Customer Value Investment, Gautam Mahajan, Book Review by Johnson Thomas

Book Title: Customer Value Investment
Sub-Title: Formula for sustained business successes
Author: Gautam Mahajan
Response, Business Books from Sage publications
www.sagepublications.com
Paperback edition, 187 pages , Price:Rs.295/-
ISBN 978-0-7619-3604-6

Gautam Mahajan, the internationally acclaimed expert in Business Strategy, Management and globalisation, resident of Interlink services Pvt.Ltd(an international consulting firm) and former President of the Indo-American chamber of Commerce has authored this book in the interests of Customer Value Management(CVM). In his own words , “Ever since I discovered that satisfaction did not lead to loyalty, which led to the concept of Customer Value Management, I have been interested in promoting CVM, it’s art and it’s science. It has been proven that creating a competitive advantage through customer value leads to increased market share, profitability and shareholder value,” he says. Gautam is CVM Inc.’s associate in India. He is also one of the finest consultants in the field. He has great ideas and practical advice and it’s all there in this book of his. He definitely delivers what he promises.
The customer is the ultimate driver of business. Customers buy products and services which in turn give them added vale , which in-turn lends a winning edge to one company over the other. The customer-in-center concept is the USP that Gautam uses to rng added profitability to companies big and small. Gautam’s book tells us why CVM is important and it’s main focus is on it’s implementation. Through this book he shows us how a company transforms itself into a customer-centric organization and what are the benefits that accrue thereafter. Gautam Mahajan makea a strong case for CV Investment by companies. He shows us how this special outlay can bring in sustained business success, generating a huge return on investment(ROI) and improving the value of the company for it’s stakeholders. In this book he literally shows us step-by-step, how the customer juggernaut gets right behind the company to spell it’s long-term success. Gautam uses examples to show the different ways in which a company can invest in the customer. The book explains how companies can move beyond customer management and satisfaction to loyalty, become market leaders and improve business results, understand the value they provide to customers, improve service quality and loyalty, set up customer Circles and build customer conduits, understand competitive strategies and pre-empt competition and measure customer capital. He also answers many other business questions while extolling the virtues of CVI. He also explains how superior customer value ensures loyalty and creates an emotional bond with the brand, thus leading to increased market share and profitability. This is a classic must-read for all business executives. It works as a powerful and practical guide to make businesses of any size successful by truly lacing customers at the center of it’s business strategy. This book is extremely user friendly and easily readable. But will the powers that be in Organizations both big and small stoop to reading this book? Only time and the depletion of the long waiting list at the consumer courts will tell the truth on this one.

Johnson Thomas