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Knowledge Cafe |
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Customer Satisfaction
Is Worthless
Customer Loyalty
Is Priceless
How to make customers
love you, keep them
coming back and tell
everyone they know.
by Jeffrey Gitomer
A review from Amazon.com:
"To longtime sales and customer-service pro Jeffrey Gitomer, boasting about a near-perfect customer-satisfaction rating of 97.5 percent is a major mistake. "That means 2.5 percent of your customers are mad and they're telling everyone. And 97.5 percent of your customers will shop anyplace the next time they go to market for your product or service." Based on a philosophy that's been developed through his syndicated business columns and the more than 150 seminars that he gives each year to companies such as Radisson, Sony, NationsBank, and Time Warner Cable, the book outlines his formula for making customers so faithful they "will fight before they switch--and they will proactively refer people to buy from you." Regularly employing oversized type in screaming bold fonts to grab the reader's attention, Gitomer breathlessly recounts his start-to-finish approach to becoming "memorable" to consumers along with illustrative tales of his own encounters with particularly egregious examples of poor service. All of this is bolstered by an ongoing sampling of his inspirational quips and a variety of self-evaluating quizzes designed to pinpoint individual strengths and weaknesses. Take a deep breath, read it straight through, and prepare to delight thy customer!" --Howard Rothman
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For my own input, this is one of the best books on business I have ever read and I just want to act on everything in the book. As a consumer, I am shocked at the poor service I receive sometimes and "satisfied" with the mediocore service that is so common. When great service comes along, it stands alone and with fond memory and enthusiastic sharing.
We are not always in control of the business environment we are in; however, that is no excuse for not learning all that can be learned from this awesome work.
A Masterpiece!
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There's no time like the present. Here is a link to get it right away. You can get the hardcover for a song and the softcover is available new. You will be so glad you did:
Book:
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K.C. Archive |
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Here is a list of books and audio's that have been recommended in the Knowledge Cafe.
Customer Satisfaction
Is Worthless
Customer Loyalty
Is Priceless
by Jeffrey Gitomer
Linchpin
by Seth Godin
The Circle of
Innovation
by Tom Peters
Raving Fans
by Ken Blanchard
and Sheldon Bowles
All Marketers Are Liars
by Seth Godin
Failing Forward
by John C Maxwell
Leadership Is An Art and Leadership Jazz by Max DePree
The Spirituality of Success by Vincent M Roazzi
Power In Praise by Merlin Carothers
The Go-Giver by Bob Burg & Hohn David Mann
The Gratitude Effect by John DeMartini
Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, MD
The Power To Have It All Audio Package by Bob Proctor
The Secret - Book and Audiobook by Rhonda Byrne
Acres of Diamonds by Russell Conwell
Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
As A Man Thinketh by James Allen
The Power of Focus by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Les Hewitt
How To Talk To Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere by Larry King
Lead the Field Audio by Earl Nightingale
Your Invisible Power by Genevieve Behrend
and
The Spirit of Opulence by Thomas Troward
You Were Born Rich by Bob Proctor
Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz, MD
You2 by Price Pritchett
The Magic of Believing by Claude M Bristol
Awaken the Giant Within by Anthony Robbins
Success Magazine
and
How To Lose Friends and Alienate People by Irving Tressler
and
How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
The Psychology of Selling by Brian Tracy
and
How To Sell Anything To Anybody by Joe Girard
How I Raised Myself From Failure To Success In Selling by Frank Bettger
The Success Principle by Jack Canfield
Jeffrey Gitomer Little Books Collectors Edition: 5-pack of books plus CD
Enterprise One To One
and
The One To One Fieldbook by Don Peppers and Martha Rogers
Sales Bible by Jeffrey Gitomer
Customers For Life by Carl Sewell |
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CTS Blog |
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Subscribe to our daily Commercial Truck Success Blog!
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Have A Great Day! |
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Smile. It's the easiest gift you can give someone. Better yet, tell someone something positive and uplifting today. It will make their day--and, it will make yours! |
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Show Your Favorites |
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Do you have some special favorite bodies or body companies? Or, perhaps you have photos of overloaded trucks.
Send us photos and a short story of your experiences and we will put them in the CTS IdeaLetter.
Send to:
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CTS is proud to be associated with the National Ford Truck Club
If you're part of a Ford dealer, we highly recommend you subscribe to the FordPros Magazine. It's FREE! Click on one of the links below to sign up and get access to their new website.
This is a great organization!
NEW WEBSITE
For the
National Ford Truck Club
or
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2010 NTEA
Work Truck Show |
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The National Truck & Equipment Association's huge annual event is coming up very soon. The Work Truck Show is an awesome event and a great chance to see truck bodies and accessories from all over the United States and the world.
The hotels fill up fast, so get registered right away. Last year's event in Chicago was off the charts great and Knapheide's party at the Navy Pier was a smash hit. Plan to attend and bring a friend!
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Tony Anderson of Harbor Truck Bodies shows off one of the new Masterack packages. Harbor is a Masterack distributor and can take care of your van interior needs.
Call Tony at 800-433-9452 and visit their website at www.htbi.net.
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Free
CTS Daily Inspirations
Email
We all need a little pump up to start our day, including myself. We now offer a Daily Inspirations email to give you some food for thought and a little encouragement. We began this new feature in Sep '09, and feedback is very positive.
To subscribe, click the link above "join our mailing list" logo. You will be sent an email to finalize your changes.
To see some samples, click here: Samples. If you prefer, an easy way is just to drop me an email (see link below) and put Daily Inspirations in the subject line. As always, you can unsubscribe easily at any time.
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The Royal Touch |
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This design using removable plastic trays instead of metal dividers is such a simple idea and such a great idea. Customers love it. Bravo!
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Welcome! |
Welcome to the Commercial Truck Success Idealetter!
Published every other week, the Idealetter is an informative thought starter and news source for busy commercial sales professionals and managers with numerous links to great products, the Commercial Truck Success website, Daily Blog and many other links to useful information, tools and inspiration!
Please feel free to offer comments and suggestions for future topics that are of interest to you. Also, please forward this to others you wish to share it with. There is a forward email link at the bottom of this page. I wish you success! Keep up the good work! And, never stop learning! - Terry Minion, Editor |
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Linkedin Is A Great Resource |
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If you are not familiar with Linkedin, I want to introduce it to you briefly. Facebook has become a worldwide phenomena, and Linkedin is, in my opinion, the Facebook for business people. None of the Farmville games and things like that, but business discussions within groups, getting and receiving recommendations for you work, a place to be seen and see others and share information to try and move the needle in your business field.
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Len Deluca At Nor Cal Truck Club Event |
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The Northern California Ford Truck Club announced its next meeting date is March 18th, 2010 and will include an optional golf tournament, with the main meeting starting at 3:00pm.
This event is a "must attend" because the guest speaker will be Len Deluca, Director of Commercial Truck Sales and Marketing leading a "Mini Grass Roots" meeting along with Craig Cannons, Ford Commercial Business Manager.
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140 Unit Sale of Ford Transit Connect |
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THYSSENKRUPP ELEVATOR HAS MOST FORD TRANSIT CONNECTS IN OPERATION IN NORTH AMERICA
ThyssenKrupp Elevator, Americas Business Unit, is the largest producer of elevators in North America.
The company recently purchased 140 Ford Transit Connects for its vehicle fleet to be used by mechanics who routinely service elevators and escalators. ThyssenKrupp Elevator was one of the earliest adopters of the Transit Connect. Currently, the company has the most Transit Connects in operation in North America.
ThyssenKrupp Elevator has established company-wide sustainability initiatives. One of these initiatives is the reduction of fuel. Nationwide, ThyssenKrupp Elevator operates approximately 3,300 vehicles - a mixture of pickup trucks, full-size vans, utility vehicles, medium-duty trucks and a small number of autos. Approximately 1,500 of the company's service mechanics do not necessarily require a large vehicle to get the job done, so ThyssenKrupp Elevator's fleet director had been actively looking for a midsized fuel-efficient vehicle that could meet the service mechanics' needs. When the Transit Connect became available, it provided ThyssenKrupp Elevator with an affordable, right-sized, fuel-efficient solution.
The Ford Transit Connect, 2010 North American Truck of the Year, is equipped with a 2.0-liter I-4 engine and four-speed automatic overdrive transmission combination, rated at 22 mpg city, 25 highway. Transit Connect starts at $21,475, including destination. See more at www.ford.com |
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Metromaster by Utilimaster |
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Metromaster Parcel Delivery Van
by Utilimaster
The Metromaster Parcel Delivery Vehicle delivers a fuel-efficient, smaller option in a parcel delivery vehicle. Built on a Ford commercial cutaway chassis, this vehicle is essential to maximizing your company's productivity. Designed for tight, inner-city driving, the Metromaster is built tough to provide both reliability and durability.
The Metromaster is designed to provide the comfort of a commercial cab with the increased cargo capacity. With a large number of options available, the Metromaster can be designed to meet your operating requirements.
I love this size van body. It is so useful for customers and has such a low entry height. I saw a photo of one with a side sliding door on the Utilimaster site and that is so cool. Check it out.
See all the great products from Utilimaster at www.utilimaster.com. |
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Cargo Bed Enclosure Raises Skyward |
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Now, this is a treat! Typically, the front section of a cargo bed enclosure is permanently mounted to the truck and does not open, so if it is a 2-piece setup, it usually opens about 1/2 of the bed area, and a 3-pieces opens about two thirds of the bed area and the last section is holding the other two. In this case, the front section is mounted with hinges and gas shocks so that it can raise up to completely expose the entire bed area. How brilliant! This is the first I have seen of this kind of design for the cargo bed enclosure and I have seen hundreds of cargo bed enclosures of all varieties. Absolutely brilliant.
This one was built for Downtown Ford of Sacramento by Jack Schmidt, owner of West Coast Truck Equipment in West Sacramento, CA. You can have Jack build one for you. Call him at 916-376-0690 and visit his website at www.westcoastruckequipment.com. |
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Time For A Slip-On? It's An Option. |
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The Load'N'Go TSS Superstructure Slip-On Truck Body is ideal for these and other industries: Utility, Public Works, Contractors, Agricultural, Military, and many more. Installation requires no holes drilled. Increase your flexibility: Easy On, Easy Off. When you need to get another work truck on the road, save time and valuable man hours by transferring the entire Load'N'Go system--tools, equipment, and other gear to another chassis. Or, for quick response in an emergency situation, keep a fully equipped unit in your shop, ready for quick mounting in your domestic, full-size pick-up. The Load'N'Go has 60 cubic feet of storage, a 48.5" bed so it will handle full size plywood sheets, a universal clamping system for easy installation. The TSS is available with rear roll-up door or barn doors with a slide top. Other features include a heavy duty floor, T-handles, pneumatic door assist shocks, Expanded metal bulkhead, forklift tunnels for mounting and removal, adjustable shelves. There is also a long list of great, useful options including a set of 4-2000 lb capacity lifting jacks for removal when a forklift is not available, side compartment drawers, and many more. For more information visit www.fleetwest.net or give them a call at 866-497-7200. |
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Smith Electric Trucks Wins GSA Approval |
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Smith Newton Wins US Government Approval
February 8, 2010--THE world's best-selling electric truck is successfully targeting the billion-dollar buying power of the US Government.
- Smith Newton first electric truck to win Federal procurement standard
- Federal agencies ordered to reduce emissions
The Smith Newton has been added to the US General Services Administration (GSA) schedule. The schedule is a list of products approved for purchase by all Federal agencies and the US military. These agencies spend a combined $1 billion every year on GSA-approved vehicles and automotive services. The Smith Newton is the first medium duty electric truck to make the GSA schedule.
The Smith Newton is produced in North America by Smith Electric Vehicles US Corporation. It is already the only medium/heavy duty truck to be certified by the California Air Resources Board.
Bryan Hansel, CEO of Smith Electric Vehicles US Corp, said: "Smith's addition to the GSA schedule will provide a significant new opportunity for federal agencies to reduce fleet vehicle greenhouse gas emissions and open a previously untapped market for commercial electric vehicles.
"An aggressive move into this market by the federal government will allow producers to rapidly scale up production, lowering costs throughout the industry and driving the creation of high-quality manufacturing jobs."
President Obama recently issued an executive order that, for the first time, requires all federal agencies to measure their greenhouse gas emissions - and set a plan to reduce them. The order specifically mandates a 30 percent reduction in fleet vehicle petroleum use by 2020.
The Smith Newton truck is powered exclusively by leading edge lithium-ion battery technology, meaning it is zero emission at the point of use. It has a top speed of 50mph (80km/h), a range on one battery charge in excess of 100 miles (160km) and a payload of up to 7,300kg. The energy-efficient truck, which is available in 7,500kg, 10,000kg and 12,000kg configurations, also recaptures electricity when it slows or stops, through a process called regenerative braking.
Smith, headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a privately held company owned by Private Investors Management and The Tanfield Group Plc, based in the United Kingdom. Tanfield is the parent company of Smith Electric Vehicles in the U.K., the leading manufacturer of zero-emissions battery-electric commercial vehicles in Europe since the 1920s.
Smith Electric Vehicles has produced the Newton truck in Europe for more than three years and has sold vehicles to major fleet operators in sectors such as mail and parcel delivery, logistics, retail, highway maintenance and airports.
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Commercial Truck World Views
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Ford Falcon UTE Cab Chassis |
Australia's got a pretty cool truck in the Ford Falcon UTE, which is available as a cab chassis as shown in this promo photo with the flatbed installed. Pretty swank looking rig! It doesn't look anything like a work truck, but get this: it has a capacity up to 1,240kg (2,733 lbs)!! Look how nice and low to the ground it is. Easy to work from. The Falcon UTE Chassis Cab is available in three models. The one shown here is the top of the line. The chassis cab's come with a 4.0 litre DOHC I-6 engine and a 6-speed manual or 5-speed auto transmission. The XR6 has all the bells and whistles including 4-way power seat, power windows and locks, CD player and much more. There is an available E-Gas option for a factory built LPG unit using the 4.0 litre engine with a 4-speed automatic. The optional one tonne suspension gives the maximum payload. A 2,300 kg (5,070 lbs) towpack is available. When I was in Syndey a few years ago, I saw plenty of these kind of trucks and thought how useful they were. I didn't realize that Ford was doing such a great job down under. The Falcon UTE is an excellent offering and just a portion of Ford's presence in Australia. For more information on the Falcon UTE and other Ford products in Australia, visit Ford's website at www.ford.com.au. |
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Fresh Direct Orders 20 New Isuzu Trucks |
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Isuzu's fresh approach wins
Fresh Direct's truck order
3 tonne payload, frugal fuel economy and customer service impresses When it came to tendering for Fresh Direct's latest vehicle order, Isuzu Truck UK successfully clinched the deal for 20 new vehicles with an all-round package that gave Fresh Direct the benefits of superior payload, frugal fuel consumption and unrivalled customer service. The order for 20 new Isuzu N75.190 7.5t rigid trucks, all fitted with the popular Easyshift transmission, represents a move by Fresh Direct to the Isuzu marque for the first time as they were impressed by Isuzu's overall approach to their specific vehicle requirements. According to Nick Allen, head of logistics at Fresh Direct, "As an organisation, we are consistently looking at ways to reduce the number of delivery runs whilst improving the service we provide to our customers. The obvious payload advantage offered by the Isuzu 7.5 tonne range naturally appealed to us and this was complemented by the Isuzu's proven fuel economy." With the combination of the Isuzu 7.5t chassis cab, the single compartment RVL refrigerated body and the Carrier Transicold Xarios refrigeration system, Fresh Direct are achieving a 3 tonne payload with these new trucks, which represents a significant improvement over their predecessors. "We have also been impressed by how close Isuzu has worked with us since we ordered the new vehicles. At Fresh Direct, we operate an extensive driver training centre and with Isuzu's help and input we have implemented a rigorous driver training programme to get the very best out of the new Isuzu vehicles," added Nick Allen. Fresh Direct (UK) Ltd, based in Bicester, is a major foodservice supplier dealing with predominantly pubs, restaurants, hotel groups, premium retailers, colleges, conference centres, event organisers and even celebrity chefs. Operating through seven depots nationwide, the company operates an all-refrigerated distribution fleet comprising in excess of 145 vehicles. Each of the new vehicles has its own unique livery featured on the refrigerated body, highlighting the extensive range of over 2000 different fruits and vegetables supplied by the company. See more from Isuzu Truck UK Ltd. at www.isuzutruck.co.uk. |
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Nikki King First Women Awards |
First Women Awards: Interview with Nikki King of Isuzu Truck UK
Nikki King of Isuzu Truck UK talks to Andrew Cave. Nikki was nominated in the manufacturing category of the First Women Awards, a scheme organised in association with Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets.
See the rest of this great article from the Telegraph.co.com.
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Nikki King OBE is managing director of Isuzu Truck (UK) Limited and the first female managing director of a UK commercial vehicle manufac-turer. An active member of the commercial vehicle industry and has held a number of senior industry roles. She was the first female president (and vice-president) of the Society of Operations Engineers. | |
