The Relationship Economy: Building Stronger Customer Connections in the Digital Age

DIAMOND
RATING
Senteo Rating 4.0
04/27/23
views 22960
comments0
Author:John R. DiJulius
04/27/23
views 22961
comments0
Author:John R. DiJulius
DIAMOND
RATING
Senteo Rating 4.0

The Relationship Economy: Building Stronger Customer Connections in the Digital Age
John R. DiJulius, Greenleaf Book Group, 2019
Senteo’s Review information

In the book The Relationship Economy: Building Stronger Customer Connections in the Digital Agethe author John DiJulius highlights the importance of relationship building. John R. DiJulius III is considered a premier authority on world-class Customer service and is the author of three books on Customer experience. He is the president of The DiJulius Group – a customer service consulting firm that works with such big and successful companies as Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, The Ritz-Carlton, Nestle, PwC, Lexus.

DiJulius begins this book by offering the following thought. “The Relationship Economy is how strongly you feel about the people and businesses in your life. Relationships are the biggest differentiator in customer and brand loyalty. Relationships are at the center of all we do.” In fact, the entire first chapter of the book has nothing to do with business. It is dedicated to and focused on describing what skills and attributes in a person make them a formidable relationship builder. Moreover, it offers insights on the importance of building those relationships in one’s personal and professional life. 

The next chapters explore in depth a variety of topics: what a Relationship Economy is, why it is important, and how to dominate it. The 2nd chapter examines the rapid pace at which business and customer service are changing. Chapter 3 explores ways to humanize this experience. The 4th chapter delves into the new reality of the touch-screen world we are living in today. Chapter 5 lays out a systematic approach to building instant rapport with others – both personally and professionally. The 6th chapter shows how businesses are executing those principles in their organizations. Subsequently, chapters 7 and 8 look at the benefits of strong relationships between the business and its customers, and the business and its employees. Then chapter 9 shows how one can be the game changer of the industry one’s in; after which chapter 10 emphasizes the importance of micro-experiences on customer loyalty. Finally, chapter 11 puts it all into the broader context of living a meaningful life as a person.

We truly appreciate how this book explores and highlights relationships. The author understands and depicts relationships as something more than just interactions that we have, that for genuine relationships to exist there need to be deep and meaningful interactions. The book does a good job of describing what makes good relationships and moreover, how those relationships are formed. It then does a solid job of describing the implications and impacts they can have on a business.

While the author explains what relationships are and how to leverage them, he does not give a clear roadmap of how to evolve one’s business model to incorporate these ideas. Adapting a business model and integrating these fundamental changes into not just business practices, but into business and product development is a step above what this book offers.

In The Relationship Economy, author John DiJulius teaches business leaders about the importance of relationship building in the digital age. He argues that in spite of (and because of) the advances in tech, we’ve become a less connected society. We have dramatically evolved away from face-to-face communication, and the skill of building rapport is evaporating. This means that customer personalization and relationships are more important now than ever–and they will be the key to success for businesses moving forward. As he aptly states, “Being able to build true sustainable relationships is the biggest competitive advantage in a world where automation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning are eliminating the human experience, which is what creates the emotional connections that build true customer loyalty.” This book reminds readers of the importance of personal connections and shows them how to attain meaningful, lasting relationships with their customers.

This book has valuable insights for anyone who is currently running or developing their business. While it does not offer enough insights to help one with a complete transformation based on relationships, it can help plant seeds into one’s mind about things which need to be integrated and thought about.

Senteo Subject Category
Senteo
The best book reviews in your inbox!
Subscribe now and receive a special gift with your subscription.


    Leave a Reply

    The Relationship Economy: Building Stronger Customer Connections in the Digital Age
    John R. DiJulius, Greenleaf Book Group, 2019
    Have you already read this book?
    Here, are people invited to rate the book?

    How useful was this post?

    Click on a star to rate it!

    Average rating / 5. Vote count:

    No votes so far! Be the first to rate this book.

    See content on this topic

    How can banks provide value for customers and build lasting relationships? Joseph B. Pine, author of The Experience Economy, explains the benefits of avoiding commoditization and embracing mass customization.
    How can banks and other companies generate emotional interest from customers? Find the answer to this question and more in this excellent introduction to the Senteo Methodology.
    In this paper, written in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, Michael Ruckman explains why customer-centric business models can and must survive periods of crisis.
    Why do customer relationships really matter? Michael Ruckman explains the fundamentals of healthy customer relationships and why they are important to businesses. The Relationship-Centric Bank
    Voice On Demand Retail Podcast: Contacts, Experiences and Journeys: What customers really want
    Michael Ruckman, President & CEO of Senteo talks about Customer Contacts, Experiences, and Journeys in this fast moving presentation from the MECS+R Congress in 2021 in Dubai.
    Michael Ruckman Talks about Customer-Centric Business Models
    What is the difference between retention and loyalty, and between customer-centric and relationship-centric business models? How exactly can one monetize customer experience? Michael Ruckman answers these questions and more…
    Voice On Demand Retail Podcast: Part 3 – Leadership in the Retail Market
    Michael Ruckman talks about Customer Experiences & Customer Journeys, The three faces of Digital for Retailers and the state of leadership in the retail market today.
    Build a Tower, Build a Team
    Tom Wujec from Autodesk presents some surprisingly deep research into the “marshmallow problem” — a simple team-building exercise that involves dry spaghetti, one yard of tape and a marshmallow.
    How to Build a Business That Lasts 100 Years
    Join strategist Martin Reeves as he explains how executives can apply six principles from living organisms to build resilient businesses that flourish in the face of change.
    Senteo Rating
    The Innovator’s Dilemma: The Revolutionary Book That Will Change the Way You Do Business
    Senteo Rating
    Great by Choice
    Related Book Reviews & Education
    The author’s methodology is underpinned by a three-year, seven million dollar neuromarketing study which investigates the subliminal effects of advertising, brands or products on some 2,000 volunteers from around the world.
    In CRM at the Speed of Light, the author seeks to address all the changes that have occurred since the previous edition as a result of technology and social media.
    Hamel and Zanini challenge bureaucratic systems, advocating for "humanocracy" where every employee's potential is unleashed. They provide concrete methods to transform traditional organizations into talent-centric ones.
    Dennis Lee Yohn explores how brand and company culture need to work hand-in-hand in order for companies to reach their full potential. Yohn is a consultant, business speaker, and author.