- Paperback: 272 pages
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster Ltd; New edition edition (15 July 2002)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0684870304
- ISBN-13: 978-0684870304
- Product Dimensions: 20.5 x 15 x 1.9 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 610,412 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Warren Bennis Distinguished Professor of Business Administration, USC, and author of "Organizing Genius" and "Co-Leaders" The subtle art of giving advice and counsel, and of maintaining a vibrant professional relationship with clients, has never been written about so wisely and with such significance since Machiavelli's advice to the Prince.
Product Description
Finally, the first in-depth, client-tested, jargon-free guide to developing stable, enduring business relationships. Business consulting and related professional services represent a 350 billion dollar industry- and they're growing in a huge way. But things aren't as rosy as this figure might suggest. All too many consulting jobs, are brief, one-shot engagements- situations by which most professionals can't survive. The most pressing concern today for six million professional advisors is this: In our bottom-line era, how can I make myself stand out and become indispensable to my clients for the long haul? CLIENTS FOR LIFE has the answers. Featuring interviews with CEOs of such leading corporations as Kodak and American Express, Sheth and Sobel, two of the field's preeminent authorities, outline a series of proven skills and techniques that seperate the extraordinary from the ordinary. Readers will learn how to build trust through consistency and reliability, balance professional independence with client devotion, practice crucial "big picture thinking" and much more.
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IN JANUARY OF 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt invented Wendell Willkie, who had lost his own bid for the presidency the year before, to visit him at the White House. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
IN JANUARY OF 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt invented Wendell Willkie, who had lost his own bid for the presidency the year before, to visit him at the White House. Read the first page
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11 reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Rock-solid advice
28 Mar 2002
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Don Mitchell's review is first-rate. I agree completely with his reasons for praising this book, and, I agree completely with his (and Drucker's) comments about so-called "lifelong relationships." If you are looking for some rock-solid advice to achieve "breakthrough" relationships with clients, Sheth and Sobel provide it. But as Mitchell and Drucker correctly point out, it is possible but highly unlikely that those relationships can be sustained indefinitely, especially now when change is the only constant and occurs at ever-increasing velocity. Give careful thought to the word "breakthrough" because it has so many relevancies to today's competitive marketplace. When in pursuit of a prospective client, first you have to break through clutter to become visible; then you have to break through other clutter to differentiate yourself from the competition; then overcome other clutter to begin the new relationship; finally, you have to break through still more clutter to sustain that relationship. (Think about juggling handgrenades in a minefield at 2 AM...during an electrical storm...while wearing a blindfold.) Sheth and Sobel offer a wealth of information as well as sound guidance. Much of what they share can also help with the formulation of customer recapture strategies. But take no one and nothing for granted. The "life" of a customer relationship should not be measured in terms of years; rather, in terms of how effectively you nourish that relationship while you have it.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Valuable guidance on an important topic
19 May 2002
Format:Paperback
I am responsible for managing large corporate accounts, and this book has dramatically changed my perspectives in terms of how I view my role with clients.In Clients for Life, the authors have succeeded brilliantly at a difficult task: defining the essence of long-term, value-added relationships and the characteristics of professionals who succeed in developing them. This is by far the best and most sophisticated book I have read on the subject of client relationships. It is genuinely insightful, beautifully written, and full of entertaining, relevant anecdotes about working with and advising clients. Sheth and Sobel organize the book around the key attributes of professionals who are able to become great advisors to their clients and develop lifetime relationships with them. They describe these qualities with depth and freshness, and their model rings true. Many people talk about "big picture thinking," for example, or "integrity," but the authors actually define these things in a meaningful way and clearly demonstrate how you can improve yourself. Each chapter profiles a famous historical advisor who was especially skilled at dealing with clients. Much of what I have read on client relationship management has tended to be either simplistic and focused on "techniques" or else overly academic. Clients for Life, in contrast, is a breezy read yet very rich and thoughtful in its approach-it'll make you think hard about your own personal and professional development. I highly recommend this book to anyone who manages clients (corporations or individuals, for that matter) or large customer relationships.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Essential for any consultant.
3 May 2005
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
As a consultant, this book helped me focus on behaviors aimed at building a long-term practice rather than simply going from success-to-success. I say this not to toot my own horn (yes, I've had failures too) but rather because most decent consultants actually do OK--clients are generally happy. We appear to succeed on a regular basis. The great consultants, however, are the ones who build vocal followings...and that's where the value of this work rests.
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