Uplifting Service

June 4, 2012
Ron Kaufman, founder of UP! Your Service, makes a convincing case for the importance of customer service in this step-by-step guide for businesses. The author defines service as "taking action to create value for someone else," and believes in its power to uplift and inspire. He examines the current state of customer service and provides concrete advice for transforming the industry, including questions for service leaders and providers at the end of select chapters. Yet for all of Kaufman's experience dealing with large companies, he gives the impression that he has never spent much (if any) time as a lower level employee. One of his examples for employee recognition is a certificate whose design closely resembles what a kindergarten student might get for perfect attendance, complete with a smiling sun. The anecdotal stories and parables at the beginning of many chapters have a similarly juvenile feel; one of the final chapters begins with the tale of Karen, a little girl who burns herself playing with matches. At moments like those, it is hard to believe this is a book written for educated business professionals. Yet Kaufman's relentlessly positive attitude and focus on creating value for others is refreshing in today's economic climate.