What Customers Really Want

What Customers Really Want presents core principles for creating distinction and delivering superior customer experiences in business. McKain draws from his research and consulting work to identify why many companies fail to stand out despite their efforts to differentiate. The book outlines a framework of four cornerstones that drive customer engagement and loyalty: clarity, creativity, communication, and customer experience focus. Through case studies and examples, McKain demonstrates how organizations can implement these elements to achieve market leadership and sustainable growth. Each chapter provides actionable steps and assessment tools for businesses to evaluate and improve their customer-facing operations. McKain includes both cautionary tales of companies that lost their way and success stories of those that transformed their approach. The work speaks to a fundamental truth about modern commerce - that technical excellence and competitive pricing are no longer enough to win in the marketplace. McKain's analysis points to the increasing importance of emotional connections and memorable interactions in building lasting customer relationships.

Readers found McKain's principles on differentiation and customer service practical but noted significant overlap with other business books. Many appreciated the real-world examples and case studies, particularly the stories about Southwest Airlines and BMW. Liked: - Clear, actionable steps for implementation - Personal anecdotes from McKain's experiences - Focus on emotional connections with customers - Discussion of social media's impact on customer relationships Disliked: - Repetitive content throughout chapters - Basic concepts familiar to those in business - Some found examples dated - Several readers noted content could have been condensed Ratings: Amazon: 4.5/5 (89 reviews) Goodreads: 3.8/5 (127 ratings) One reader on Amazon stated: "McKain gives solid advice but takes too long to get there." A Goodreads reviewer wrote: "The distinction message is valuable, but the book labors the point." Many business owners reported implementing his "Ultimate Customer Experience" framework with positive results.

The Starbucks Experience by Joseph Michelli This book demonstrates how creating personalized customer connections leads to differentiation in a crowded marketplace.

Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh The Zappos story presents methods for building customer loyalty through corporate culture and exceptional service standards.

Be Our Guest by Theodore Kinni, The Disney Institute Disney's proven system for customer experience management provides a framework for transforming ordinary transactions into memorable experiences.

The Thank You Economy by Gary Vaynerchuk The text explains how businesses can use personalized attention and authentic relationships to stand out in the digital marketplace.

Different by Youngme Moon The examination of market differentiation presents strategies for breaking away from competition through unique customer value propositions.

🔹 Scott McKain developed the concept of "Ultimate Customer Experience®" after extensive research into why some businesses consistently outperform their competition, even during economic downturns. 🔹 The book identifies four key "cornerstones" of distinction: Clarity, Creativity, Communication, and Customer Experience Focus – principles that have been adopted by major corporations like BMW and Merrill Lynch. 🔹 McKain's research revealed that 68% of customers leave businesses not because of price or product quality, but because of perceived employee indifference to their needs. 🔹 The methodology presented in the book emerged from McKain's real-world experience as a successful business owner who sold his first company for $100 million. 🔹 The book's principles have been featured in presentations at over 100 Fortune 500 companies and incorporated into training programs at organizations across 47 countries.