-
- News
- Books
Featured Books
- pcb007 Magazine
Latest Issues
Current IssueThe Growing Industry
In this issue of PCB007 Magazine, we talk with leading economic experts, advocacy specialists in Washington, D.C., and PCB company leadership to get a well-rounded picture of what’s happening in the industry today. Don’t miss it.
The Sustainability Issue
Sustainability is one of the most widely used terms in business today, especially for electronics and manufacturing but what does it mean to you? We explore the environmental, business, and economic impacts.
The Fabricator’s Guide to IPC APEX EXPO
This issue previews many of the important events taking place at this year's show and highlights some changes and opportunities. So, buckle up. We are counting down to IPC APEX EXPO 2024.
- Articles
Article Highlights
- Columns
Search Console
- Links
- Events
||| MENU - pcb007 Magazine
Book Review: The One Percent Edge—Small Changes That Guarantee Relevance and Build Sustainable Success
February 28, 2018 | Dan BeaulieuEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
The One Percent Edge: Small Changes That Guarantee Relevance and Build Sustainable Success
Author: Susan Solovic
Copyright 2018 Amacon (out March 4, 2018)
Price $ 24.95
Occasionally you read a book that truly makes a difference. I can tell I am reading a book like this one by how much longer it takes me to read it, but not because it’s boring or slow reading, certainly not! It’s because I stop constantly to jot down ideas in my notebook that stimulate me to come up with ideas that pertain to my own business. Susan Solovic’s new book, The One Percent Edge, is one of those books. She writes about change and how those companies who refuse to embrace change, die; those who find a way to adapt, win. She talks about how changes to stabilize your company and make it thrive in our ever-changing world do no have to be grandiose, life-changing initiatives, but rather small, well-thought out and well-executed gestures.
Let me get personal for a minute. I am not a fan of those big, company-changing initiatives like Re-engineering or Total Quality Management. They certainly have their place, but as Ms. Solovic points out, most of the time they are not needed. Because most of the time some simple adjustments will not only solve whatever problem a company is facing but will also make it a better company in the end.
One especially thought-provoking section of the book was the chapter, “Customer Edge.” From the first section of this chapter are these questions that we should all be asking ourselves about our slant on our customers:
- Are we giving customers a reason to change their buying habits and fall in love with us?
- Are we using technology, tools, and resources to best serve our customers?
- Do we constantly enhance the customer experience and deliver on expectations?
- Have we articulated a strong vision to our customer base and our prospects?
- Are our teams trained and empowered to serve the customers?
- Are we responsive to market shifts and changes in customer buying habits?
These questions should be framed and hung in every customer service department, or in perhaps everyone’s department!
Then later in the chapter she even breaks that taboo of all taboos of customer service and talks about firing customers. “Yes,” she says, “the customer is not always right.” To paraphrase from the book, customers should be fired if they are:
- Disruptive:
- Disrespecting your employees
- Ignoring personal boundaries
- Dishonest
- Causing too much negativity
- Always late on payment or not paying at all
- Too needy, wanting many times more than other customers require
Think about that for a minute. This should give you the idea that this is not your grandfather’s or even your father’s book, or even your book a year ago. Read this book and it will rock your world.
Suggested Items
US Department of Defense Selects Intel Foundry for Phase Three of RAMP-C
04/23/2024 | IntelThe U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded Intel Foundry Phase Three of its Rapid Assured Microelectronics Prototypes - Commercial (RAMP-C) program.
ZESTRON Welcomes Whitlock Associates as New Addition to their Existing Rep Team in Florida
04/19/2024 | ZESTRONZESTRON, the leading global provider of high-precision cleaning products, services, and training solutions in the electronics manufacturing and semiconductor industries, is thrilled to announce the addition of Whitlock Associates to its esteemed network of sales representatives.
Real Time with... IPC APEX EXPO 2024: AI Implementation at Omron
04/18/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOEditor Nolan Johnson and Omron Product Manager Nick Fieldhouse discuss the company's focus on AI implementation to enhance customer experience and results. They address programming challenges and how AI can help customers achieve better outcomes with less experience. Omron's AI is compatible with existing systems, facilitating easy upgrades.
Cadence Unveils Palladium Z3 and Protium X3 Systems
04/18/2024 | Cadence Design SystemsThe Palladium Z3 and Protium X3 systems offer increased capacity, and scale from job sizes of 16 million gates up to 48 billion gates, so the largest SoCs can be tested as a whole rather than just partial models, ensuring proper functionality and performance.
Ark Electronics Expands Global Manufacturing Factory Network in North America and Europe
04/17/2024 | PRNewswireElectronic Manufacturing Company Ark Electronics recently announced the expansion of its Global Factory Network with the addition of Electronics Manufacturing Service (EMS) capabilities in Mexico and Europe.