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Driven to Delight: Delivering World-Class Customer Experience the Mercedes-Benz Way
New York Times best-selling author shares an inside look at how Mercedes-Benz transformed themselves into a best-in-class, customer-obsessed organization.
Driven to Delight offers an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at CEO Steve Cannon and his leadership team's ambitious, multi-pronged strategy to elevate the company's customer experience to best-in-class across all brands and industries.
The author worked closely with leaders inside the organization to understand the customer experience transformation as a top operational and cultural priority for Mercedes-Benz. This audiobook gives listeners an exclusive, all-access look at senior leadership's vision, strategy, and tactical steps to create and sustain the wide-sweeping actions needed to deliver the best customer experience.
Driven to Delight offers an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at CEO Steve Cannon and his leadership team's ambitious, multi-pronged strategy to elevate the company's customer experience to best-in-class across all brands and industries.
The author worked closely with leaders inside the organization to understand the customer experience transformation as a top operational and cultural priority for Mercedes-Benz. This audiobook gives listeners an exclusive, all-access look at senior leadership's vision, strategy, and tactical steps to create and sustain the wide-sweeping actions needed to deliver the best customer experience.
Audible Audio
First published December 6, 2015
66 people are currently reading
404 people want to read
About the author
Joseph A. Michelli
22 books40 followersJoseph Michelli is an American psychologist, speaker, and author. He started his career as a psychologist in 1988 and began writing business books in 2004.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
February 6, 2017
Michelli’s writing about Mercedes-Benz USA and how they reorganized and reoriented to elevate their customers’ experience. This is pretty dry professional book full of management slang and MBA-type insights. To work your way through this “manual” you probably have similar customer care responsibilities or you are obsessive about Mercedes-Benz.
Here are some of the points that Michelli shares with his readers:
“Great customer brands are focused obsessively on the customer.”
Customers want to interact with highly knowledgeable service providers.
Companies are shifting from a training mindset to a learning mindset; by which he means that companies these “future-thinking” companies will offer certifiable skills and knowledge that will enhance the lives of employees and customers.
Providing a unique customer experience is a differentiator in the marketplace.
Collecting and sharing stories of customer experience excellence inspire your team to deliver that level of care “to every customer, every time.”
“Future-proofing your business will involve creating a compelling picture of the benefits of a customer experience that integrates technology and human service delivery.”
If nothing else, this book has made me ask whether the car and manufacturer I am interested in are delivering this level of “driving delight.”
My rating is based on the prerequisites that I listed at the start of this review.
Here are some of the points that Michelli shares with his readers:
“Great customer brands are focused obsessively on the customer.”
Customers want to interact with highly knowledgeable service providers.
Companies are shifting from a training mindset to a learning mindset; by which he means that companies these “future-thinking” companies will offer certifiable skills and knowledge that will enhance the lives of employees and customers.
Providing a unique customer experience is a differentiator in the marketplace.
Collecting and sharing stories of customer experience excellence inspire your team to deliver that level of care “to every customer, every time.”
“Future-proofing your business will involve creating a compelling picture of the benefits of a customer experience that integrates technology and human service delivery.”
If nothing else, this book has made me ask whether the car and manufacturer I am interested in are delivering this level of “driving delight.”
My rating is based on the prerequisites that I listed at the start of this review.
April 23, 2018
Michelli has written another excellent book. Here, he dives into the transformation of the Mercedes Benz US sales organization from best-in-class to a player in best-in-world for supporting their customers. If I recall, the author was hired to consult with the US arm of Mercedes on these topics, and maintains a long-term engagement with the division leaders. This is very much a story of what a division can do inside a larger corporation, and ends with thoughts on how the experiences and learnings could be shared throughout the corporation. I enjoyed the many, many examples. Mercedes is a premium label, with premium prices. The efforts at customer delight require a budget that non-premium brands would have a difficult time justifying. So this is the story of a strategy that not every competitor can use. Can it work in other industries? It appears so, and that makes this set of examples very interesting.
I often find books written by consultants are transparently aimed at getting the author additional business. I don’t see that with this book. This was not an ad for Michelli’s work, but instead was an excellent, deep case study of how a premium brand delights their customers. The writing is on point -- I will read additional books by this author.
I often find books written by consultants are transparently aimed at getting the author additional business. I don’t see that with this book. This was not an ad for Michelli’s work, but instead was an excellent, deep case study of how a premium brand delights their customers. The writing is on point -- I will read additional books by this author.
January 1, 2016
Excellent book! Specially for those like me on the dealership business. Very accurate, and with very illustrative examples. I strongly recommend it.
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July 25, 2018Em Resumo:
> Construa um mapa de onde você está e aonde quer chegar.
> Faça as promessas e execute.
> Examine todos os pontos de contatos com os clientes e aprimore um a um.
> Medição da Experiência do cliente. Use a voz do cliente como ferramenta de mudança para melhor.
> Alinhamento, Responsabilidade e Ferramentas para a linha de Frente com os clientes.
> Encante seus clientes com os pequenos detalhes.
> Condução de mudança tecnológica e de processo.
> Crie vínculos emocionais com seus clientes.
>> O Melhor ou Nada <<
> Um cliente é o visitante mais importante de nossas instalações. Ele não depende de nós. Nós é que dependemos dele. Não é uma interrupção no nosso trabalho. É a finalidade deste. Não fazemos um favor ao servi-lo. Ele é que nos faz um favor ao nos dar uma oportunidade para o servirmos - Mahatma Gandhi.
> Se você quer construir um navio, não peça às pessoas que juntem madeira e nem lhes atribua tarefas e trabalhos; em vez disso, ensine-os a desejar a imensidão sem fim do oceano." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery
> Os perdedores fazem promessas que costumam não cumprir. Os vencedores assumem compromissos que sempre cumprem. - Denis Waitley
> Se existir algum segredo do sucesso, ele está na capacidade de pegar o ponto de vista de outra pessoa e ver as coisas sob o ângulo dela, assim como de seu próprio. - Henry Ford.
> Meça o que for mensurável. E torne mensurável o que não for. Galileu Galilei
> Trabalho em equipe é a capacidade de trabalhar em conjunto para uma visão em comum. É a capacidade de direcionar as realizações individuais para objetivos organizacionais. Este é o combustível que permite às pessoas comuns alcançar resultados incomuns.
> O importante é que você tenha uma fé nas pessoas, de que elas basicamente são boas e inteligentes, e se você lhes der ferramentas, elas farão coisas maravilhosas. Não são nas ferramentas que você tem fé - ferramentas são apenas ferramentas. - Steve Jobs.
> Se as suas ações inspiram os outros a sonhar mais, a aprender mais, a fazer mais e a ser mais, você é um lider. - John Quincy Adams
> A inovação é o único seguro contra a irrelevância. É a única garantia da fidelidade do cliente em longo prazo. - Gary Hamel
> A complexidade que funciona é construída a partir de módulos que funcionam perfeitamente, em camadas uns sobre os outros. - Kevin Kelly
- Muito esforço, muita prosperidade! Eurípides.
> Construa um mapa de onde você está e aonde quer chegar.
> Faça as promessas e execute.
> Examine todos os pontos de contatos com os clientes e aprimore um a um.
> Medição da Experiência do cliente. Use a voz do cliente como ferramenta de mudança para melhor.
> Alinhamento, Responsabilidade e Ferramentas para a linha de Frente com os clientes.
> Encante seus clientes com os pequenos detalhes.
> Condução de mudança tecnológica e de processo.
> Crie vínculos emocionais com seus clientes.
>> O Melhor ou Nada <<
> Um cliente é o visitante mais importante de nossas instalações. Ele não depende de nós. Nós é que dependemos dele. Não é uma interrupção no nosso trabalho. É a finalidade deste. Não fazemos um favor ao servi-lo. Ele é que nos faz um favor ao nos dar uma oportunidade para o servirmos - Mahatma Gandhi.
> Se você quer construir um navio, não peça às pessoas que juntem madeira e nem lhes atribua tarefas e trabalhos; em vez disso, ensine-os a desejar a imensidão sem fim do oceano." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery
> Os perdedores fazem promessas que costumam não cumprir. Os vencedores assumem compromissos que sempre cumprem. - Denis Waitley
> Se existir algum segredo do sucesso, ele está na capacidade de pegar o ponto de vista de outra pessoa e ver as coisas sob o ângulo dela, assim como de seu próprio. - Henry Ford.
> Meça o que for mensurável. E torne mensurável o que não for. Galileu Galilei
> Trabalho em equipe é a capacidade de trabalhar em conjunto para uma visão em comum. É a capacidade de direcionar as realizações individuais para objetivos organizacionais. Este é o combustível que permite às pessoas comuns alcançar resultados incomuns.
> O importante é que você tenha uma fé nas pessoas, de que elas basicamente são boas e inteligentes, e se você lhes der ferramentas, elas farão coisas maravilhosas. Não são nas ferramentas que você tem fé - ferramentas são apenas ferramentas. - Steve Jobs.
> Se as suas ações inspiram os outros a sonhar mais, a aprender mais, a fazer mais e a ser mais, você é um lider. - John Quincy Adams
> A inovação é o único seguro contra a irrelevância. É a única garantia da fidelidade do cliente em longo prazo. - Gary Hamel
> A complexidade que funciona é construída a partir de módulos que funcionam perfeitamente, em camadas uns sobre os outros. - Kevin Kelly
- Muito esforço, muita prosperidade! Eurípides.
December 6, 2015
Who would not want to have their organisation running like a well-maintained Mercedes-Benz, providing best-in-class customer service and support to its customers? Well with this book, which provides a behind-the-scenes look at Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Steve Cannon and his leadership team, maybe some of the Mercedes magic will rub off on you and your company!
The author shares liberally the Mercedes-Benz vision and tactical playbook, offering up many hooks to let you fasten your own circumstances and needs into this cultural hotspot of success. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be inspired by or copying such success. It is hardly the same as breaking into their research labs and taking next year’s car designs. Plus, in any case, they freely spoke to the author… so everyone should be seizing the opportunity to up their game. Can you ever truly have enough perfection?
This was an interesting, engaging book. At times the focus seemed to go a little awry but it is worth the perseverance and attention. It is not a recipe for overnight success or a big-bang moment, but more a cultural and structural shift that will yield benefits. For most companies it probably doesn’t even demand a major change to their operations, other than amending the “how” and “why” they do a certain task. It need not be viewed as an expensive financial transaction either; it is just doing the right thing and doing it well. Any interim financial outlay should be repaid time after time after time with extra business, happier customers and maybe even lower support costs. A win-win. Yet experience shows that many will ignore it; so you stand to gain even more as your competitors might not be as fully seized as you will be to be “driven to delight”.
In many ways, you don’t even need to have a business or be employed in a senior position to benefit from this book. With a bit of thought and modification a lot of the same underlying sentiments can be applied to your personal life.
Autamme.com
The author shares liberally the Mercedes-Benz vision and tactical playbook, offering up many hooks to let you fasten your own circumstances and needs into this cultural hotspot of success. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be inspired by or copying such success. It is hardly the same as breaking into their research labs and taking next year’s car designs. Plus, in any case, they freely spoke to the author… so everyone should be seizing the opportunity to up their game. Can you ever truly have enough perfection?
This was an interesting, engaging book. At times the focus seemed to go a little awry but it is worth the perseverance and attention. It is not a recipe for overnight success or a big-bang moment, but more a cultural and structural shift that will yield benefits. For most companies it probably doesn’t even demand a major change to their operations, other than amending the “how” and “why” they do a certain task. It need not be viewed as an expensive financial transaction either; it is just doing the right thing and doing it well. Any interim financial outlay should be repaid time after time after time with extra business, happier customers and maybe even lower support costs. A win-win. Yet experience shows that many will ignore it; so you stand to gain even more as your competitors might not be as fully seized as you will be to be “driven to delight”.
In many ways, you don’t even need to have a business or be employed in a senior position to benefit from this book. With a bit of thought and modification a lot of the same underlying sentiments can be applied to your personal life.
Autamme.com
August 29, 2017
Another excellent book by Joseph Michelli. If you want to understand Mercedes-Benz (MB) and how they run their business, then this book will get you there. If you're not a fan of this car company or have never driven one, no worries. The book provides a roadmap (all puns intended) on how to create a culture within your business that has a top notch customer experience. A lot of credit is given to the CEO Stephen Cannon who was instrumental in focusing on this aspect of the business.
The tagline for MB is 'The best or nothing.' They work to surprise and delight the customer. Lots of planning occurred, journey mapping was used, measurements were taken. I enjoyed the various quotes of famous leaders and others that were sprinkled throughout the book. MB set up many programs in-house including DaSH-drive a star home-for employees to borrow a car and experience driving it. Lots of surveys were done. Employees also were immersed in the brand, attended leadership training, and more. All of this is detailed in the book. Later on, other processes were created to encourage dealers-MB Select, mbrace, Premier Express, Digital Service Drive.
As I said, there is lots of detail, and helpful summaries at the end of each chapter. I'm on a mission to read all of the author's books on this topic and have enjoyed all four that I've read thus far. I'm on to the second of the Starbucks books and then will finish with the healthcare book which is in my wheelhouse. Well done, no typos, and fascinating.
The tagline for MB is 'The best or nothing.' They work to surprise and delight the customer. Lots of planning occurred, journey mapping was used, measurements were taken. I enjoyed the various quotes of famous leaders and others that were sprinkled throughout the book. MB set up many programs in-house including DaSH-drive a star home-for employees to borrow a car and experience driving it. Lots of surveys were done. Employees also were immersed in the brand, attended leadership training, and more. All of this is detailed in the book. Later on, other processes were created to encourage dealers-MB Select, mbrace, Premier Express, Digital Service Drive.
As I said, there is lots of detail, and helpful summaries at the end of each chapter. I'm on a mission to read all of the author's books on this topic and have enjoyed all four that I've read thus far. I'm on to the second of the Starbucks books and then will finish with the healthcare book which is in my wheelhouse. Well done, no typos, and fascinating.
December 22, 2015
This book shares the journey that Mercedes Benz USA took to become a customer obsessed organization from being product focus. While ordinary people like me may never be able to afford this product, it pays to know through this book that businesses and other organizations can learn something on how a luxury brand like Mercedes take care of their customers.
My main take away from this book is that it will teach you many of the processes MBUSA used to delight its customers. Some of these ideas may spark other ideas for improvement of customer service processes.
I would recommend this book to those who are involve in creating customer service processes.
My main take away from this book is that it will teach you many of the processes MBUSA used to delight its customers. Some of these ideas may spark other ideas for improvement of customer service processes.
I would recommend this book to those who are involve in creating customer service processes.
March 18, 2017
It's a really good book to read if you are into Customer Relationship. Specially if you are developing new markets, it shows you the importance of actually developing a customer service culture, the difficulties you might find on the way to success and gives you a great idea of the different applications on different industries.
October 14, 2017
Lots of detail in this book about how Mercedes improved CX and saw results. Would like more details on how leadership vision was obtained and curios how much money was invested to get results they achieved. A overview visual timeline would be interesting to have seen as well.
December 29, 2015
Very interesting to read. Reminded me of the case studies in Business School. Gives great insight into Mercedes Benz and the shift to being a customer service oriented organization.
September 27, 2018
Rather dry, but good points. I like reading about different ways to delight my customers and this was pretty relatable to my field, but it didn't stand out as much as other business books.
January 14, 2025
Frankómetro: 85%
Pudo haberse llamado: la buena leche de Meche
Lo recomienda: Starbucks
Leélo si te gusta: la estrategia y el servicio al cliente.
*********
Mercedes Benz es una de pocas marcas legendarias que verdaderamente transformaron no solamente su industria, sino el mundo entero. Hace más de 100 años inventaron el auto y, desde entonces, han sido una marca de lujo y prestigio.
Hasta los años 90, viajaban cómodos en el tren de la reputación, ancianos ya, dormidos en sus laureles. Pero un influjo de nuevas marcas de lujo hizo que su liderazgo se tambaleara.
Sabiendo que el lujo se siente tanto en el producto como en la experiencia, el CEO Steve Cannon decidió emprender un viaje revolucionario de transformación para colocar de nuevo a la empresa en la cima del servicio. Este libro cuenta la historia de ese viaje y las estrategias que se usaron para lograrlo.
Ojo; dije estrategias (y no tácticas). Este libro NO es un manual de servicio (para eso te recomiendo las "Estrategias de Servicio al Cliente de Disney", de ed. Panorama); sino un manual estratégico con alto sabor corporativo, que se sumerge sobre todo en el CAMBIO DE CULTURA hacia adentro de la empresa y en el VIAJE DEL CLIENTE que delimita los cambios.
Interesante lectura, de corte serio y curado. No es un libro motivacional ni de auto ayuda, sino una extraordinaria crónica de interés para empresarios, directores y estrategas del servicio.
Por cierto que nunca ni siquiera me había planteado tener (algún día) un MB; pero este libro me guiñó un ojo. Digo, para ver si es cierto eso de "driven to delight"...
Pudo haberse llamado: la buena leche de Meche
Lo recomienda: Starbucks
Leélo si te gusta: la estrategia y el servicio al cliente.
*********
Mercedes Benz es una de pocas marcas legendarias que verdaderamente transformaron no solamente su industria, sino el mundo entero. Hace más de 100 años inventaron el auto y, desde entonces, han sido una marca de lujo y prestigio.
Hasta los años 90, viajaban cómodos en el tren de la reputación, ancianos ya, dormidos en sus laureles. Pero un influjo de nuevas marcas de lujo hizo que su liderazgo se tambaleara.
Sabiendo que el lujo se siente tanto en el producto como en la experiencia, el CEO Steve Cannon decidió emprender un viaje revolucionario de transformación para colocar de nuevo a la empresa en la cima del servicio. Este libro cuenta la historia de ese viaje y las estrategias que se usaron para lograrlo.
Ojo; dije estrategias (y no tácticas). Este libro NO es un manual de servicio (para eso te recomiendo las "Estrategias de Servicio al Cliente de Disney", de ed. Panorama); sino un manual estratégico con alto sabor corporativo, que se sumerge sobre todo en el CAMBIO DE CULTURA hacia adentro de la empresa y en el VIAJE DEL CLIENTE que delimita los cambios.
Interesante lectura, de corte serio y curado. No es un libro motivacional ni de auto ayuda, sino una extraordinaria crónica de interés para empresarios, directores y estrategas del servicio.
Por cierto que nunca ni siquiera me había planteado tener (algún día) un MB; pero este libro me guiñó un ojo. Digo, para ver si es cierto eso de "driven to delight"...
July 11, 2022
As a German car owner and working in the area of customer experience, you may have some high expectation of this book. Especially the brand of Mercedes-Benz bringing up the perception of luxury immediately. However, you may not find the content with much relevance to at least MB customers outside North America, where the author referred to in most cases. Car industry is characterized by individual dealerships in different continents, countries, states / provinces, cities or even individual staff. Unfortunately, I do not find MB's services in particularly exceptionally in my local dealership. It is more a demand and supply relationship given consistently high demand for electrical cars from Tesla, MB and BMW, not withstanding interruption in supply chain, logistics and manufacturing. A waiting list for a new one is 1.5 years at least and still growing, local MB dealers do not need to promote or convince their "esteemed" customers for a car. Indeed, customers (potential or perspective) need to ask for or even "beg" for a new car. For car salespersons, they are in the prime position to focus on control and allocation of demand, instead of fighting hard in every turf and dollar for their sales targets.
So? Get yourself well-prepared for the "delighting" experience offered by MB. Comparing the experience against today vs. 2015, and as a customer vs. a salesperson / MB dealer.
So? Get yourself well-prepared for the "delighting" experience offered by MB. Comparing the experience against today vs. 2015, and as a customer vs. a salesperson / MB dealer.
December 24, 2018
This book just give me a great new view of Automotive Luxury Brand about how they acknowledge their customers. Yes, they acknowledge but not just that. They treat all of their customers to be the customer or life. With the compelling vision and dedicated commitment to be the Best or Nothing, Steve Cannon and his teams in MBUSA just take the product-centric brand such as Mercedes-Benz to a new stage, to be customer-centric brands.
Along with his confidence to the vision, Steve Cannon really take that vision to be accumulated to every staff members in his Headquarter and all of the dealers in nationwide. To feel the actual result of that dedicated work, just go to one of the dealer and you will just get to know that Mercedes-Benz is not just the brand is used to be. But also you will feel that you are the customer of Life for their products. And their SERVICE
Along with his confidence to the vision, Steve Cannon really take that vision to be accumulated to every staff members in his Headquarter and all of the dealers in nationwide. To feel the actual result of that dedicated work, just go to one of the dealer and you will just get to know that Mercedes-Benz is not just the brand is used to be. But also you will feel that you are the customer of Life for their products. And their SERVICE
November 20, 2024
El libro gira en torno al Caso de Éxito de la marca Mercedes-Benz y cómo ha logrado mantener su posición en el mercado de autos de lujo.
El autor destaca la importancia de crear una Cultura Corporativa centrada en la experiencia del cliente. También se destaca la importancia de la innovación constante en la satisfacción del cliente y enfatiza en lo relevante que es el liderazgo para la implementación de la estrategia corporativa.
Si crees que en tu empresa valdría la pena mejorar la experiencia de los clientes y maximizar su satisfacción, entonces encontrarás en este libro una guía muy valiosa que te ayudará a mejorar el posicionamiento de tu negocio en el mercado.
El autor destaca la importancia de crear una Cultura Corporativa centrada en la experiencia del cliente. También se destaca la importancia de la innovación constante en la satisfacción del cliente y enfatiza en lo relevante que es el liderazgo para la implementación de la estrategia corporativa.
Si crees que en tu empresa valdría la pena mejorar la experiencia de los clientes y maximizar su satisfacción, entonces encontrarás en este libro una guía muy valiosa que te ayudará a mejorar el posicionamiento de tu negocio en el mercado.
May 2, 2021
Nice book, no more than this
May 14, 2021
Decidido a deleitar
Excelente libro que nos indica como poner al cliente en el centro del
Negocio hace que los resultados de largo plazo sean accesibles
Excelente libro que nos indica como poner al cliente en el centro del
Negocio hace que los resultados de largo plazo sean accesibles
April 20, 2020
El libro tiene un tratamiento extraordinario acerca de la experiencia del cliente y cómo las empresas (de cualquier industria) podríamos mejorar la experiencia de compra sobre nuestros productos y servicios. Muy recomendable.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews