Zombie Loyalists: Using Great Service to Create Rabid Fans

Marketing and PR expert Shankman (Nice Companies Finish First) offers a hilarious, astute, and ultimately practical guide to creating customers so satisfied they'll promote your company with zombie-like fervor. The book points out that a major mistake made by many companies is approaching customer services as a project rather than a lifelong mission. It also maintains that the "breeding ground" for a zombie army starts with an empowered employee base and a culture of trust. The author illustrates his idea of "rabid" customer service through lively anecdotes about his own good and bad customer service experiences with well-known companies like Chase Bank and Verizon. He also offers other people's stories of not-so-well-known companies that still managed to wow them, including a Honda dealership in Buena Park, Calif., and a bodega in Manhattan. The zombie analogy, rather than wearing thin, lends a fun, pop-cultural appeal to what could have been a run-of-the-mill business book. References to "infecting someone" with enthusiasm, and being at risk for a customer "ripe for infection from your competition," for instance, are spot-on. This entertaining yet valuable work is a must-read for any business owner or executive interested in turning satisfied customers into avid brand ambassadors. (Jan.)