Repeat Business: 6 Steps to Superior Customer Service, by Larry W. Dennis, was originally published in 1992. At Aire-Master, we consider it a classic. We have been using this book in presentations and training programs for years.
Our founder, Jerry McCauley, originally came across Repeat Business in a small bookstore on the Oregon coast. The title immediately caught Jerry’s eye, as Aire-Master service is all about repeat business — forming long lasting relationships with our customers.
Jerry thought the book was terrific. In 1994, we invited Larry Dennis to speak and conduct a workshop at our National Franchise Conference. Twenty-two years later, we still recommend the book.
R.E.P.E.A.T.
Dennis uses the word REPEAT as an acronym to spell out six customer service principles:
- Reliability
- Extra Mile
- Pleasant Personality
- Enthusiasm
- Action
- Thank You
Each chapter in the book is devoted to one of these principles. Dennis uses common sense language and story after story to get his points across clearly. The book itself is a quick read at just over 130 pages.
What Do Customers Want?
Throughout, Dennis places the emphasis on the customer. He explains why customers stop buying, which is usually because they feel a salesperson treated them poorly. Dennis gives plenty of examples of applying the REPEAT principles to keep customers coming back.
It all comes down to treating people right. Make your customers feel important — because they are. They sign your paycheck, after all. If you read and apply this book, you can turn customers into loyal, REPEAT customers. In fact, Larry Dennis has made Aire-Master a repeat customer. We keep several copies of his books in our library at all times!