Leading Loyalty: Cracking the Code to Customer Devotion

by Sandy Rogers

In business, if people merely like you, you’re in trouble. They need to love you! Learn how building loyalty and modeling great customer service behavior to develop frontline team is the key to building raving fans.

To thrive in today’s economy, it’s not enough for customers to merely like you. They have to love you. Win their hearts and they will not only purchase more—they’ll talk you up to everyone they know.

But what turns casual customers into passionate promoters? What makes people stick with you for the long haul?

The industry experts at FranklinCovey set out to unlock the mysteries of gaining the customer’s loyalty. In an extensive study that involved 1,100 stores and thousands of people, they isolated examples that stood out in terms of revenues and profitability. They found that these “campfire stores” burned brighter than the rest thanks to fiercely loyal customers and the employees who delight in making their customers’ lives easier.

Now Leading Loyalty reveals the principles and practices of these everyday service heroes—the customer-facing employees who cultivate bonds and lift revenues through the roof. Full of eye-opening examples and practical tools, Leading Loyalty helps you infuse empathy, responsibility, and generosity into every interaction and:


Make warm, authentic connections
Ask the right questions
Listen to learn
Discover the real job to be done
Take ownership of the customer’s issue
Follow up and strengthen the relationship
Share insights openly and kindly
Surprise people with unexpected extras
Model, teach, and reinforce these essential behaviors through weekly team huddles
It’s time to invest in building loyalty. Even small improvements mean a big boost to your bottom line…and improves your business overall.

Genres: Leadership, Business, Nonfiction, Buisness

240 pages, Hardcover

Published April 16, 2019

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I received an Advanced Review Copy of this book from FranklinCovey in exchange for my honest review. I did subsequently purchase a second hardcover copy of this book, in addition to the Kindle edition.

What this book does is to lay out the emotional foundations and personal values that lead to creating the highest expression of customer service.

It lovingly details what’s important, what works, why it’s important and why it works, and most importantly, it lays out, step by step, how you fold these principles into your organization and foster them in very real, very practical terms.

That’s really what sets this book apart from others I’ve read. It breaks down core principles into team meetings called “huddles” and demonstrates exactly what each huddle should play out. Now, ironically, these principles weren’t fully implemented when I actually worked at FranklinCovey’s long-defunct brick and mortar stores, and while I’ve picked up most of what this book lays out over the course of my long career in sales and customer service, I wish I’d received this kind of content lo those many years ago. I did truly love that job and that company and think back fondly on those days. Frankly, if FranklinCovey had possessed this knowledge and content in the mid-2000s, they might still have their own retail division.

It wraps up by quantifying goals and measuring your results in a formula unique to FranklinCovey. If you’re a fan of the Four Disciplines of Execution, you’ll love this part. I was working at FranklinCovey when they rolled out their Wildly Important Goals concept in 2005, but I find that final product, 4DX, to be a bit unwieldy, kludgy, dry, and not entirely intuitive or intuitive. Readers may certainly come to their own, different conclusions. I feel that what amounts to a sales pitch for another FranklinCovey product cheapens and devalues the end of the book. In fairness, it is a FranklinCovey book and it would have been a missed opportunity and marketing malpractice to exclude the sales pitch.

The rest of the book is not totally perfect, either. For example, in one section, the book criticized the “feel, felt, found” paradigm as wooden and perfunctory, and later in the book, without naming it, they still encourage the practice.

Also, this book encourages probing questions, and I understand where the authors are coming from, but practitioners of customer service need to be prepared and respect that not all customers want that kind of interaction. It can be great to start down that road, but should you receive resistance, you need to keep in mind the “platinum rule” of customer service, which is to treat people the way they want to be treated, and back off when appropriate.

My final misgiving is that while parts of the book are written as joyful, deep dives into the innermost works of customer service, that joy is not consistent. You can feel the narrative switch from author to author...to a third author, and juicy content can dry out in a hurry.

Those demerits aside, I found myself taking copious notes, something I’ve almost never done before. Certain passages were downright gripping and I will want to carry some of the content with me and revisit it regularly.

Ultimately, FranklinCovey and Sandy Rogers, Leena Rinne, and Shawn Moon get it, and there’s no facet of your customer service game that can’t be reinforced, challenged, or straight up improved by the exercises laid out across the pages of this book. I do recommend this book, and while it could have been better, the core lessons are legitimately important and valuable.

One final note about the book. Don’t buy it; at least not the first edition in hardback, anyway. There’s a flaw in the advanced review copy that surprised me so much that I actually bought a retail copy to compare, and the retail copy possesses the same eye-bleeding problem. The print is tiny and the binding margins are far too small, meaning that the text begins to curve into the middle of the book.

I checked to make sure that could read the text of my other hardback books, and it isn’t just my old, sketchy eyesight. I even asked Megan and she agreed. I wound up buying a third copy, an e-book on the Kindle store so that I could read comfortably. In conclusion, if you’re a devotee of customer service and you pride yourself on your commitment to the art and discipline, I do recommend adding this book to your e-shelf.

[Dan Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the critical elements of Business and specifically customer support is how we support and develop a relationship with our customers. Leading Loyalty describes fundamental principles of empathy, responsibility, and generosity which are qualities that should be taught to every business professional. This book should be a part of every professional library. The fundamental elements taught in this book can help businesses inspire fierce loyalty from customers, not just loyalty because we have to.

With all other leadership traits, we learn that anyone in a customer support role should have this on their desk to refer back to. This will live on my desk from now on. Thank you to the authors for helping to put a laser focus on what must be done every day.

I am sincerely grateful for the lessons and insights I have learned.


Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of the book and I am sincerely grateful.

[Valentina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Очень много примеров и советов

[Amanda Osenga · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been in sales for many years and WOW I wish I'd have had this book when I first got started. I call this one a "highlighter and journal book." You'll want to mark it up and take note after note. FranklinCovey has done it again.

Not only is this book full of awesome tips and ideas, but it's also full of helpful scenarios. These would be excellent to role play with your team and to review again and again. They definitely got me thinking about my interactions not only as a sales person but as a customer.

The format of this book if fantastic, it's designed to help you build your team up and teach as a team. But even if you mostly work alone as I do- you'll get a ton out of this. It contains helpful tips on "counterfeits" to help you realize when you're not being genuine and tips on overcoming those (don't we all get sucked into them sometimes?). Tips on how to be a good team leader, application ideas, hiring suggestions, meeting tips, and so much more.

I also love the stats provided throughout the book about customer satisfaction and shout-outs to some of my favorite brands like Costco and Southwest Airlines. This is an excellent read and one any manager, store owner, or CEO MUST add to their pile and implement.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy to share my honest opinion with you.

[Jesús M. Cabo y Domínguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good ideas, but they try to sell you a FranklinCovey software designed to control the 4 disciplines of execution

[Dmitry · Rating 1 out of 5]

(The English review is placed beneath the Russian one)

Проблема не с главной идеей книги, а с тем, как авторы подают её. Мне абсолютно не понравился стиль книги, ибо во многих историях доминируют эмоции. Авторы как бы хотят «задавить» читателя не рациональными суждениями, а эмоциональными. Да, хороший сервис важен, однако зачем нужно было добавлять истории раковых больных? Изначально я хотел поставить книги хотя бы два балла, но дойдя до истории раковых больных, я понял, что дальше просто не могу читать эту книгу.
Во-первых, эта идея – качественный, душевный сервис – не нова и об этом много кто писал. Как минимум половина книг по маркетингу описывает эту тему. Авторы же этой книги, не предлагают ничего нового, а наполняют книгу одними примерами. Т.е. она ничем не выделяется на фоне множества других подобных. Такую книгу мог написать как блоггер так и профессор маркетинга или даже человек, который никак не связанных ни с маркетингом, ни с бизнесом.
Во-вторых, авторы предлагают довольно спорный тип поведения продавцов. Мне абсолютно не нравится, когда продавец начинает лесть ко мне в душу, задавая лишние вопросы. Многие люди хотят просто купить товар или услугу и пойти дальше по своим делаем. Как говорится, «время – деньги». Авторы же предлагают задушевные разговоры, дополнительные вопросы о клиенте, о его ситуации и пр. Иногда, такой подход может добавить вам одного лояльного покупателя, но только иногда и только при прочих равных. Если ваш товар/сервис ухудшится, то никакая задушевность не поможет. И ещё. Клиентов такой подход продавца может даже отпугнуть. И что делать, если продавец не способен вести себя как предлагают авторы, т.е. будучи не сильно разговорчивым собеседником, интровертом? Уходить из профессии? А может достаточно просто делать свою работу качественно без этих глупых дополнительных расспросов?
И вот в чём проблема ещё. Авторы не пишут, где такой стиль поведения сотрудника компании будет уместен. Везде? Не думаю, ибо, как я уже сказал, многие просто хотят быстро купить товар и пойти дальше. А ещё многим покупателям просто некомфортно, когда их начинают расспрашивать, задавать вопросы. И изначально благая идея, в конечном итоге, может отпугнуть клиентов.
В общем, я бы рекомендовал другие книги на данную тематику. К примеру, «Жалоба как подарок».

The problem with this book is not the main idea but the way the authors present it. I did not like the style of the book because many of the stories are dominated by emotion. It is as if the authors want to "crush" the reader not with rational judgments but with emotional ones. Yes, good service is important, but why was it necessary to add stories of cancer patients? Initially, I wanted to give the book at least two points, but when I got to the story of cancer patients, I realized that I just can't read this book any further.
First of all, this idea of quality, soulful service is not new, and many people have written about it. At least half of the marketing books describe this topic. The authors of this book don't offer anything new but fill the book with examples. That is, it does not differ from many other similar books. Such a book could be written by a blogger as well as a marketing professor or even a person who has nothing to do with marketing or business.
Second, the authors suggest a rather controversial type of seller behavior. I completely dislike it, i.e., when a salesman starts to pry into my life, asking unnecessary questions. Many people just want to buy a product or service and go about their business. As the saying goes, "time is money." The authors, on the other hand, suggest intimate conversations, additional questions about the client, their situation, etc. Sometimes, this approach can add you one loyal customer, but only sometimes and only if everything else is equal. If your product/service deteriorates, no amount of soulfulness will help. Also, customers may even be deterred by such an approach of the seller. And what to do if the seller is unable to behave as the authors suggest, i.e., not being a very talkative interlocutor, an introvert? Quit the profession? Or maybe just do the job well enough without those silly extra questions?
And here's the problem. The authors do not write where this style of employee behavior would be appropriate. Everywhere? I don't think so. Because, as I said, many people just want to buy the product and move on. And many customers feel uncomfortable when someone starts asking them questions. And an initially good idea can end up discouraging customers.
In general, I would recommend other books on the subject. For example, A Complaint is a Gift by Janelle Barlow.

[Keith Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Leading Loyalty: Cracking the Code to Customer Devotion” by Sandy Rogers, Leena Rinne, and Shawn Moon is an incredibly helpful book on creating loyalty as a leader and as an organization or business. While this book is written with a business organization mindset, I firmly believe the information conveyed within this book is incredibly relevant to any leader of any organization. While the prevailing thought is that the bottom line of a business or an organization is money, this is false. The bottom line of a business or an organization is the people within the business and the people that the business or organization services. With this thought in mind, the natural question arises, how can we lead loyalty with the people inside and outside of the business or organization? The authors answer this question in a three part answer that forms the structure of this book: Empathy, Responsibility, and Generosity.
As the authors lay out the case for each of these points, they do so in a logical and convincing manner. Personally, as I read through these chapters I imagined my different interactions with businesses or organizations that either helped or hindered my loyalty to them. In short, each of these points have wonderful examples that clarifies and encourages the reader.
I would highly recommend this book because of it's practical nature and non-technical/conversational style of writing. I have found this jewel of a book to be wonderful helpful, encouraging, and applicable. I say this not coming from a business standpoint, but from a ministry perspective.

I had the joy of receiving this helpful book as an Advance Reader Copy. The book will be available on April 16, 2019.

[Jane Stimmel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing how three little words can have such a profound impact!!! The book Leading Loyalty, Cracking the Code to Customer Devotion has so many parallels to what I do in the field of human resources! The core principles of 1) empathy, 2) responsibility and 3) generosity apply to both customers and employees in any type of business! Creating loyalty takes perseverance, determination and most importantly consistency. Strong loyalty leaders strive to engage with team members, show empathy and generosity while balancing respsonsibilty with the goal to retain the best people who will commit to do the same with valued customers. This book provides excellent examples of the core principles in action and how business leaders can rally team members to create lasting relationships with customers, which build life long loyalty. In order for businesses to thrive we must make it harder for customers to even think about switching to a competitor. We accomplish this through building strong human connections with our employees and customers. This book is a practical tool that provides leaders with resources to communicate expectations, brainstorm ideas, ask for feedback, gauge progress and get results! I highly recommend this resource to businesses and leaders who want to take service and customer relationships to the next level!!

[Brandon Trahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

LEADING LOYALTY is a book with a few simple ideas that can make a difference not only in business, but in life. The book explains that the three most important principles to gain greater loyalty from customers (and employees) are empathy, responsibility, and generosity. The authors provide a number of compelling examples of companies and people going above and beyond in these ways, from firefighters finishing chores for a man who had a heart attack to a hotel shuttle bus who took a passenger to a competitor's hotel after they were snubbed by their own hotel.

LEADING LOYALTY is a very engaging and well-outlined book that provides a great blueprint to encourage companies and, most importantly, individuals to show empathy, responsibility, and generosity and shows the pitfalls of faking these qualities or not having them at all. Although the book focuses mostly on businesses, it's applicable to any organization and even personal life. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and learned a lot.

This book comes out on April 16, but I received an advance reader's copy from the publisher in exchange for reviewing it.

[Samcwright · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good summary on increasing customer loyalty. No new insights. But a good reminder.

Some key points:

- Foster empathy within your team to understand and connect with customers on a deeper level, addressing their needs and concerns genuinely.
- Encourage responsibility and accountability among employees, ensuring they understand the impact of their actions on customer trust and loyalty.
- Practice generosity not just in transactions, but as a core value, showing customers and employees they are valued beyond mere profit.
- Implement active listening techniques to fully grasp customer feedback and needs, demonstrating that their input shapes your business.
- Dig deeper to uncover the real issues customers face (job to be done), using insights to drive meaningful solutions and improvements.
- Strive for authentic interactions, building genuine connections that resonate with customers and employees alike, fostering a sense of belonging.
- Cultivate a culture that celebrates and rewards loyalty, making it a key part of your organization's identity.
- Lead by example, showing loyalty in your actions and decisions, inspiring your team to follow suit.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

The value of this book is in the examples. The three principles leading to fierce loyalty aren't revolutionary in nature (empathy, responsibility, and generosity). However, reading through examples of when these were on display within the day-to-day whirlwind of execution and when teams have missed the mark is very useful in evaluating how well your own teams are doing. Perhaps, what I enjoyed most about this book is that it tackled the topic of a "counterfeit" display of the skills that fall within each principle. People can feel the difference between a genuine human connection and genuine listening (the two skills associated with empathy) and the counterfeit done just to manipulate an individual toward a particular outcome. The book is an easy read and is designed to work through together as teams on a weekly basis. The book coupled with the workbook and reinforcement cards are a good equipping tool for all those engaged in customer service (which is really everyone at some level).

[Agrangercaploe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a must have for any manager- especially those overseeing people in customer service. The book explains & gives pointers on how to incorporate the Three Core Loyalty Principles for earning fierce loyalty- Empathy, Responsibility, and Generosity.

“ ...connection can be made with a glance or a word. Being too busy is a poor excuse. Our ability to connect – even on a crazy, busy day – is driven by an understanding that connecting with our customers is an important part of our job... While many of us appreciate the convenience and cost savings, the expanding use of technology can present challenges in connecting personally with our customers.”

Every strategy came with an example, and I could think back to times I was treated in similar ways. Those positive experiences stick with consumers and make them fiercely loyal.

Receiving an advanced copy of this book was a privilege. I appreciate the opportunity to review and share my thoughts with others.

[Madhu · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful book- I love how the values of empathy, generosity and responsibility are tied together to strengthen relationships, facilitate loyalty among customers. I love how customers is defined broadly and that the book has numerous practical applications to business, community work and personal life.

The HUDDLE at the end of each chapter provides specific ways to engage with the content. The inclusion of celebrate makes me smile because I feel we often forget to acknowledge progress with a moment of shared celebration.

Generosity and empathy are very important to me yet often underappreciated. I love that this book may give people driven in different ways to stop and think about how these ideals are valuable personally and professionally and warrant time and attention.

[Tracy McGee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leading Loyalty walks you through three loyalty principles which work together to form the Loyalty Leader Mindset. The concept is that if we show empathy, take responsibility and be generous, we will create customers and team members who are incredibly loyal. This book is full of reasons why these principles are important, how they will impact your business, examples of folks who are doing it well and those who are not, and most importantly you will find step by step instructions on how to build loyal customers and teams members. Each chapter ends with an example for a team huddle on that particular principle to help guide your team and inspire loyalty. Leading Loyalty is a must read for anyone who had a business or works in a field where you are interacting with customers.

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

"As managers, we are responsible for responsibility." "When others trust us, we rise to the occasion."
---
While the key factors illustrated in the book are not new - empathy, responsibility, generosity - the authors give us a model to follow to help awaken them in our organizations. Each chapter ends with a "huddle" we can use to facilitate a meeting with our teams. The immediate practical implementation is right there, and I find this is what is different than many other books I've read on the topic.

I did receive an ARC of the book, but it's one I would have purchased if I saw it on the shelves. I enjoyed it very much, underlined to my heart was content, and have referenced back to it many times since reading.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is full of invaluable business loyalty lessons taught with stories, research, and commonsense practices. I think that these huddles can be practiced in any team--customer service, management or not, personal and professional. There are twelve huddles--weekly group meetings where an assignment is given (applicable to the content read in the accompanying chapter) and the following week you report back. For example, you read chapter 5, you meet as a team and you discuss then you assign huddle five: The Need for Responsibility; tell a story about someone on the team who is really good at listening to learn.

Really, these huddles could be applied in a school setting.

This book is brilliant. It's so readable, digestible, and common sense. Wouldn't it be a wonderful world if all customer service people were trained in this? Read this and apply it and it will change the way you do business.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leading Loyalty describes how the principles of empathy, responsibility, and generosity can help businesses inspire true loyalty from customers, not just loyalty based out of convenience. It's an excellent book for anyone in a leadership role, but I liked how the book made the point that it's not just leaders that can work to inspire loyalty. Anyone in a customer-facing role can utilize these principles to build strong customer relations and provide outstanding service. It's a worthwhile read, and one I'll refer back to.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of the book. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't like.

[Ashwin Nair · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cornerstone of customer experience is always Empathy. And the track to empathy always inevitably winds through multiple factors such as Organizational Ethos, prevailing Customer Loyalty constructs, etc. "Leading Loyalty" by Sandy Rogers; Leena Rinne; Shawn Moon excellently outlines the intricacies of Customer Loyalty while also detailing the much lesser-known minutiae of Customer Centricity. The book is peppered with examples from organizations as well making it a well researched, thoughtful book for both business leaders and enthusiasts alike. Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC.

[Julie A · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advance copy for review from FranklinCovey. Bottom line: an exceptional tool to help build teams emotional intelligence and develop fiercely loyal customers. Breaks down the steps for leadership and front line team members in an easy read book that also includes outlines for team huddles to reinforce concepts. "What is most important, critical, and urgent" for your individual customers.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a manager in a job that is highly customer service driven, I can’t say enough good about this book. I highly recommend it to employees and managers that want to improve their numbers by improving their customer service. I’ve started noticing which companies do this well and which don’t when I shop. I’m also working on building up my team to provide even better service. If I could give this book a 5+, I would.

[Sebastian Oremek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Das stärkste Element der Kunden- und Mitarbeiterbindung ist Loyalität.
Die Autoren beschreiben in diesem Buch wie man durch Service, Empathie, Verantwortung und Großzügigkeit begeisterte Fans des Unternehmens bekommt und diese langfristig erhält.
Die zahlreichen Beispiele in diesem Buch zeigen auf, was hinter Loyalität steckt und wie sie sich langfristig auf uns und Unternehmen auswirkt.
#books #Leadership

[Casey Bloom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was one of the lucky ones that was selected to receive an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) of this book. I feel that this book could be a huge asset for almost any manager. I really appreciated the fact that each strategy the book went over, also provided an example to provide more thought. This book could be an exceptional tool to help teams develop more loyal customers/consumers.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a must for anyone starting out in sales or working with the public. It teaches the reader the why and how of engaging each customer as a fellow human, empathetically, for maximum customer loyalty. I received a copy from the publisher to review.

[Tony Cortinas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Need a great Leadership book, that doesn't just tell you how to Lead, but also how to apply your skills with some following up tools. Leading is just not telling someone how to do it but being the example. Great book for all leaders.

[Tonya Schrougham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leading Loyalty holds some great truths for any leader. The authors highlight three primary principles (empathy, responsibility, and generosity) for engaging the loyalty of customers. Full of practical examples, Leading Loyalty is a great addition to any leaders library.

[Heidi M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! I recommend it for anyone looking to find real ways to impact your own value and well as collective value. Another actionable and great read from Franklin Covey!

[Rick Yvanovich · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's definitely a formula and a code to doing this well and this book has got it, I'd love to tell you but that would spoil the read.

[Kassi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone in business and leadership need this book. I feel enlightened and encouraged and excited to press forward!

I did receive an advanced copy in exchange for my opinion.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even if you're not in business or in a leadership role, the principles outlined in the book apply to being a better person, too. Clear and easy-to-read.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book explains that empathy, responsibility, and generosity are the three principles needed in every customer interaction. Great advice.