The Customer Century: Lessons from World Class Companies in Integrated Communications (Routledge Corporate Communication Series)
Gronstedt'sCustomer Centurybreaks new ground in the quest for a strategic approach to all corporate communications. The illustrative examples throughout his book give the reader a real sense of what is happening in companies worldwide as we move from the production century to the aptly named century of the customer. -- Paul A. Argenti, author ofCorporate Communicationand professor at Dartmouth's Tuck SchoolGronstedt's book is easy and inspiring to read--if you read it and can't find ten good ideas that you will adopt in your organization, you ought to change your job! -- Lars Goran Johansson, Sr. Vice President of Corporate Communications, ElectroluxAs an advocate of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), the two questions I'm most frequently asked are 'Who's doing this now?' and 'How do you get started?' Anders Gronstedt answers both questions inThe CustomerCentury. He tells you exactly what to do to build more profitable customer relationships through IMC. -- Robert F. Lauterborn, professor at the University of North Carolina and coauthor ofIntegrated MarketingCommunicationsThe Customer Centuryand its insights into customer-centered enterprises like Hewlett-Packard and FedEx show not only that integrated communication can be achieved, but that it absolutely must be achieved to make a real difference for your company. -- Don Peppers, partner, Peppers and Rogers Group, and co-author with Dr. Martha Rogers ofThe One to One FutureandThe One to OneManagerGronstedt's book brilliantly captures how to jump-start the change processes for building customer value and successful brands. This thought-provoking treatise on the new strategic role of communication should be required reading for any executive striving to succeed in the Customer Century. -- Don Schultz, professor at Northwestern University and coauthor ofCommunicatingGlobally: An Integrated Marketing ApproachGronstedt gives powerful, case study evidence that integrated marketing communication goes a lot deeper than having ads, publicity and promotion carry the same message points.  It is a philosophy that permeates organizations from CEO to frontline workers. The quotations from corporate leaders alone are worth the price of the book. -- Pat Jackson, President, Jackson, Jackson and WagnerGrondstedt insightfully contrasts the difference between the old marketing/communication ideas appropriate to Production Century with the new integrated marketing and communication ideas appropriate to the coming Customer Century. And he illustrates, in excellent detail, the marketing/communication and management practices of leading 3-D companies, such as Xerox, HP, FedEx, and Saturn. Any manager could take away a dozen ideas from reading this book. -- Philip Kotler, Kellogg Graduate School of Management Northwestern UniversityThrough a series of case studies of 14 international companies, the author provides genuine insight into the philosophy and practices of companies that have adopted integrated marketing communications to enhance the profitability of their customer base.  This work is well organized and easy to read. SR Kahn, U of Cincinnati in CHOICE.Gronstedt is putting the old guard of  'Production Century' managers on alert: Integrate communications with your most strategic customers and stakeholders or your business will become road kill in the new century.  This invaluable primer for marketing, communication and general managers is bulging with case studies and hands-on advice for how to succeed in the Customer Century. -- Daniel Burrus, author ofTechnotrends