The Eleventh Commandment

The ideas and concepts expressed in this book come from over a decade of studying and working with different organizations, watching a new paradigm emerge and being made to happen by the men and women who run some of the world’s leading corporations and institutions. "Understanding our customers, their needs and expectations has been and continues to be a journey for our company. The Eleventh Commandment is the perfect travel companion by offering a rare combination of experience-based insights from leading companies and challenging new concepts on the many dimensions of building and keeping long-term customer relationships. I am convinced that Sandra Vandermerwe’s book will provide our managers with a valuable source of inspiration for moving even closer to our customers in the future." Rolf Hiippi, Chairman & CEO, Zurich Insurance Company, Zurich, Smitzerland. "Sandra Vandermerwe is one of the most innovative thinkers in her field … she has a deep insight into Services, based on her consulting work with leading companies, many of which have a global reach. This new book gives a new understanding to the creation of value in the eyes of the customers on a sustained basis."Fean-Charles Levy, General Manager, IBM Eurocoordination, Paris, France. "The Eleventh Commandment is an excellent book that first and foremost asks the right questions, but importantly it also provides many right answers. The Customer Activity Cycle is the key which opens the door to a rich menu of new theory based on latest best practice. For reflective practitioners who need to link theory to practice, it’s a must." Derek F. Abell, IMD, Lausanne, Smitzerland. "This is a very readable book but it is not an easy read. It’s feisty and provocative and at times I felt downright uncomfortable. We’re not really like that, are we? … it’s not just theoretical, it’s practical and peppered with common-sense examples and good practices. A must read for anyone who thinks seriously about business." Steve Rogers, General Manager, Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific Pte Ltd. "… goes beyond the ‘talk’ of customer focus; it shows the depth of the new thinking, and how to succeed using it. I want everyone who joins us to read this." Patty Lyon, Senior Partner, Ogilvy & Mather Direct, New York, USA. "Unlike other strategic marketing books, she provides a real workable tool that all managers in any organization can quickly use to understand, explore and invent what a customer values most. The tool is most powerful and almost guarantees new business when used together with the customer to explore the new competitive spaces." Peter Lewis, Managing Director, Fiffy Packaging Company Ltd, Cheshire, UK.