The book covers how to provide exceptional service to your clients and details how Merrill Lynch approached this issue.  It has some very good pointers on how to assess your clients and whether they are a good fit for your business.

The underlying theme is that your business must provide the service your clients need/want to satisfy their needs.

Highlighted in the considerations is that you only have a certain amount of time and it should be used  to effectively provide a service that is:

• required by the clients who need/appreciate it and are prepared to pay a reasonable fee for it

• rewarding to your business

You cannot be everything to all clients and it is important to match your business model with those you provide to. If you don't align your clients with the service you provide, you are restricting your growth and your ability to provide what is needed.

The service you provide must also be rewarding for you/your business. Once the benefits are mutually generated, you can develop the relationship further so that your clients are good ambassadors for your business.

To achieve full potential it is important to develop a good, close relationship with your clients. You also need to go beyond just being a service provider in their eyes.

Issues such as delegation of responsibilities and checklists to ensure you meet your KPI’s, etc are covered.  Leadership is summarised as clear observation, clear communication and problem solving – not just doing everything yourself. A leader develops others to get the job done. While not every example may apply to your business, it is a healthy reminder of practical issues that you should consider and revisit to keep your business effective and efficient.

The book is based on a successful model in USA. Whilst some cultural matters are best handled a little differently in Australia, it does remind a business operator of important considerations and contains valuable messages.

Peter