Recommended Reading

The topics of Customer Experience, Customer Relationship Management, and Loyalty have become quite the buzz over the past decade. As a result, there are hundreds of books dedicated to explaining theory, proving viability, sharing case studies, providing guidance, and more. After spending years sifting through books, research reports, articles, and blogs, we understood that we needed a methodology to categorize the different pieces of information and a rating for how useful they might be to different users of that information.

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Senteo Book Reviews
The Senteo Diamond Rating is a scale from one Diamond to five Diamonds that is our assessment of the value that a book contains for the user if understood and applied properly. While this rating is subjective, we have tried to be fair and reasonable with our opinion. The factors that we used in our rating include structure, clarity, and quality of content as well as our overall review of the content in the following sections:
Key Methodology Elements
Key Methodology Elements
What We Liked
What We Liked
What We Didn’t Like
What We Didn’t Like
Amazon Book Description
Amazon Book Description
Main Uses and/or Applications
Main Uses and/or Applications
Senteo Subject Category Map
The Senteo Subject Category Map is comprised of four subject category sections in the following diagram:
Each book review contains a Senteo Subject Category section at the end of the review to provide guidance to the reader when selecting the type of content that will bring the most value. The graphical representation will show the type of content in the book as well as the main focus of the book, in our opinion, represented by different colors.
The main focus of content in the book
Some content related to this subject category
Little or no content related to this subject category
Senteo Subject Category Map
Horizontal Axis
The horizontal axis represents the separation of content based on its relation either to the process of strategic development of a new business or business component or the ongoing management of an existing business. Our logic was that there is a distinct difference between development and management that is clearly represented in the books that we reviewed.
Vertical Axis
The vertical axis represents the separation of content based on its value in terms of information and analysis or practical application of the content. In this section, we felt that there were many books that provided detailed analysis of information but left the reader to find viable applications of the new knowledge provided. As well, there were many books that provided frameworks and methodologies without the validation that solid research could provide.
This exercise led us to the four categories represented as follows:
  • Research: Information used to formulate a strategic direction or to identify opportunities, market dynamics, industry trends, understand customer behavior, etc. Content in this category is used to gain a deeper understanding of the topics discussed.
  • Tactical Application: Structured and practical approaches that can be applied to strategic scenarios to add detail and plan for implementation. Content in this category will contain methodologies, frameworks, processes, etc. that can be applied to business concepts in development, justification, and implementation planning.
  • Measurement: Information that can be used to understand performance and provide guidance in the ongoing management of businesses. Content in this section will contain methodologies for performance measurement and benchmarking that can provide guidance to business managers.
  • Quality Control: Organizational structures and processes that help management to ensure consistent delivery and continuous improvement of business performance. Content in this section will contain practical methodologies or frameworks that business managers can use to improve quality.
We are always adding new books to this book review section, so please check back frequently to find new reviews and ratings on the books that can add value to your business.
Enjoy your reading, and please share your comments and opinions as they help us to improve the book review section as well as the overall Senteo community. As well, please share any recommendations for books that we should add to this section.
Reading List
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Senteo Rating
The Experience Economy, Updated Edition
The Experience Economy, Updated Edition
Joseph Pine and James Gilmore’s all-time classic is a must read book for anyone interested in the Experience Economy, how it works, and how it adds value.
Senteo Rating
Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action
Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action
In one of his best know works, author Simon Sinek explains that the ‘why’ of what people and companies do is as important as the ‘what’ and the ‘how’.
Senteo Rating
Mass Customization: The New Frontier in Business Competition
Mass Customization: The New Frontier in Business Competition
This book introduces the concept of “mass customization,” a model in which companies have evolved from mass production of standardized goods to produce greater variety in their products and services.
Senteo Rating
Infinite Possibility: Creating Customer Value on the Digital Frontier
Infinite Possibility: Creating Customer Value on the Digital Frontier
Joseph Pine applies his methodology to the digital realm. It begins with a review of how innovations emerge in various industries, using “experience” to disrupt and capture market share.
Senteo Rating
Connected Strategy
Connected Strategy
Siggelkow and Terwiesch propose 4 frameworks for transforming episodic interations between customers and businesses into continuous customer relationships, removing many of the issues of traditional business models.
Senteo Rating
Designing Experiences
Designing Experiences
In this book, Robert Rossman and Matthew Duerden provide an excellent introduction to the principles of experience design, drawing on a variety of real life examples.