Customers for Life

Who Read It:  
Patrick Carroll (also read by the entire PCR Team). This book is required reading for all new PCR Team members.

Why Pat Liked It:   

Customers for Life outlines the approach to customer service taken by auto dealership owner Carl Sewell. The principles detailed in this book are what helped him build his dealership into a near $1 billion business.

In my opinion, this is a MUST READ for any business owner who provides a service to customers. Each time I have a bad customer service experience, I want to hand this book to the owner of the business to show how a customer should be treated.  

This was one of the books I read very early on in my career and I am very glad I found it. Taking Sewell’s approach to customer service has been huge for PCR. I particularly loved that following each chapter in this book is a checklist you can apply to your business.   

This book is required reading for all new employees at PCR, as it really illustrates how we want to approach customer service. Reading this book also helps employees move past some of the poor practices that may have been learned at previous jobs.

Top Takeaways

If the customer asks if you can do something for her, the answer is always “yes,” providing the request is related to your business. Sewell provides excellent examples of how he trained his staff to exceed customer expectations.  

We can’t afford to stop learning. New knowledge becomes available each year, and if we don’t continue educating ourselves and our staff, we won’t remain competitive.

Most customers are honest and good people. If a customer tells you he has a problem, the chances are 99 out of a 100 he really does. Don’t let the other 1% make you question and mistreat everyone else.

Everything you need to know about handling mistakes you learned as a child: Acknowledge your error, fix it immediately, and say you’re sorry. Odds are, your customers, like your mom and dad, will forgive you.

I would love to send you a copy of this book to add to your library. Just fill out the form on the right side of the page and I will mail you a copy today!

Finished this book and looking for your next read? Check out our review of “How to Lead” by David Rubenstein.

Happy Reading!

Pat Carroll

President, PCR Business Systems
Pat@pcrbusiness.com