In an increasingly crowded market place, there are certain companies that really stand out from their competitors - companies like Tesco, PizzaExpress, Amazon.com, Virgin, easyGroup, First Direct, Harley Davidson, Krispy Kreme and Pret A Manger.
Uncommon Practice ¿ People who deliver a great brand experience, a new book by Interbrand and Forum, demonstrates, through interviews with key executives from these and other leading companies, how they provide remarkable experiences for their customers and staff alike. The premise behind Uncommon Practice is that that this success stems from their distinctive cultures uniquely developed to meet the needs of customers. The companies featured have defied conventional wisdom and broken the traditional rules of management to engender exceptional levels of commitment from their people, who, united behind a clear brand vision, translate their belief in the company into exceptional customer service.
Editors Andy Milligan and Shaun Smith have taken care to let the voice of the organisation speak for itself. Uncommon Practice is not a ¿how to¿¿ book, and does not provide a ¿quick-fix¿ list of invariable rules for success. The editors do however provide insight into the core principles and practices that the leading companies featured share but which are uncommon in many organisations today.
Shaun Smith is Senior Vice President of Forum's Customer Experience Business. Forum, an FT Knowledge company, is a global workplace-learning corporation. Shaun is responsible for directing client projects that address a wide range of business issues including: managing and sustaining customer-focused change, and helping companies define and deliver customer experiences that differentiate their brands. Previously, he ran his own consultancy company, Service Skills International Ltd based in Hong Kong. Past and present clients include: Sainsbury's, Westin Hotels, Microsoft, Toyota, Disney Corporation, British Airways, The Royal Festival Hall, Cathay Pacific Airways, and Ferrari UK. Andy Milligan is the Director of Interbrand's Internal Brand Management practice, advising clients on issues regarding internal communications and organisational alignment behind the brand. Interbrand is the world's leading branding consultancy. He is a graduate in English from Oxford University, and went on to train at drama school in London, before joining the world of business. At Interbrand his international assignments have been for organisations as diverse as BiC, FIFA, Jacuzzi Corporation, ATP, Unilever, Barclays, Roche and Mercedes. He is a frequent commentator on branding issues on television and press, and has addressed major conferences internationally on the subject.
