The Nordstrom Way: The Inside Story of America's #1 Customer Service Company

by Robert Spector

"The Nordstroms 'wrote the book' on customer service. Now we have a chance to read, chapter by chapter, how through four generations this family has established one of the finest retail institutions in the world."-Peter Strom, Former Vice Chairman Polo/Ralph Lauren

According to David Glass, President and CEO of Wal-Mart, Nordstrom's customer service standards are "what we all shoot for." In his 60 Minutes profile on Nordstrom, Morley Safer raved that the much-acclaimed "Nordstrom Way" was "not service like it used to be, but service like it never was."

What makes Nordstrom so special? What, exactly, does this retail giant do that so clearly distinguishes it from the competition? How does the Nordstrom customer service culture work? And, most important, what lessons can industry learn from Nordstrom's example?

This updated Second Edition reveals the secrets behind the phenomenal success of this American customer-service legend. Written by veteran journalist Robert Spector and top Nordstrom salesman Patrick McCarthy, and based on exclusive, in-depth interviews with the Nordstrom family, senior executives, directors, and salespeople, this captivating book tells you how this much admired-and much feared-powerhouse retains its customer-service supremacy in the competitive world of bricks-and-mortar retail.

In The Nordstrom Way, the authors isolate practical lessons that teach how to better respond to customers' needs so they'll keep coming back to you, including:

* Valuing the nobility of good service
* Finding and bonding with customers
* Serving and keeping those customers
* Giving frontline people the freedom to make decisions

Packed with examples of excellent customer service, The Nordstrom Way offers a fresh behind-the-scenes look that provides lessons on how to find and focus on customer needs, follow-up, and customer satisfaction.

Praise for The NORDSTROM Way

"For anyone looking to understand customer service at its best, this book bubbles with insights."-Business Week

"Nobody does it better than Nordstrom. And this is the first thorough, close-up look at its service secrets. A real winner."-Tom Peters, President, The Tom Peters Group

"Outstanding customer service and Nordstrom are synonymous. Their innovative approach has allowed them to find out what the customers want and then do it. Their standards of service are what we all shoot for."-David D. Glass, President and CEO, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

"Nordstrom is a national model for outstanding customer service. American business should use this book as a primer to learn how to make and keep happy, satisfied customers."- J. Willard Marriott Jr. Chairman and President, Marriott International, Inc.

"When you run a family business that includes your customers as extended family, you're unbeatable. This book outlines an American family saga that has become the admiration of the world."-Leonard A. Lauder Chairman and CEO, Estee Lauder Companies

"Nordstrom's business is built on one-to-one communication with the customer. Their professional salespeople bridge the gap between the designer and the consumer."-Donna Karan, Chairman and Chief Designer, Donna Karan International, Inc.

"Nordstrom is legendary for the way they take care of the people who walk through their doors. Spector and McCarthy have made The Nordstrom Way available for everyone to turn their ducks into eagles."-Ken Blanchard, Coauthor, The One Minute Manager

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Management, Leadership, Fashion, Buisness, Entrepreneurship

256 pages, Hardcover

First published May 12, 1995

About the author

Robert Spector is an author of business books, consultant and motivational speaker focusing on customer service.

Reviews

[Teacherman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I suppose I could be biased - I share my name with the store - but I read this while I was in sales management and greatly enjoyed the book. Nordstrom developed a reputation for superior customer service in the most simple, straight-forward way possible: delivering it consistently. This didn't happen by chance, or automatically. It takes courage to empower front-line employees to "make it right." They have done that and it has paid off. If you're in management or sales, or customer service, give this book a read. You'll get some ideas that could make the difference in your business.

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to read little gem of a book!,

I took lots of notes for my real estate practice. We run a high touch, high service model and this little book sparked a lot of thought. It's easy to read and I loved all the ways to implement the Nordstrom Way outlined in the back. If every company president read this book and just implemented one thing - the world would be a friendlier place!

[Prabhu R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was great to learn about a company whose name reflects "Great Customer Service". It is a company that empowers its employees to go beyond to ensure that there is a happy customer. Of course, all of this with the use of best judgement. A nice read about how a company could pass on the message and stick to it as the only primary value for over a century passed on for four generations and more. Most companies take the turn of the tide because of the decisions taken by the helm. Which will sway greatly off the original values when the company was established. Nordstrom has been an exception so far, where the company has just maintained only on thing in focus, customer service. It is amazing to learn that many competing companies learn a lot about customer service from Nordstrom. Very well written and a great read!

[Stephen Archer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Nordstrom Way by Robert Spector and Patrick McCarthy is a book written by two previous employees about their experience with Nordstrom and how it relates to their experiences with the customers who chose to, not only shop, but return to the stores because of the outstanding service received from the employees. This book is not for the faint of heart. The solutions Nordstrom give to provide excellent service can make for some challenging situations. However, from my experience, these suggestions can cause guests to return time and time again; not because of your products, but because of the service. People are looking for experiences, not what you have to sell.

[Gina Franco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good tips

I was presented with this book as a must-read very high-praised review. Maybe my expectations were already too high when I bought it. It is a good book, with good tips, but no ground-breaking ideas. I has to push myself to finish it and didn’t feel I really learned anything new. It was more like a reminder of things already learned and maybe obvious. But nice to be reminded sometimes about them.

[Bob Little · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for anyone who owns their own business , in sales , or some type of management position . An inside look at what makes Nordstrom’s so successful, how their primary focus in the Customer , and how they make the company a fun , competitive place to achieve growth and market share , while maintaining Social responsibility.

[Carma · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was hoping to get more insight on how to build customer service in my own teams - more tangible tools and resources to use with my own teams. Not read a sales pitch on how great Nordstrom is and why they're the best. This is not a guide to utilize for team building. This was more of a narrative.

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! An example of how treating people respectfully can really pay off.

I found it got depressing after a bit because if employees do not have a management staff that buys into this strategy and supports them it would be difficult to maintain. It's the future though and will be necessary if stores want to compete successfully with online shopping.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great account of the customer service standards that helped Nordstrom rise to the top. If you have read any of the books on the customer service standards at Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons, there will be an overlap, but this is still worth a read. Also comes with a “Cliff Notes” version of the book at the end.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to say, this book was not as good as I remember. I enjoyed many of the chapters, but only about half. I bought this book to read with my team and there was a lot of good information in it, but it was not quite as revolutionary as I remember.

[Skot Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full of lots of examples of Nordstrom’s “put the customer” first the book reads like a series of anecdotes and provides little insight into truly implementing “The Nordstrom Way.” A good intro to “customer first” thinking at best, I’d look elsewhere for help on implementation.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A work bookclub book - interesting history of Nordstrom throughout the book and nice chapter summaries to highlight the important parts. The commitment that they have had all along for positive customer experience is impressive and many companies can find ways to adopt some of their philosophies.

[Mike C · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was fine, would definitely just say to read unreasonable hospitality and then if you want to, this is a quick book to get through

- I think it's kind of oversimplified in just saying these 9 pillars of characteristics are what drives the success and business model of Nordstrom. It minimizes their channel strategy, store footprint, ecommerce strategy, staffing, and other aspects.
- It felt like a lot of fluff and anecdotes
- Their whole premise in to hire people who smile and have a good work ethic and then the stores will train them to be successful (you can't teach height)
- the empowerment, ownership, and inverted pyramid were unique and good lessons that are emphasized more here than in unreasonable hospitality (especially the pyramid)
- Short enough book that it's worth going through. I was marking it up, but there were not many things worth highlighting that I would want to go back to

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing read. Taught me so much. And I want to shop at Nordstrom now. Sad I never worked there.

[Shanda Macomber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent book

Nothing too earth shattering but it was a decent read. Not sure I’d read again or not but I’d consider it.

[Tom Erik Frydenlund · Rating 5 out of 5]

Veldig bra bok som gir et godt innblikk I "servant leadership" og hvordan man kan få en organisasjon til å vokse med tillit.

[Amie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Filled with stories and methods of applying great customer service. I read this for a business class, but will use the information in many areas of my life. Easy to read but has some redundancy.

[Manoj Kakran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Through this book, I learned about the customer service and it's importance in business success. Great!

[Camille Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read on the Nordstrom story.

[Brady Dulny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh how Nordstrom shot themselves in the foot after diverging from these practices.

[Soumya · Rating 3 out of 5]

good read for work

[Indraneel Dabhade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cannot recommend this book enough to every entrepreneur. Can you return a truck tire to an apparel store? Apparently, at Nordstrom, you can. The gold standard of customer service. I had read this book a long time ago. In honor of some beautiful lessons taught in this book, I even purchased a scarf for my wife from a store in Atlanta.

[Silvio Pellas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good

Very interesting perspective on Nordstrom helpful to better develop a customer centric culture in your company. Worth the read. Could be denser.

[Camille Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read on the Nordstrom story.

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up because, if you're a guy living on the West Coast, sooner or later your lady friends are going to mention Nordstrom. Growing up back east, I had never heard of this clothing and shoe retailer, but most ladies out here love them.

If even half the stories in the first five chapters of this book are true, then it's easy to see why. As a former manager, I think everybody working today needs to take on the attitude that, no matter what specifically you may do for a living, you are in the service business. This idea seems to be at the core of Nordstrom's philosophy. There are many, many superb stories of above-and-beyond customer service that I found very motivating to read.

I alos enjoyed reading about the history of the company through the first sixty years or so. Nordstrom was founded as a Seattle shoe retailer by a Swedish immigrant who later turned over the business to his sons. The sons are the ones who expanded into apparel and expanded outside the Northwest into California and then across the U. S. It would appear that, given the stories in this book and the high regard which many of my personal acquaintances out here hold for this chain of stores, the Nordstrom family has been very successful in institutionalizing their philosophy of dedicated customer service across their organization. That's pretty hard to do, as most of us who work and who shop would likely agree.

So, for some motivational and inspirational stories about great customer service, I highly recommend the FIRST FIVE chapters of this book.

However....

I really don't recommend the last three chapters of this book. Chapter Six reads like a very one-sided company-written news article about Nordstrom's battle with unions in the Washington State stores. This is where the authors of the book, who purport in the introduction to be writing am independent look at the company, tip their hand. One of the co-authors is one of the top salespeople at Nordstrom. the introduction primarily consists of the story of his career, told in the third person voice. The other author is a freelancer who writes a lot for Women's Wear Daily.

Chapter Six, one of the longest in the book, just doesn't feel right. For one thing, the message in the first five chapters is very inspirational and motivating, then in Chapter Six becomes negative towards the union AND towards pretty much every institution that didn't support Nordstrom wholeheartedly in that conflict, including the mainstream Seattle newspapers. Since this is a typical business book and there are no footnotes and not much sourcing, you know you're getting only one side of the story. I think the union story should be included in this book, but to feature it so prominently made me feel like the entire point of this book was the Nordstrom Company's trying to get the last word in about an incident that still rankled the company leadership at the time of publication. It seems like sour grapes, because even though Nordstrom was forced to concede some valid points that the union made about how their sales associctes were compensated (and then had to pay their employees about $5 million total in back wages), Nordstrom won in the long run when the employees decertified the union in those stores.

So, if you own or manage a company that's gearing up for a fight with a union (or, conversely, a union leader gearing up for a battle with management), Chapter Six would prove instructive, as both sides used some fairly interesting tactics to gain public support. For everybody else, I recommend you skip or skim it.

Chapter Seven is in the same vein as the first five chapters, but I didn't feel like there was any new material in it. Chapter Eight describes the challenges the company faces in the future, but that feels outdated because the book was published in 1995.

Bottom line: worth your time to check out if you're in business, especially retail, as there some good philosophical ideas and some great examples. The first five chapters are great, then the book becomes less interesting. Skim the last three chapters.

[Liang Gang Yu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a timeless writing of Nordstrom’s Way to Customer Services Excellence. Those principles of building a customer obsessed organization apply to small corner shops, as well as large internationals with different sizes and business models like Amazon and Starbucks. A must-read Business book.

Amazon.com provides the best online shopping experience and customer services, comparing to all its competitors. That is the number one reason that most users tell me on why they choose Amazon. Even though Amazon is organized differently, it shares the same customer obsession , which is Amazon’s first leadership principle.

One interesting program in Amazon is to bring senior leaders to the frontline of customer service. After reaching certain leadership level, no matter of your line of duty that is in legal or tech or whatever, you are required to take a busy day off, fly to a customer service call center, get a brief training by call center specialist, then attend and help customers on the phone call. It brings executives and senior leadership who might have no retail experience to the front of customer service. It is eye-opening and educational to say the least. Yes, being customer focused demands genuine ways to bring employees/everyone to the front line of handling customers. The book shows many ways; passionate like-minded are following the same North Star through similar yet slightly different paths.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book focuses on how Nordstrom delivers their superior customer service, from hiring and training to rewards and compensation. The idea is that readers can learn from Nordstrom and apply some of those lessons to their own organizations. Some of the concepts are basic - hire great people, and give them the autonomy to make customers happy. But author Robert Spector goes into great detail about how Nordstrom really lives their beliefs, from preaching an inverted pyramid with customers at the top and senior management at the bottom, to quarterly celebrations of the best performers.

There are definitely parts of this book that are repetitive. The author even goes so far as to repeat the same phrases over and over. But there is a lot that can be gained from this book. Customer service requires humility. Management needs to support (and trust) their employees. Everyone needs to feel (and be) fully invested in success. Customers need to like you and want to do business with you. Building relationships with customers lead to long-term success.

I think this book has a little more value than a typical "management" book because of the stories. Most of the key points are illustrated with examples of outstanding service provided by a Nordstroms employee. I think they add a lot of value.

[Shyam · Rating 4 out of 5]

What we take away from a book depends in a large part on what we want from it. In that sense, reading this book gave me a wealth of understanding about the retail business.

In context, being an absolute amateur with little to no knowledge of how retail works, the book chronicled the life of Nordstrom lucidly, in a style that never allowed my attention to stray too far.

Two words of caution.

If you are looking for a book that is current and speaks of the turbulence in the retail industry *now* and how Nordstrom is responding to that, this is not it. The book is a bit dated.

If you are a veteran (or have even a little experience) in the retail industry and are looking for specifics on 'what makes Nordstrom different', then this will seem incomplete and will not suffice.

[Russ Mathers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book about Nordstrom's customer service model. I'm not a big shopper, and when I do shop I appreciate good service. I was sold on Nordstrom when they exchanged a year old pair of nice shoes that became water stained after I had to stand in a rain puddle while parking AF-1. They didn't know that, they just saw a guy who stained his shoes, didn't make a lot of money and the salesman on the floor replaced them with a new pair.

Nordstrom has great service and this book has a few ideas on how to extend that in every business, and gave me some ideas for my new job. It is a quick, easy read.

[Jesse Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because I work in retail for a young adults' clothing store and I constantly try to improve my customer service. I very much liked this book and found it very helpful, however, the first couple of chapters about Nordstrom's beginnings I found uninteresting. There are several typos and grammatical errors which can be distracting, and the book repeats itself a few times. However, I found the customer service tips and true stories to be very helpful, even for my work where I am paid hourly, not by commission. This left me wanting to work for Nordstrom!