The Quest for Loyalty: Creating Value Through Partnerships (Harvard Business Review Book) - Hardcover

As U.S. consumers are turning inward to rediscover spiritual values, major U.S. corporations seem to be undertaking a similar journey in quest of old-fashioned virtues. Banished to a production process is the once-golden concept of reengineering; in its place stand the issues of loyalty and, yes, trust, both within and without the organization. Consultant Reichheld edits a distinguished collection of well-considered essays by some of the world's best business thinkers. Philosopher Charles Handy, for instance, speaks simply yet elegantly of trust, pulling case histories from both homespun and sophisticated business lives. Sir Colin Marshall, CEO of British Airways, explains in interview format exactly why his airline, alone among all the competition, enjoys profits year after year. Accepting customer loyalty blindly is no longer enough, most agree; what must be added are intelligent evaluations, valuable services, and an organization-wide understanding of what each customer means in dollars and cents and in impact. Barbara Jacobs