Book Description
In this fascinating book, New Yorker business columnist James Surowiecki explores a deceptively simple idea: Large groups of people are smarter than an elite few, no matter how brilliant–better at solving problems, fostering innovation, coming to wise decisions, even predicting the future.
With boundless erudition and in delightfully clear prose, Surowiecki ranges across fields as diverse as popular culture, psychology, ant biology, behavioral economics, artificial intelligence, military history, and politics to show how this simple idea offers important lessons for how we live our lives, select our leaders, run our companies, and think about our world.
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The Wisdom of Crowds
I
If, years hence, people remember anything about the TV game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, they will probably remember the contestants' panicked phone calls to friends and relatives. Or they may have a faint memory of that short-lived moment when Regis Philbin became a fashion icon for his willingness to wear a dark blue tie with a dark blue shirt. What people probably won't remember is that every week Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? pitted group intelligence against individual intelligence, and that every week, group intelligence won.
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? was a simple show in terms of structure: a contestant was asked multiple-choice questions, which got successively more difficult, and if she answered fifteen questions in a row correctly, she walked away with $1 million. The show's gimmick was that if a contestant got stumped by a question, she could pursue three avenues of assistance. First, she could have two of the four multiple-choice answers removed (so she'd have at least a fifty-fifty shot at the right response). Second, she could place a call to a friend or relative, a person whom, before the show, she had singled out as one of the smartest people she knew, and ask him or her for the answer. And third, she could poll the studio audience, which would immediately cast its votes by computer. Everything we think we know about intelligence suggests that the smart individual would offer the most help. And, in fact, the "experts" did okay, offering the right answer--under pressure--almost 65 percent of the time. But they paled in comparison to the audiences. Those random crowds of people with nothing better to do on a weekday afternoon than sit in a TV studio picked the right answer 91 percent of the time.
Now, the results of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? would never stand up to scientific scrutiny. We don't know how smart the experts were, so we don't know how impressive outperforming them was. And since the experts and the audiences didn't always answer the same questions, it's possible, though not likely, that the audiences were asked easier questions. Even so, it's hard to resist the thought that the success of the Millionaire audience was a modern example of the same phenomenon that Francis Galton caught a glimpse of a century ago.
As it happens, the possibilities of group intelligence, at least when it came to judging questions of fact, were demonstrated by a host of experiments conducted by American sociologists and psychologists between 1920 and the mid-1950s, the heyday of research into group dynamics. Although in general, as we'll see, the bigger the crowd the better, the groups in most of these early
experiments--which for some reason remained relatively unknown outside of academia--were relatively small. Yet they nonetheless performed very well. The Columbia sociologist Hazel Knight kicked things off with a series of studies in the early 1920s, the first of which had the virtue of simplicity. In that study Knight asked the students in her class to estimate the room's temperature, and then took a simple average of the estimates. The group guessed 72.4 degrees, while the actual temperature was 72 degrees. This was not, to be sure, the most auspicious beginning, since classroom temperatures are so stable that it's hard to imagine a class's estimate being too far off base. But in the years that followed, far more convincing evidence emerged, as students and soldiers across America were subjected to a barrage of puzzles, intelligence tests, and word games. The sociologist Kate H. Gordon asked two hundred students to rank items by weight, and found that the group's "estimate" was 94 percent accurate, which was better than all but five of the individual guesses. In another experiment students were asked to look at ten piles of buckshot--each a slightly different size than the
Customer Reviews:
Smart, Interesting and Easy to Read.......2007-09-21
This book was a surprise hit for me. I didn't expect to like it, but ended up loving it so much I just had to have a copy on my shelf. Surowieki is very convincing, in part because he takes such care to bring up alternative arguments and respond to each. He also keeps his focus fairly narrow, so the arguments aren't all over the place. I was especially fascinated by his discussion of experts. We rely on them so heavily these days, but now I know to question their expertise. This book has changed the way that I make decisions and the way I evaluate good decision-making in my elected representatives. I recommend this book to anyone interested in making good decisions. It is a smoothly-written book and you won't have any trouble following the arguments or staying 'into' it.
Don't expect a textbook.......2007-09-19
I really like the Wisdom of Crowds because Surowiecki succeeds in explaining complicated and sophisticated ideas in ways that educated people can not only grasp but also incorporate into their own thinking. This is quite an achievement, one that critics of the book have overlooked. This topic has not been open until now to such a wide audience.
Surowiecki never shies from even difficult and abstract statistical concepts. He draws liberally upon academic journals and scholarly books, writing in a style that is at once journalistic and educated.
Yet, Surowiecki never talks down to his reader. Instead he invites the reader to accompany him through an arcane (and dimly lit) maze of statistical practice as it has been developed and utilized for decades by social scientists and economists. The reader is rewarded again and again because Surowiecki points to a partially hidden jewel, holds it up for examination, hands it to the reader and then leaves it in plain sight (often for reference later in the book).
Thus, this book is a remarkable example, a model, for readers (and writers) who wish to bridge the gaps between educated professionals.
My criticism is along different lines. In this extremely visual era, the editors could have widened the audience for the Wisdom of Crowds much further if suitable images could have been commissioned to throw additional light on Surowiecki's prose. But, paper and ink are so much more expensive than artists these days, one can understand the limitations and constraints Doubleday (Random House) were under. On the other hand, why not put up a web site?
Crowds Oh Wisdom.......2007-09-19
Good book and I thought the pace moved along extremely well. There are some significant things in the book that are a bit dated, but overall this is a very interesting book. I also recommend "Beyond Buzz: The Next Generation of Word-of-Mouth Marketing" by Lois Kelly published 2007 to couple with this book. Beyond Buzz: The Next Generation of Word-of-Mouth Marketing
Food for thought.......2007-08-21
I found this book full of sweeping claims, generalizations and is confusing in its presentation. However it made me think. Overall the writer is saying that people independently working on a problem can in a fair vote be more accurate then the smartest individual. He then quotes examples for such behaviour and examples of when the crowds got it wrong when they acted not independently but in mass. I suspect that much of his arguments are sound.
How much I am not sure for example if I asked the average person independently if they believe there was much truth in astrology, I am sure that over 50% would say yes.
However since the book is making much comments, I hope to see some better studies coming forward.
Having said all this it has changed my views on decision making and how to do it.
Surowiecki is a gifted teacher.......2007-08-08
At first I was afraid that "The wisdom of crowds" was going to be a 250 page restatement of the law of large numbers for dummies. In the beginning it looks that way, because Surowiecki takes a lot of time to explain that the more people trying to guess the solution to a problem, each adding their own bit of information, the more accurate the average guess. Not very revolutionary at all (although possibly counterintuitive at first). But as the book moved on I got more and drawn in and impressed by the presentation, which is rigorous and supremely readable at the same time.
The book describes how crowds can solve problems of cognition, coordination and cooperation. It gives the conditions under which crowds are good and not good at doing so. The author illustrates with a myriad of interesting problems and case studies, some rather obvious choices (why do investment bubbles emerge?, why do political stock markets predict so well?), others more arcane (why did the gangsters in reservoir dogs fail?, why is it often easy to cut a line?). What binds these studies together is the way groups handle information and the good and bad institution designed to make them do so.
Throughout all the diversity, it is the great scholarship of Surowiecki that makes everything naturally fall into place. Being familiar with a lot of the material in academic form, I know how conceptually daring some of it is, but Surowiecki effortlessly reduces it to bite-size portions, without compromising much or exaggerating anywhere. Great reading!
Book Description
A proven way to financially prepare for retirement
Are you wondering if you can make your retirement savings last?
Concerned about inflation reducing your purchasing power?
Worried about the stock market's violent swings?
In Buckets of Money: How to Retire in Comfort and Safety, nationally recognized Certified Financial PlannerTM and radio personality Ray Lucia offers you a smart and conservative way to protect and grow your nest egg-so you can enjoy a comfortable retirement without worrying about your money running out.
Developed by Lucia over his thirty-year career as a financial planner, the "Buckets of Money" technique is a proven way to achieve both income and growth, while guarding against the ravages of inflation. Buckets of Money is filled with in-depth insights and practical advice that will help you assess your retirement situation, save the money you need to last your entire lifetime, and adjust your plan to good times and bad.
Regardless of your age, income, net worth, or investment experience, you need to have a solid plan for your retirement years. Buckets of Money provides you with such a plan, and shows you the best way to implement it.
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The smart time-tested approach to protecting and growing your nest egg
Buckets of Money outlines a proven strategy to both protect and grow the nest egg of individuals approaching retirement through a smart and conservative system. The strategy outlines three "buckets" into which an individual places their money-stable reserve, income, and growth. Readers will learn that through proper allocation and investments, these buckets will provide them with the necessary assets over the course of their retirement. Filled with real-life examples and a detailed self-assessment test, Buckets of Money will help readers evaluate their investing style and create a retirement plan that is right for them.
Raymond J. Lucia, CFP (San Diego, CA), is a nationally renowned expert in the field of financial and business management. He is the founder and President of the Raymond J. Lucia Companies, Inc., which manages over $500 million in assets, and is the host of the nationally syndicated radio show The Raymond J. Lucia Show.
Customer Reviews:
Well Written and Very Comprehensive.......2007-06-26
This is an excellent book for those looking for a simplified approach to retirement funding.
A Valuable Case Study.......2007-05-12
I enjoy Ray's work. His book walks you through the financial planning process and clearly illustrates how it is done right. The first step of the process is factfinding and educating. The second is suggesting solutions. Ray's mastery of the process shines through and provides enough information to help you get started with your own plan.
Something for Everyone...........2007-04-05
This is an excellent book for the beginner to the more sophisticated person to consider when managing your retirement funds. Ray gives thoughtful insight into the potential investment strategies for three different "buckets of money". The difference in the 3 buckets is the time horizon the funds will be needed and the various amounts of investment risk that could be assumed in each time period.
His plan makes amazing sense and I have utlized it successfully in my personal retirement plan (I am 46 & retired) and my mother's (who is now 70 1/2). I have listened to Ray's business talk show for the past several years and also seen him speak at a free weekend morning seminar in Portland, OR. His personal judgement and that of his "brain trust" is safe, sound and easily followed.
I have purchased this book for myself and multiple family members/friends for their consideration. It has always gotten favorable reviews. I just purchased his newest book, "Ready..Set..Retire: Financial Strategies for the Rest of Your Life". I am anxiously awaiting it's delivery for any new information he has to share!
Finally a simple method.......2007-01-18
Whenever a financial advisor's starts to speak, I yawn intellectually. There are so many products and financial terms that I can't grasp it all. Enter Lucia with a plan so simple that even I can understand it. I loved listening to the "The Ray Lucia Show" and the book did not disappoint me.
"Don't run out of money before you run out of time"
Buckets of Money.......2006-11-05
I love the book. It's packed with solid information in a very easy-to-read format.
Book Description
Companies must innovate to grow, but they often forget to look beyond their own brands. Take Sony, for example. Its success with consumer innovations like the Walkman blinded it to obvious changes in how, when, and where people wanted their music. Apple capitalized on those changes in demand with the iPod, providing a new way of listening to music and of managing one’s entire music library.
This book explains how you can spot these opportunities that are hidden in plain sight. It introduces the demand-first innovation and growth model that will show you how to become an unbiased observer of people’s consumption and usage behaviors. Refining this skill helps companies generate organic growth through new products, services, solutions, and experiences that truly enhance peoples’ lives. Revealing the innovative processes of such organizations as BMW, Proctor and Gamble, GE Healthcare, and Frito-Lay, Hidden in Plain Sight offers you a new approach to identifying and executing your company’s growth strategy.
Customer Reviews:
A growth strategy from the outside in.......2007-10-15
Erich Joachimsthaler's book Hidden in Plain Sight challenges conventional wisdom on marketing and marketing strategy. There are a number of books advocating this 'outside in' view on strategy and growth.
Joachimsthaler's approach of DIG for Demand-first Integration and Growth Model provides a comprehensive set of tools and methods for defining growth opportunities based on an understanding of the external environment rather than trying to change the world to fit your products and services.
Joachimsthaler provides a full description of the processes and tools including a number of case studies that describe companies that have grown through innovation and an outside in view. These are the strengths of the book.
These strengths are also the books weakness. By talking extensively about companies like BMW, GE, PepsiCo, etc, the book's main messages get bogged down in the text. Many of these cases have not used Joachimsthaler's DIG methodology, so there is little to connect the case to the argument he is advancing. This makes the book drag in some places and confuses Joachimsthaler's argument.
Overall the book is recommended as the combination of tools and methodology provides a valuable resource for companies looking to change their marketing approach and results. Other resources to consider include Chris Zook's "Unstoppable" and Davenport and Harris's "Competing on Analytics."
The Formula for Innovation and Growth.......2007-07-14
Erich Joachimsthaler provides a systematic approach to make marketing accountable for innovation and growth of BtoC and BtoB companies. We have seen the innovative business concept of share of customer evolve and being executed over the last years. Hidden in Plain Sight pushes that practice further to the concept of customer advantage, which means consequently managing impact and relevance, products and services have on customers daily lifes - on customers share of the day.
Erich Joachimsthaler formulates an explicit model, the demand-first innovation and growth model (DIG-Model), that illuminates the advantages of creating the demand landscape and sets a plan for action to specify the necessary effort to capture the relevant parts of the ecosystem of customer demand, reframes the specific business opportunity space, aligns business processes across all functions and sets the foundation for sustainable innovations and predictable growth.
As one reads the carefully selected international cases (e.g. Procter & Gamble, BMW, Apple, Deutsche Telekom, Volkswagen, NetFlix, Starbucks, General Electric, Sony, Allianz) reference is made to all parts of the DIG model and how all pieces have to work together to execute in business practice. Based on his deep insight and understanding of many industries, Erich Joachimsthaler proves his approach carefully and outlines, how innovation and growth can be systematically and replicable managed. That is why this book is relevant for people from many business functions and a variety of industries.
Thanks for this outstanding business book.
Kevin Frantz
Excellent.......2007-06-28
This is an excellent book, an eye opener for any professional in marketing, particularly those fighting the dog war of private labels and commoditization.
A popular, inspirational pick........2007-06-17
Business managers and executives who want keys to locating the potential for a company's expansion will want to consult HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT: HOW TO FIND AND EXECUTE YOUR COMPANY'S NEXT BIG GROWTH STRATEGY. It pinpoints changing consumer needs and usage patterns and tells how to use the DIG model to help companies understand the hidden opportunities for innovation, using the author's 20+ years studying company connections to help pinpoint customer-driven ideas. Business libraries catering to executives will find it a popular, inspirational pick.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
The Invisibility of the Obvious.......2007-05-23
Erich Joachimsthaler offers what he claims is a "new model of strategic innovation for achieving profitable business growth" by abandoning "some of the tried and proven conventions of innovation, marketing, and strategy formulation" and by discarding "some of today's common assumptions and management practices and adopt a fresh way of planning an executing your strategies today and your innovation and growth strategies of tomorrow." The key word is "some" as he explains how.
After discussing "hidden opportunities to innovate and grow" in Part I, he focuses in Part II on several companies which exemplify a demand-first innovation and growth model (e.g. Frito-Lay, Allianz, GE Healthcare, and State Street) and then shifts his attention, in Part III, to various strategies by which to realize customer advantage.
As the title of this book suggests, Joachimsthaler asserts - and I agree - that many senior-level executives lack the ability to see - really see - "the opportunities presented by the changing consumption or usage behaviors of people [their organizations are] trying to serve. [They] cannot spot or recognize and pursue the abundant opportunities that exist in plain sight." Why? Joachimsthaler suggests several reasons which include routine but disparate processes which fragment a company's view of its customers, perpetuation of the status quo which limits a company's perspective on its competitive marketplace, a mistaken belief that "the key to growth lies in identifying customers' needs and wants [and/or] providing solutions for the tasks or jobs it knows customers must take on and get done," and an "inside-out" perspective which results in what Theodore Levitt once characterized as "marketing myopia."
Joachimsthaler suggests three lessons that can be learned from companies such as NetFlix, Sony, and Starbucks:
1. Position existing or new products or services at natural intersections of customers' consumption and use behaviors;
2. Change or enhance customers' daily routines and create transformative experiences around activities, projects, and tasks in new and welcome ways; and
3. Deliver on previously unleashed or unarticulated desires, dreams, fantasies, and urges in the social-cultural context of people's lives.
The demand-first innovation (DIG) model can be of substantial benefit to any organization (regardless of size or nature) but it would be a fool's errand to attempt to apply all of the ideas that Joachimsthaler presents. Rather, It would be a fool's errand for anyone who reads this book to attempt to apply all of the ideas that Joachimsthaler presents. Rather, he suggests that those who read this book clearly identify their organization's key demand-relevant assets and make full use of them, rigorously evaluate and develop their organization's distinctive capabilities deployed to manage those assets, choose only those major strategic initiatives that force the integration of all demand-facing processes, and "build the culture" with innovation initiatives at all levels and within all areas throughout what should be a demand-driven enterprise.
Joachimsthaler calls for nothing less than "the activation of demand-first growth platforms by whatever means [to] help customers absorb or assimilate an innovation, or retool old ways of doing things, into their daily life or work experiences." Only then can an organization find and execute its next big growth strategy.
Book Description
Focusing on the many advances that are made possible by simulation, this book describes the new generation of discrete choice methods. Researchers use these statistical methods to examine the choices that consumers, households, firms, and other agents make. Each of the major models is covered: logit, generalized extreme value, or GEV (including nested and cross-nested logits), probit, and mixed logit, plus a variety of specifications that build on these basics. The procedures are applicable in many fields, including energy, transportation, environmental studies, health, labor, and marketing.
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This book describes the new generation of discrete choice methods, focusing on the many advances that are made possible by simulation. Researchers use these statistical methods to examine the choices that consumers, households, firms, and other agents make. Each of the major models is covered: logit, generalized extreme value, or GEV (including nested and cross-nested logits), probit, and mixed logit, plus a variety of specifications that build on these basics. Simulation-assisted estimation procedures are investigated and compared, including maximum simulated likelihood, method of simulated moments, and method of simulated scores. Procedures for drawing from densities are described, including variance reduction techniques such as anithetics and Halton draws. Recent advances in Bayesian procedures are explored, including the use of the Metropolis-Hastings algorithm and its variant Gibbs sampling. No other book incorporates all these fields, which have arisen in the past 20 years. The procedures are applicable in many fields, including energy, transportation, environmental studies, health, labor, and marketing.
Customer Reviews:
An excellent and thorough book.......2006-03-08
This book is one of the best for introduction to Discrete choice models. I had been using Ben-Akiva & Lerman, but feel this book should be read along with that one for a better understanding of choice models. Also, Train covers recent advances in the field and provides a good introduction to Halton draws. He really makes sure you get the concepts and the online lecture series are really excellent.
Probably the best of its kind. Good for MS students and up .......2005-04-24
-Enjoyable read
-Does not assume PhD level of econometrics
-Explanations are clear and concise
Actually, an advanced undergrad may find this book usefull as well.
Is this the best discrete choice methods book ever published?
Let y = 1 or 0 where 1 = yes, this is the best and 0 = No, the book is not the best. Also let P = Prob (y=1). My results show P = 0.98 (see forthcoming Econometrica article).
While finishing a Master's Thesis in applied econ which focuses on a multinomial logit model, I have sought good info on this topic. Not having gone through the rigors of a PhD program, I have gone through many of the important books and articles which address discrete choice modeling methods some of which address a post-doc audience only. Dr. Train's is by far the best I have encountered. His explanations are concise yet not too dense (see Amemiya). I first encountered many of the concepts in other publications but did understand them until reading Train's book. In my opinion Train has that rare quality of being, not only an exceptional economist, but quite enjoyable to read.
excellent discussion of what the models mean.......2005-03-17
If I could give this book six stars I would. It's simply one of the best statistics books I've ever read.
This book is very well-written by one of the experts in the field. It covers logit models and the various generalizations (GEV, mixed logit, probit, etc.) in detail, along with a thorough discussion of modern estimation of these models. What I find most useful about it is that the words-to-equations density is highly favorable. The equations you need are there, but the words you need are there too, making sure you understand the model assumptions inside and out. Each equation is explained thoroughly and the surrounding discussion probes the model to bring the reader to a critical understanding of what exactly is implied by the model. Too often complex statistical models are treated in a "black box" fashion. The dirty little secret is that it's easier for the author to do this. Train doesn't take the easy way out. The fact that his web site has truly excellent support--including a large number of webinars in addition to the more usual papers, software, etc.--makes this book a doubly valuable item. See http://elsa.berkeley.edu/~train/distant.html for even more.
Book Description
In today’s competitive marketplace, customer relationship management is critical to a company’s profitability and long-term success. To become more customer focused, skilled managers, IT professionals and marketing executives must understand how to build profitable relationships with each customer and to make managerial decisions every day designed to increase the value of a company by making managerial decisions that will grow the value of the customer base. The goal is to build long-term relationships with customers and generate increased customer loyalty and higher margins. In Managing Customer Relationships, Don Peppers and Martha Rogers, credited with founding the customer-relationship revolution in 1993 when they invented the term "one-to-one marketing," provide the definitive overview of what it takes to keep customers coming back for years to come.
Presenting a comprehensive framework for customer relationship management, Managing Customer Relationships provides CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, CMOs, privacy officers , human resources managers, marketing executives, sales teams, distribution managers, professors, and students with a logical overview of the background, the methodology, and the particulars of managing customer relationships for competitive advantage. Here, renowned customer relationship management pioneers Peppers and Rogers incorporate many of the principles of individualized customer relationships that they are best known for, including a complete overview of the background and history of the subject, relationship theory, IDIC (Identify-Differentiate-Interact-Customize) methodology, metrics, data management, customer management, company organization, channel issues, and the store of the future.
One of the first books designed to develop an understanding of the pedagogy of managing customer relationships, with an emphasis on customer strategies and building customer value, Managing Customer Relationships features:
Pioneering theories and principles of individualized customer relationships
An overview of relationship theory
Contributions from such revolutionary leaders as Philip Kotler, Esther Dyson, Geoffrey Moore, and Seth Godin
Guidelines for identifying customers and differentiating them by value and need
Tips for using the tools of interactivity and customization to build learning relationships
Coverage of the importance of privacy and customer feedback
Advice for measuring the success of customer-based initiatives
The future and evolution of retailing
An appendix that examines the qualities needed in a firm’s customer relationship leaders, and that provides fundamental tools for embarking on a career in managing customer relationships or helping a company use customer value as the basis for executive decisions
The techniques in Managing Customer Relationships can help any company sharpen its competitive advantage.
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In today’s competitive marketplace, customer relationship management is critical to a company’s profitability and long-term success. To become more customer focused, skilled managers, IT professionals and marketing executives must understand how to build profitable relationships with each customer and to make managerial decisions every day designed to increase the value of a company by making managerial decisions that will grow the value of the customer base. The goal is to build long-term relationships with customers and generate increased customer loyalty and higher margins. In Managing Customer Relationships, Don Peppers and Martha Rogers, credited with founding the customer-relationship revolution in 1993 when they invented the term "one-to-one marketing," provide the definitive overview of what it takes to keep customers coming back for years to come.
Presenting a comprehensive framework for customer relationship management, Managing Customer Relationships provides CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, CMOs, privacy officers , human resources managers, marketing executives, sales teams, distribution managers, professors, and students with a logical overview of the background, the methodology, and the particulars of managing customer relationships for competitive advantage. Here, renowned customer relationship management pioneers Peppers and Rogers incorporate many of the principles of individualized customer relationships that they are best known for, including a complete overview of the background and history of the subject, relationship theory, IDIC (Identify-Differentiate-Interact-Customize) methodology, metrics, data management, customer management, company organization, channel issues, and the store of the future.
One of the first books designed to develop an understanding of the pedagogy of managing customer relationships, with an emphasis on customer strategies and building customer value, Managing Customer Relationships features:
Pioneering theor
Customer Reviews:
CS BOOK.......2005-08-09
Solid book on CS- long read!
Many good points-
Wish there was a cliff notes version
The book that was missing.......2004-09-08
This book fills in the empty space of academic books in CRM. Most of the publications and articles I've read deal with research on the subject and companies selling their programs. In this book Peppers and Rogers compiled a comprehensive text with theory, research and contributions from other authors that are a valuable tool for the under and graduate level.
Highly Recommended!.......2004-08-06
This very extensive text on customer relationship management leaves nothing unsaid or unexplained. Authors and editors Don Peppers and Martha Rogers tackle the subject with admirable organization, clarity and depth. They define every important term and do not lose the reader in marketing jargon - a rare virtue in a book about marketing. The text, including contributions from other well-known experts in the field, propounds a well-developed theory of customer relationship management (CRM) and sets out numerous examples to illustrate, explain and clarify the theory. Useful as a handbook, textbook or reference manual, the book covers - among many other core subjects - customer identification and differentiation, customer feedback, an analysis of retailing and basic tools for CRM. We highly recommend this book to service-oriented managers and executives. To form profitable relationships with your customers, first get friendly with Peppers and Rogers.
Taking One-to-One marketing to the CEO's agenda.......2004-07-28
Having just finalised an e-business thesis on Online Personalization, I must say that this book is an impressive source on the strategic level for what is synonymously called CRM, One-to-One marketing, relationship marketing, etc.
What I like about Peppers & Rogers is that they don't pretend to be the only ones to have seen this shift in customer-focused organizations (although they were first-movers in US by coining the term One-to-One in 1993). Peppers & Rogers accept readily that many other people have interesting perspectives to add. Thus, this book includes many contributions from marketing wizards like Philip Kotler, Seth Godin, Bruce Kasanoff, and Patricia Seybold.
The book is the sixth from the authors. If you have read some of the previous publications, you'll already be familiar with their core concepts like the IDIC-model (Identify-Differentiate-Interact-Customize), as well as Learning Relationships and customer Lifetime Value.
I believe that Peppers & Rogers' most important contribution is to change a company's focus from customer acquisition to customer retention. That is: Stop spending all you money getting new customers and start spending more on keeping and growing existing customers. This is where the learning relationships come in. The basic idea of Managing Customer Relationships, the authors concisely describe in plain English:
The Learning Relationships work like this: If you're my customer and I get you to talk to me, and I remember what you tell me, then I get smarter and smarter about you. I know something about you my competitors don't know. So I can do things for you my competitors can't do, because they don't know you as well as I do. Before long, you can get something from me you can't get anywhere else, for any price. At the very least, you'd have to start all over somewhere else, but starting over is more costly than staying with me.
Being a Dane, I'm proud to see the reference made on page 172 that the relationship theory can be traced back to the Scandinavian School of Relationships Management (e.g. Gronroos and Gummeson). Back in the 1980's, both were required reading in Scandinavian business schools. They often researched service firms and B2B-networks and based on this knowledge, they emphasised the contents and types of the business relationships and the required strategies to make these relationships work. It wasn't until the 1990's that CRM-initiatives took off in the United States - and usually they have been very technology-driven. Today, we all accept that you need both the relationship mindset and the technology-enabler. So the two approaches may ultimately achieve the same goals.
Peter Leerskov,
MSc in International Business (Marketing & Management) and Graduate Diploma in E-business
Don and Martha Do It Again!.......2004-05-25
Another stellar effort by the pioneers of one-to-one. This book tackles CRM on several different fronts, and includes thoughtful pieces from a range of expert contributors. The book features both tactics and theory, including a helpful history on the emergence of CRM as a major business philosophy and some of the original research behind relationship theory. A hefty reference, and a useful one!
Book Description
Investment pros know: skyrocket stocks and high-flying money managers come and go, but you only achieve superior long-term results by sticking with a sound, prudent, well-conceived investment plan. In The Management of Investment Decisions, pioneering financial consultant Donal Trone, along with William R. Allbright and Philip R. Traylor, presents the proper ways to: Analyze your client's current position and potential; Develop an Investment Policy Statement that all involved will read and, more importantly, understand; Approach, understand and build the portfolios of high net worth families.
Customer Reviews:
An Excellent Resource for Investment Consultants.......2005-11-06
This book helps an investment consultant to develop a disciplined approach to investment management. The concepts addressed in this book provide the investment professional with guidance in the development of prudent investment practices.
What Fiduciaries, Trustees, and Professionals need to know.......2000-08-18
This book is excellent. If you are responsible for investing other people's money as a professional, on the board of a foundation or endowment or are someone who is a trustee on an account, this book is for you. This book goes over important guidelines that should be followed to protect the funds and yourself.
Sound Advice on Prudent Asset Allocation.......1999-09-19
The text was clear, concise, and provided valuable practical insight into the role of an investment advisor with respect to a well-developed investment policy statement and asset allocation methodology. The reading will be of great value to any portfolio consultant looking to manage funds prudently and with success.
Book Description
"Everyone in the workforce today should read this book!"--Horace B. Deets, former Executive Director, AARP
With the right planning, retirement can be the happiest time in life. Award-winning Washington Post retirement columnist and financial expert Stan Hinden helps you guarantee that your retirement will be as enjoyable as possible.
How to Retire Happy provides answers to all your complicated retirement questions. From Social Security and Medicare to long term care insurance and estate planning, Stan covers all the bases. This fully updated and expanded edition of the bestselling guide includes:
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Practical advice on the 12 most important decisions to make before retiring
- Guidance on the critical emotional, psychological, and health issues of retirement
- The latest information on Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and changes to the rules governing IRAs and 401(k)s
- Expert tips on how to arrange an estate to save money on taxes and probate
Customer Reviews:
Buy this book!.......2007-04-01
They say hindsight is 20/20, but by reading this book your foresight will be too. There is no hype here, just straight common sense from a guy who's already where you want to be.
Are you planning on living on less money in retirement? Do you really want to? Stan tells you that's not realistic and why. And what to expect about taxes, and health insurance.. Take it from someone who's already there. This book will help you ensure a comfortable and happy retirement.
Basic Overview for Beginners.......2006-07-17
For a financial writer with a major newspaper, this author was surprisingly uninformed about his retirement planning. He points out the mistakes he made, primarily from being uninformed about social security, his 401-k investment options, and how much money he might need in retirement. He then goes on to tell what he would have done differently HAD HE REALIZED the implications of his inaction while young. He realized too late that a little planning during his career would have made a big difference to him in retirement. While well written, this book is pretty basic. It is a good primer for someone thinking of their retirement options. This is an easy, enjoyable read; I finished it in two evenings.
Better late then never.......2006-07-06
Well written and easy to read. The book fills in the gaps leading to retirement and allows one to make up for lost time in looking at things that need to be considered for retirement.
Book Description
This course will demonstrate communication techniques that build customer loyalty, and how to defuse customer anger with attentive listening and empathy, focus on the customer's needs without blaming, and respond to personal accusations without becoming defensive. Customers are your most important assets, but sometimes they get upset. It's critical to learn what steps to take to address the situation quickly and tactfully, and what can be done to keep the customer coming back. You will learn how listening, nonverbal communication, feedback, and management all help to deal with an unhappy customer, and turn the situation into a positive one.
Customer Reviews:
The Best Guide to Calming Upset Customers.......2007-07-06
This is a very simple, short book, and that's good--unlike most business books, it doesn't fill its pages with unnecessary fluff to pad the page count. The exercises are fun and easy, and this book is highly recommended for anyone that has to deal with customers.
Easy to Implement.......2005-09-07
This book is easy to read, easy to understand and easy to put into action.
Book Description
Customer Centered Selling teaches you the secret of the world-famous Xerox sales training program. The secret, Robert Jolles reveals, is reversing the conventional selling practice of searching for customer needs. To truly create urgency, you must focus instead on the customer's problems and decision-making process. Jolles provides a systematic, repeatable, predictable approach that teaches you to anticipate and influence behavior as the customer moves through an eight-stage "decision cycle" and ultimately discovers his or her needs. The book includes a series of case studies, activities, and exercises that enable you to better understand the principles being taught, so you can immediately apply them to your own unique scenarios. This book is a "must read" for all sales professionals, sales managers, and managers in need of a disciplined approach to persuading others.
Download Description
"Customer Centered Selling" teaches you the secret of the world-famous Xerox sales training program. For almost two decades, tens of thousands of salespeople have learned the lessons presented here by Robert L. Jolles, the Sales Trainer with the longest tenure working at Xerox Corporation today. The secret, Jolles reveals, is reversing the conventional selling practice. You must focus first on your customer's needs and decision-making process, instead of on the selling process. Jolles provides a systematic approach that teaches you to anticipate-- and influence-- customer behavior as the customer moves through an eight-stage "decision cycle". Only after you understand the steps of this decision cycle, Jolles cautions, are you prepared to match it to your "selling cycle". At the heart of these lessons is the simple but brilliant role-reversing concept of taking an idea and planting it in the mind of your customer-- making the customer believe he or she thought of it first. Jolles teaches a repeatable, predictable selling process that can be adapted or modified to fit any experience that requires the skills of persuasion. The book includes a series of case studies, activities, and exercises that enable you to better understand the principles being taught, so you can immediately apply them to your own unique scenarios. This book is a "must read" for all sales professionals and sales managers and all managers in need of a disciplined approach to persuading others.
Customer Reviews:
One of the Best!.......2004-09-08
I've rarely seen a more logical approach to selling. It leaves nothing to imagination, making every step in the process clear and explicit. It even expands on Rackham's SPIN sequence. If you're tired of guessing, this book's for you.
Excellent Across the Board!!!.......2003-08-12
TThis book is terrific...It answered many questions I had about sales approach to b2b selling. If you are selling b2b or your product/service has a high value, you will love the tools this book will give you to succeed! It has great examples, and useful exercises to make the material 'stick'. Rob breaks everything down to minute detail, so everything is duplicatable and understandable. I hope to see an audio version sometime in the future. I love the questioning sequences detailed by Rob and his honest and ethical approach to every step in the sales cycle.
This book also teaches you how to use the selling principles in everything else in life from managing employees to bringing up children. I am already beginning to be more pursuasive with my fiance and my boss. I am loving it!!!
Robert Jolles teaches you very SOUND techniques and not hype like Tom Hopkins, Zig Ziglar or Joe Girard. I love the fact that he was a senior sales training consultant at Xerox, which is world-known for its investment in sales research and its training methodologies.
Good Book - but its missing that little "something".......2002-07-21
I am pretty new to the world of sales - a reluctant salesman who has realised that selling is central to success in any relationship based endeavour. What I have been searching for is a sales 'system' - a repeatable process that allows you to 'advise' the client for mutual benefit, rather than simply sell him. And Robert Jolles almost hits the mark. He gives you a sales strategy - a strategy with 8 steps in the selling process, that with a bit of practice will make the sales call more of a consultation.
But, for me, the book contradicted its title somewhat. This is particularly evident where Jolles uses the boxing metaphor for selling (he compares selling to you and your client stepping into the ring for a few rounds) and 'bleeding' your client. Now maybe I'm naive, but I think this is what is totally wrong with the sales profession - I don't think you're ever fighting your client, or should be trying to 'bleed' him or her, or make him hurt.
Now perhaps Jolles was simply trying to make the point that the client needs to be fully aware of the implications of his/her problem etc, but it was the way he says it that shows he doesn't have the customers true interests at heart. And to me,its the philosophy of the sales professional combined with sales effectiveness that is critical to building long-term, mutually benefical client relationships.
I would recommend this book to you - it teaches a sound sales process that is repeatable. But for me it missed that extra something.
Takes selling to the next level.......2001-08-18
Clearly defines the steps to making a sale along with the understanding of how and when a customer makes a buying decision. People don't make a large purchase decision until they have a "problem". So if you are selling large ticket items and or programs, then you better understand how to move the decision maker into the "problem" stage. I thought that the author's examples and situations outlined in the book were excellent and really drove home the points he was making. It is an easy read and thoroughly enjoyable!
Repeatable and Predicatable....can you really find that?.......2000-12-23
I have been teaching Rob's methods for close to 2 years at the Univ. of Houston. Rob is a genuine person and his methods work...period. Yet, you cannot just read this book and expect it all to sync the first day. You need to practice this....daily to have the impact required.
Book Description
Nearly 2 million Americans reach retirement age each year. Before anyone can begin to enjoy all the leisure time ahead, there are difficult decisions to be made about a host of crucial issues, such as Social Security, HMOs, insurance, and estate planning. Written by award-winning Washington Post financial reporter and syndicated columnist, Stan Hinden, How to Retire Happy arms anyone approaching retirement with easy-to-comprehend answers to all their complicated questions. How to Retire Happy:
• Provides practical advice and guidance on the 12 most complicated decisions to make before retiring
• Covers all the bases, from where to live to how to invest, from health insurance to taking money out of IRAs
• Goes beyond financial planning to offer practical advice on the key emotional and psychological issues surrounding retirement
Customer Reviews:
Different book than I expected.......2006-01-16
This was a very interesting book even for those of us who reitred early (in our 50's) because we had not yet had to deal with many of the issues discussed. However, the title made me think it was going to be more about the non-financial aspects of retirement -- the "Happy" part.
Now 6 years into our retirement, we have traveled for a year (and written a book "Live Your Road Trip Dream - Travel for a year for the cost of staying home), done some part time work selling, played with the grandkids, traveled some more, and are continually looking for new ideas to fill our days. As we often say to people, "Yes, we're retired, but we're not dead!" We have our eyes open and looking for new challenges. That's what I thought we'd find in this book. Hmmm, maybe I should write THAT book....
The author presents his topics with candor and real examples, which is very helpful. It at least gives you a general idea of where to start and what the "ballpark" looks like, but I'm still looking for more "happy" ideas.
Helpful Insight From Real Retiree.......2002-12-01
My first observation in reviewing "How to Retire Happy," by Stan Hinden, is that the title of the book is misleading. In fact, the author essentially waits until the last two pages of the book to tell us some reasons why he really likes his retirement. And we learn essentially nothing of his day-to-day activities that make his retirement a happy one. But, despite the misleading title, things turn out to be just fine, as by the time one reads through all the areas that the author worries about or used to worry about relative to his retirement, it is almost like we have lived through those experiences ourselves. We are now more than ever ready to learn more about the fun part of retirement from another source.
But more bad news is the fact that the author waits until age 69 to retire, then goes back to work part-time eight months later, even though both he and his wife have handsome pensions lined up. His conclusion is that he was much better off financially having waited to retire. This less-than-risky leap into retirement is not what most pre-retirement readers want to hear, I would think. Also, since he takes five years into retirement to finish the book, he brings us his views and information on retirement from a perspective of a man well into his 70's, an age that is well-beyond the current average age for Americans starting retirement.
But some good news is that his thoughts couple maturity with the freshness and openness that we're looking for. He tells us his goal for the book is to "take the mystery out of retirement." What he has to say, to me, comes in a style and content that is sincere, authentic, and not preachy or meant to be perfect. And while most of the book's information can be found in countless other books or materials on retirement issues, it is the author's personal-experience perspectives, weaving in and out, that make the book worth reading.
Perhaps the book's best chapter is the one entitled "How Should I Invest During Retirement?" As most experienced investors know, there simply is no one answer for everyone in this area or even for one person all the time. Says the author, "Your goal as a retiree should be to develop an investment portfolio that provides relative safety, current income for living expenses, and the growth of your saving." While we'll all probably agree with this, now what? It's a bit like a baseball manager telling his pitcher, "Don't give him anything good, but whatever you do, don't walk him!"
The author starts this chapter with, "Three years after I retired, I was shocked to discover that if my wife and I didn't cut down on our spending and get better results on or investments, we would use up all our retirement savings within eight years." He gets professional advice to concentrate on cash flow. And after laying out the financial alternatives that he has been provided in his real world, Hinden selects a combination not without risk, in an effort to squeeze out a return that will bring him enough money to buy things he's really counting on in retirement. In this area, he's taken real risk and is not putting us to sleep. His struggle is personal and frank, and his conclusion is more than food for thought.
And while I don't agree with his conclusion in the chapter on long-term-care insurance, he comes right out with his concerns: "I can tell you what scares me. It's the idea that my health or the health of my wife, Sara, might deteriorate to the point where one of us would have to become a resident of a nursing home for an extended period of time." And he shares his fear of "the very real threat that we could be wiped out financially by the cost of that care." What also is refreshing in this section and others is that he gives readers actual financial details for he and his wife that are involved in their decisions. How refreshing to have some real numbers from a real retiree.
Another enjoyable chapter is "Where Do I Want To Live After I Retire?" Again, he shares the personal struggles and explorations that he and his wife experienced in their relocation explorations. He brings this important area of retirement options to life and, as a result, you feel more experienced yourself after having read it. And finally, in his final chapter, "How Can I Age Successfully," his list of the "do's" and "don'ts" relative to growing older are first-class.
Again, perhaps the best thing about this book is that it is full of personal experiences from a guy who is authentically retired. The clear majority of "retirement" books now emerging are written by people who have advice and opinions on retirement, but have no interest in retiring themselves soon. I find this a bit ingenuous most of the time. What Hinden gives us is a view from the inside looking out. It is far from a perfect book on retirement, and most readers will find sections or chapters that they will want to skim or skip entirely. Despite this, I enjoyed reading the book and recommend it highly to others.
Not the best out there..........2002-05-18
A book for the beginner. The financial planning advice was broad in scope, but shallow in depth. For the novice. The book is written in the voice of a person from my parent's generation (I'm 48). The approach to planning here is very conservative and even a bit naive. There were some good passages on trusts and wills. I was also a bit surprised there was no mention of non-financial issues relating to retirement, like personal growth. Money isn't everything. Try the book by Wasik, much better.
Good basic book covers all the important areas.......2002-03-23
Solidly researched and tightly written, this one will answer all the basic question a prospective retiree could have without overwhelming the reader with unnecessary detail or repetition. The author doesn't neglect to cover important side issues such as how to age successfully and deciding where to live after retirement but also covers basic questions such as : Am I ready to retire? Can I afford to retire and How should I invest DURING retirement? All in all, a good, well-balanced guide to retirement planning.
Out of retirement.............2002-03-01
Stan Hinden writes a column for the Washington Post and I've read his column since day one. I cannot say this is the best book ever written on the subject because I've only read three books, but I can say I've learned a great deal about retirement from Mr. Hinden and what I've learned was not taught in the midcareer retirement seminar I attended.
Unlike some who write on the subject, Mr. Hinden is actually retired...well sort of. He took a retirement pension from the Washington Post and then started writing his column on retirement, and now he has published a book on the subject. As Yogi Berra said, it ain't over until it's over.
Mr. Hinden says although you may retire from one job, perhaps you'll go onto another. Many folks retire from several jobs over the course of their life. Others figure out how to retire once and do it before 40. Mr. Hinden's main point is to rethink what retirement means to you. And, it's very important to have a plan for your "retired" years.
Mr. Hinden deals with financial matters, probably not with the comprehensiveness of a financial planner, but he provides enough information to get you started asking the right questions as well as a list of other sources with more in-depth information. A few of his goodies include -- yes, you can arrange with Social Security to make deductions for tax purposes, and yes, you may be eligible for pension coverage from a former employee if you were vested before you left.
Mr. Hinden underwent surgery a few years ago, and he has a great deal to say about medical expenses and health insurance. He also has some things to say about decisions he made prior to retirement concerning his beneficiaries. He also explains some of the mysteries associated with Part A and Part B Medicare. He also discusses the value of long-term health care insurance.
It's never too early to think about retirement planning. I am sending copies of Mr. Hinden's book to all my children so they can begin to think about it. That should boost his post-retirement income by a few cents.
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