchell tells us that a company's greatest asset-repeat customers-doesn't appear on any financial statements.

Further, while companies invest significant amounts in computer systems, they rarely develop computer systems that support a hugging culture.

Mitchell writes: "What's amazing is that although personal relationships are absolutely crucial to any company's success, they are rarely tracked by any system. Hotels don't know who likes queen-sized beds and who wants extra pillows. Airlines don't know who prefers aisle seats and who prefers the window."

Mitchell is a big fan of profiling customers to provide more personal service. He likes his sales associates to know which customers like M&M's and what nicknames they prefer.

With over 115,000 customers, knowing personal information about each customer is nearly impossible without a database to support this information. When a customer visits Mitchells/Richards, the customer's sales associate can pull up the customer information easily allowing the associate to recall information about the individual.

Hug Your Customers also contains solid advice about running a family business. (From quoting Peter Hupalo, USA)

Target readers: Managers, business owners, entrepreneurs, sales and service professionals, trainers, and MBAs.

Better with Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking :

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