Cliffs Notes-Style Summary of Top-Rated Service Symposium Helps Conference-Goers Avoid 'Three-Day Washout'
PHOENIX -- Key themes, trends and quotes from leading business thinkers contained in 'Compete Through Service: Creating Memorable Customer Experiences' backed by full money-back guarantee
Like many executives, Avnet's Steve Church has experienced what is commonly referred to as 'three-day washout.'
'People attend conferences and seminars and become enthused and motivated to apply the lessons learned upon returning to work. But instead they usually succumb to their normal work routines, forgetting much of what they heard,' said Church, senior vice president and director of services and strategic business development at Avnet Inc. (NYSE: AVT).
But what if a Cliffs Notes(TM)-type summary of top educational forums were available to re-energize attendees, or to enlighten and pique the interest of those who did not attend?
Fortunately, one is available -- a new strategic handbook, 'Compete Through Service: Creating Memorable Customer Experiences,' written by a group of Avnet leaders, in cooperation with Arizona State University's Center for Services Leadership. The handbook helps attendees of the center's annual Compete Through Service symposium avoid the disappointing 'three-day washout' -- and at the same time offers the symposium presenters' valuable insights on creating memorable customer experiences to the general reading public.
'By consolidating the most critical takeaways into an easy-to-read resource, this symposium summary helps readers derive lasting benefit,' Church added.
'Compete Through Service: Creating Memorable Customer Experiences' quickly and succinctly highlights a number of key themes, shared thoughts and applications written in a conversational style to assist readers in absorbing the messages and in making use of the thought-starters and applications that close each chapter.
For example, the handbook states in Theme Four, titled Knowing Your Customers' Needs, 'A number of symposium speakers ... described how they have found ways to connect with their targeted audience -- some through the use of sophisticated technology, some through psychology and decision science, while others just listen. (But all agree) to maintain a competitive advantage, it's imperative you know your customers and what they want and need.'
Symposium presenters quoted in the book represent companies, academia and consultants with reputations for thought leadership surrounding outstanding customer service, such as Arizona State University, The Charles Schwab Corp., Cisco Systems, Harrah's Entertainment Inc., IBM Global Services, Limited Brands, McKinsey & Co., the San Francisco Giants and Sony Online Entertainment. The symposium has been hailed as 'an annual celebration of the best service companies in the world' by nationally syndicated columnist Dale Dauten.
The strategic handbook retails for $14.95 plus shipping and handling, with a full money-back guarantee if the book doesn't deliver on its promise. To read a sample chapter and to order, visit http://www.avnet.com/services/.
About Avnet
Avnet enables success from the center of the technology industry, providing cost-effective services and solutions vital to a broad base of more than 100,000 customers and 250 suppliers. The company markets, distributes and adds value to a wide variety of electronic components, enterprise computer products and embedded subsystems. Through its premier market position, Avnet brings a breadth and depth of capabilities that help its trading partners accelerate growth and realize cost efficiencies. Avnet generated more than $10 billion in revenue in fiscal 2004 (year ended July 3, 2004) through sales in 68 countries. Visit www.avnet.com/.
About Arizona State University's Center for Services Leadership
For business leaders, academics and students who need to know how to use services as a source of competitive advantage in business, the Center for Services Leadership is the bridge between business and education. A trusted education partner to business since 1985, the center helps organizations provide exemplary customer service, innovative free-standing services that generate revenue, and differentiating customer- and service-centric cultures. The center can be reached at 480-965-6201 or visit www.cob.asu.edu/csl.
CONTACT:
Avnet Inc.
Jan Jurcy, 480-643-7642