Learn Nordstrom's nine principles of customer service and apply them to your business.

Customer service is not a strategy, it’s a way of life. That’s the key sentiment delivered by Robert Spector, author of "The Nordstrom Way," during the recent SEMA Webinar, "The Nordstrom Way to Customer Service."

Spector began the presentation by asking attendees to consider their operations and answer the following questions:

1. Am I offering a better product or service than my competitors?
2. Am I selling a less expensive product or services than my competitors?
3. Am I offering customer service that is superior to that of my competitors?

“If your answer to one or two is no, than your answer to three must be yes, or you will not survive as a company,” said Spector. He explains that in most industries, products are very similar, give or take a feature or two, and the same holds true for services. And pricing is generally in the same ballpark. Customer service is the one area where companies have the most control over to gain a competitive edge over the competition.

Customer Service is Not a Strategy

Some companies will explain their customer service strategy in advertising or as a company initiative to employees. This approach, Spector relays, is a mistake. “Classifying customer service as a strategy makes it sound like a temporary thing. Whether business is up or down, customer service is a way of life. It’s the customer that determines whether your company will succeed or fail.”

Each Employee is in the Customer Service Department

Spector explains that regardless of your job title, you are in the customer service department. This reality is a key factor that will differentiate your company from the competition.

"Delivering great customer service is not for wimps; it's a proactive part of business that needs to be done everyday."

Think Like the Customer

If you were a customer of your company, how would you want to be treated? “All of us are customers at some point of the day,” said Spector. “We know what represents good service, and we know what represents bad service.” However, most companies are set up to make things easier for the company and don’t always consider what's best for the customer.

Spector says that almost every move that your company makes should have the customer in mind from the outset. "Excellent customer service is more than buying and selling products and services, it's seeing your customer as a person," he said. "It's about coming in contact with a customer, identifying that customer's specific needs and taking care of them."

The Nine Principles of Customer Service

Download the entire presentation to hear about Nordstrom's nine principles of customer service and how they apply to any business.

SEMA's Webinar Program: The SEMA webinar program brings the world-class business seminars featured during the SEMA Show right to your desktop. Different business-building sessions are constantly added to the program, offering members the latest insight and practices from today’s leading speakers.

All SEMA webinars are conducted live and are open to all employees of SEMA-member companies free of charge. To participate, all you need is a computer with Internet access and a telephone. All previous SEMA webinars are available for download. Learn more about SEMA webinars and view upcoming presentations.

Learn Nordstrom's nine principles of customer service and apply them to your business.

Customer service is not a strategy, it’s a way of life. That’s the key sentiment delivered by Robert Spector, author of "The Nordstrom Way," during the recent SEMA Webinar, "The Nordstrom Way to Customer Service."

Spector began the presentation by asking attendees to consider their operations and answer the following questions:

1. Am I offering a better product or service than my competitors?
2. Am I selling a less expensive product or services than my competitors?
3. Am I offering customer service that is superior to that of my competitors?

“If your answer to one or two is no, than your answer to three must be yes, or you will not survive as a company,” said Spector. He explains that in most industries, products are very similar, give or take a feature or two, and the same holds true for services. And pricing is generally in the same ballpark. Customer service is the one area where companies have the most control over to gain a competitive edge over the competition.

Customer Service is Not a Strategy

Some companies will explain their customer service strategy in advertising or as a company initiative to employees. This approach, Spector relays, is a mistake. “Classifying customer service as a strategy makes it sound like a temporary thing. Whether business is up or down, customer service is a way of life. It’s the customer that determines whether your company will succeed or fail.”

Each Employee is in the Customer Service Department

Spector explains that regardless of your job title, you are in the customer service department. This reality is a key factor that will differentiate your company from the competition.

"Delivering great customer service is not for wimps; it's a proactive part of business that needs to be done everyday."

Think Like the Customer

If you were a customer of your company, how would you want to be treated? “All of us are customers at some point of the day,” said Spector. “We know what represents good service, and we know what represents bad service.” However, most companies are set up to make things easier for the company and don’t always consider what's best for the customer.

Spector says that almost every move that your company makes should have the customer in mind from the outset. "Excellent customer service is more than buying and selling products and services, it's seeing your customer as a person," he said. "It's about coming in contact with a customer, identifying that customer's specific needs and taking care of them."

The Nine Principles of Customer Service

Download the entire presentation to hear about Nordstrom's nine principles of customer service and how they apply to any business.

SEMA's Webinar Program: The SEMA webinar program brings the world-class business seminars featured during the SEMA Show right to your desktop. Different business-building sessions are constantly added to the program, offering members the latest insight and practices from today’s leading speakers.

All SEMA webinars are conducted live and are open to all employees of SEMA-member companies free of charge. To participate, all you need is a computer with Internet access and a telephone. All previous SEMA webinars are available for download. Learn more about SEMA webinars and view upcoming presentations.

Learn Nordstrom's nine principles of customer service and apply them to your business.

Customer service is not a strategy, it’s a way of life. That’s the key sentiment delivered by Robert Spector, author of "The Nordstrom Way," during the recent SEMA Webinar, "The Nordstrom Way to Customer Service."

Spector began the presentation by asking attendees to consider their operations and answer the following questions:

1. Am I offering a better product or service than my competitors?
2. Am I selling a less expensive product or services than my competitors?
3. Am I offering customer service that is superior to that of my competitors?

“If your answer to one or two is no, than your answer to three must be yes, or you will not survive as a company,” said Spector. He explains that in most industries, products are very similar, give or take a feature or two, and the same holds true for services. And pricing is generally in the same ballpark. Customer service is the one area where companies have the most control over to gain a competitive edge over the competition.

Customer Service is Not a Strategy

Some companies will explain their customer service strategy in advertising or as a company initiative to employees. This approach, Spector relays, is a mistake. “Classifying customer service as a strategy makes it sound like a temporary thing. Whether business is up or down, customer service is a way of life. It’s the customer that determines whether your company will succeed or fail.”

Each Employee is in the Customer Service Department

Spector explains that regardless of your job title, you are in the customer service department. This reality is a key factor that will differentiate your company from the competition.

"Delivering great customer service is not for wimps; it's a proactive part of business that needs to be done everyday."

Think Like the Customer

If you were a customer of your company, how would you want to be treated? “All of us are customers at some point of the day,” said Spector. “We know what represents good service, and we know what represents bad service.” However, most companies are set up to make things easier for the company and don’t always consider what's best for the customer.

Spector says that almost every move that your company makes should have the customer in mind from the outset. "Excellent customer service is more than buying and selling products and services, it's seeing your customer as a person," he said. "It's about coming in contact with a customer, identifying that customer's specific needs and taking care of them."

The Nine Principles of Customer Service

Download the entire presentation to hear about Nordstrom's nine principles of customer service and how they apply to any business.

SEMA's Webinar Program: The SEMA webinar program brings the world-class business seminars featured during the SEMA Show right to your desktop. Different business-building sessions are constantly added to the program, offering members the latest insight and practices from today’s leading speakers.

All SEMA webinars are conducted live and are open to all employees of SEMA-member companies free of charge. To participate, all you need is a computer with Internet access and a telephone. All previous SEMA webinars are available for download. Learn more about SEMA webinars and view upcoming presentations.

Learn Nordstrom's nine principles of customer service and apply them to your business.

Customer service is not a strategy, it’s a way of life. That’s the key sentiment delivered by Robert Spector, author of "The Nordstrom Way," during the recent SEMA Webinar, "The Nordstrom Way to Customer Service."

Spector began the presentation by asking attendees to consider their operations and answer the following questions:

1. Am I offering a better product or service than my competitors?
2. Am I selling a less expensive product or services than my competitors?
3. Am I offering customer service that is superior to that of my competitors?

“If your answer to one or two is no, than your answer to three must be yes, or you will not survive as a company,” said Spector. He explains that in most industries, products are very similar, give or take a feature or two, and the same holds true for services. And pricing is generally in the same ballpark. Customer service is the one area where companies have the most control over to gain a competitive edge over the competition.

Customer Service is Not a Strategy

Some companies will explain their customer service strategy in advertising or as a company initiative to employees. This approach, Spector relays, is a mistake. “Classifying customer service as a strategy makes it sound like a temporary thing. Whether business is up or down, customer service is a way of life. It’s the customer that determines whether your company will succeed or fail.”

Each Employee is in the Customer Service Department

Spector explains that regardless of your job title, you are in the customer service department. This reality is a key factor that will differentiate your company from the competition.

"Delivering great customer service is not for wimps; it's a proactive part of business that needs to be done everyday."

Think Like the Customer

If you were a customer of your company, how would you want to be treated? “All of us are customers at some point of the day,” said Spector. “We know what represents good service, and we know what represents bad service.” However, most companies are set up to make things easier for the company and don’t always consider what's best for the customer.

Spector says that almost every move that your company makes should have the customer in mind from the outset. "Excellent customer service is more than buying and selling products and services, it's seeing your customer as a person," he said. "It's about coming in contact with a customer, identifying that customer's specific needs and taking care of them."

The Nine Principles of Customer Service

Download the entire presentation to hear about Nordstrom's nine principles of customer service and how they apply to any business.

SEMA's Webinar Program: The SEMA webinar program brings the world-class business seminars featured during the SEMA Show right to your desktop. Different business-building sessions are constantly added to the program, offering members the latest insight and practices from today’s leading speakers.

All SEMA webinars are conducted live and are open to all employees of SEMA-member companies free of charge. To participate, all you need is a computer with Internet access and a telephone. All previous SEMA webinars are available for download. Learn more about SEMA webinars and view upcoming presentations.

Learn Nordstrom's nine principles of customer service and apply them to your business.

Customer service is not a strategy, it’s a way of life. That’s the key sentiment delivered by Robert Spector, author of "The Nordstrom Way," during the recent SEMA Webinar, "The Nordstrom Way to Customer Service."

Spector began the presentation by asking attendees to consider their operations and answer the following questions:

1. Am I offering a better product or service than my competitors?
2. Am I selling a less expensive product or services than my competitors?
3. Am I offering customer service that is superior to that of my competitors?

“If your answer to one or two is no, than your answer to three must be yes, or you will not survive as a company,” said Spector. He explains that in most industries, products are very similar, give or take a feature or two, and the same holds true for services. And pricing is generally in the same ballpark. Customer service is the one area where companies have the most control over to gain a competitive edge over the competition.

Customer Service is Not a Strategy

Some companies will explain their customer service strategy in advertising or as a company initiative to employees. This approach, Spector relays, is a mistake. “Classifying customer service as a strategy makes it sound like a temporary thing. Whether business is up or down, customer service is a way of life. It’s the customer that determines whether your company will succeed or fail.”

Each Employee is in the Customer Service Department

Spector explains that regardless of your job title, you are in the customer service department. This reality is a key factor that will differentiate your company from the competition.

"Delivering great customer service is not for wimps; it's a proactive part of business that needs to be done everyday."

Think Like the Customer

If you were a customer of your company, how would you want to be treated? “All of us are customers at some point of the day,” said Spector. “We know what represents good service, and we know what represents bad service.” However, most companies are set up to make things easier for the company and don’t always consider what's best for the customer.

Spector says that almost every move that your company makes should have the customer in mind from the outset. "Excellent customer service is more than buying and selling products and services, it's seeing your customer as a person," he said. "It's about coming in contact with a customer, identifying that customer's specific needs and taking care of them."

The Nine Principles of Customer Service

Download the entire presentation to hear about Nordstrom's nine principles of customer service and how they apply to any business.

SEMA's Webinar Program: The SEMA webinar program brings the world-class business seminars featured during the SEMA Show right to your desktop. Different business-building sessions are constantly added to the program, offering members the latest insight and practices from today’s leading speakers.

All SEMA webinars are conducted live and are open to all employees of SEMA-member companies free of charge. To participate, all you need is a computer with Internet access and a telephone. All previous SEMA webinars are available for download. Learn more about SEMA webinars and view upcoming presentations.

Learn Nordstrom's nine principles of customer service and apply them to your business.

Customer service is not a strategy, it’s a way of life. That’s the key sentiment delivered by Robert Spector, author of "The Nordstrom Way," during the recent SEMA Webinar, "The Nordstrom Way to Customer Service."

Spector began the presentation by asking attendees to consider their operations and answer the following questions:

1. Am I offering a better product or service than my competitors?
2. Am I selling a less expensive product or services than my competitors?
3. Am I offering customer service that is superior to that of my competitors?

“If your answer to one or two is no, than your answer to three must be yes, or you will not survive as a company,” said Spector. He explains that in most industries, products are very similar, give or take a feature or two, and the same holds true for services. And pricing is generally in the same ballpark. Customer service is the one area where companies have the most control over to gain a competitive edge over the competition.

Customer Service is Not a Strategy

Some companies will explain their customer service strategy in advertising or as a company initiative to employees. This approach, Spector relays, is a mistake. “Classifying customer service as a strategy makes it sound like a temporary thing. Whether business is up or down, customer service is a way of life. It’s the customer that determines whether your company will succeed or fail.”

Each Employee is in the Customer Service Department

Spector explains that regardless of your job title, you are in the customer service department. This reality is a key factor that will differentiate your company from the competition.

"Delivering great customer service is not for wimps; it's a proactive part of business that needs to be done everyday."

Think Like the Customer

If you were a customer of your company, how would you want to be treated? “All of us are customers at some point of the day,” said Spector. “We know what represents good service, and we know what represents bad service.” However, most companies are set up to make things easier for the company and don’t always consider what's best for the customer.

Spector says that almost every move that your company makes should have the customer in mind from the outset. "Excellent customer service is more than buying and selling products and services, it's seeing your customer as a person," he said. "It's about coming in contact with a customer, identifying that customer's specific needs and taking care of them."

The Nine Principles of Customer Service

Download the entire presentation to hear about Nordstrom's nine principles of customer service and how they apply to any business.

SEMA's Webinar Program: The SEMA webinar program brings the world-class business seminars featured during the SEMA Show right to your desktop. Different business-building sessions are constantly added to the program, offering members the latest insight and practices from today’s leading speakers.

All SEMA webinars are conducted live and are open to all employees of SEMA-member companies free of charge. To participate, all you need is a computer with Internet access and a telephone. All previous SEMA webinars are available for download. Learn more about SEMA webinars and view upcoming presentations.

Learn Nordstrom's nine principles of customer service and apply them to your business.

Customer service is not a strategy, it’s a way of life. That’s the key sentiment delivered by Robert Spector, author of "The Nordstrom Way," during the recent SEMA Webinar, "The Nordstrom Way to Customer Service."

Spector began the presentation by asking attendees to consider their operations and answer the following questions:

1. Am I offering a better product or service than my competitors?
2. Am I selling a less expensive product or services than my competitors?
3. Am I offering customer service that is superior to that of my competitors?

“If your answer to one or two is no, than your answer to three must be yes, or you will not survive as a company,” said Spector. He explains that in most industries, products are very similar, give or take a feature or two, and the same holds true for services. And pricing is generally in the same ballpark. Customer service is the one area where companies have the most control over to gain a competitive edge over the competition.

Customer Service is Not a Strategy

Some companies will explain their customer service strategy in advertising or as a company initiative to employees. This approach, Spector relays, is a mistake. “Classifying customer service as a strategy makes it sound like a temporary thing. Whether business is up or down, customer service is a way of life. It’s the customer that determines whether your company will succeed or fail.”

Each Employee is in the Customer Service Department

Spector explains that regardless of your job title, you are in the customer service department. This reality is a key factor that will differentiate your company from the competition.

"Delivering great customer service is not for wimps; it's a proactive part of business that needs to be done everyday."

Think Like the Customer

If you were a customer of your company, how would you want to be treated? “All of us are customers at some point of the day,” said Spector. “We know what represents good service, and we know what represents bad service.” However, most companies are set up to make things easier for the company and don’t always consider what's best for the customer.

Spector says that almost every move that your company makes should have the customer in mind from the outset. "Excellent customer service is more than buying and selling products and services, it's seeing your customer as a person," he said. "It's about coming in contact with a customer, identifying that customer's specific needs and taking care of them."

The Nine Principles of Customer Service

Download the entire presentation to hear about Nordstrom's nine principles of customer service and how they apply to any business.

SEMA's Webinar Program: The SEMA webinar program brings the world-class business seminars featured during the SEMA Show right to your desktop. Different business-building sessions are constantly added to the program, offering members the latest insight and practices from today’s leading speakers.

All SEMA webinars are conducted live and are open to all employees of SEMA-member companies free of charge. To participate, all you need is a computer with Internet access and a telephone. All previous SEMA webinars are available for download. Learn more about SEMA webinars and view upcoming presentations.

	Make sure buyers and media see your new products—enter them in the SEMA Show New Products Showcase! Don't miss the October 9 deadline.

One of the staple features of the SEMA Show, the New Products Showcase highlights the industry’s most recent innovations in performance, function and style.

And time is running out to get your product featured in the Showcase! As an exhibitor, your first product entry into the Showcase is free. But you must act by October 9. Simply visit www.semashow.com/newproducts and use your exhibitor password to register your product

Forgot your password? Contact Michelle Sandler at 702/450-7662 ext. 119 or msandler@convexx.com.

Additional product entries are $75 if registered by October 9. After October 9, all products must be submitted at the Show for a fee of $250 per product.

Don’t wait. The deadline is two weeks away!

For the 2009 Show, the Showcase is moving to a larger and more prominent location, nearly double the size of its previous footprint in the Grand Lobby area of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

This year, look for it in the front of the upper South Hall in front of the Trucks, SUVs & Off-Road and Powersports & Utility Vehicles sections (view floorplan here).

Like last year, buyers will use scanners which read a barcode associated with the product. The captured product information can then be downloaded in several formats. This year, SEMA is redesigning the product display cases to improve scanning reliability.

Exhibitors who wish to enter a product in the New Products Showcase can register here. The first product entry is complimentary, and exhibitors can register a product in multiple categories.

The New Products Showcase will open at 8:00 a.m., prior to Show hours.

Watch eNews for developing information about the New Products Showcase. For more about the 2009 SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAShow.com.

	Make sure buyers and media see your new products—enter them in the SEMA Show New Products Showcase! Don't miss the October 9 deadline.

One of the staple features of the SEMA Show, the New Products Showcase highlights the industry’s most recent innovations in performance, function and style.

And time is running out to get your product featured in the Showcase! As an exhibitor, your first product entry into the Showcase is free. But you must act by October 9. Simply visit www.semashow.com/newproducts and use your exhibitor password to register your product

Forgot your password? Contact Michelle Sandler at 702/450-7662 ext. 119 or msandler@convexx.com.

Additional product entries are $75 if registered by October 9. After October 9, all products must be submitted at the Show for a fee of $250 per product.

Don’t wait. The deadline is two weeks away!

For the 2009 Show, the Showcase is moving to a larger and more prominent location, nearly double the size of its previous footprint in the Grand Lobby area of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

This year, look for it in the front of the upper South Hall in front of the Trucks, SUVs & Off-Road and Powersports & Utility Vehicles sections (view floorplan here).

Like last year, buyers will use scanners which read a barcode associated with the product. The captured product information can then be downloaded in several formats. This year, SEMA is redesigning the product display cases to improve scanning reliability.

Exhibitors who wish to enter a product in the New Products Showcase can register here. The first product entry is complimentary, and exhibitors can register a product in multiple categories.

The New Products Showcase will open at 8:00 a.m., prior to Show hours.

Watch eNews for developing information about the New Products Showcase. For more about the 2009 SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAShow.com.

	Make sure buyers and media see your new products—enter them in the SEMA Show New Products Showcase! Don't miss the October 9 deadline.

One of the staple features of the SEMA Show, the New Products Showcase highlights the industry’s most recent innovations in performance, function and style.

And time is running out to get your product featured in the Showcase! As an exhibitor, your first product entry into the Showcase is free. But you must act by October 9. Simply visit www.semashow.com/newproducts and use your exhibitor password to register your product

Forgot your password? Contact Michelle Sandler at 702/450-7662 ext. 119 or msandler@convexx.com.

Additional product entries are $75 if registered by October 9. After October 9, all products must be submitted at the Show for a fee of $250 per product.

Don’t wait. The deadline is two weeks away!

For the 2009 Show, the Showcase is moving to a larger and more prominent location, nearly double the size of its previous footprint in the Grand Lobby area of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

This year, look for it in the front of the upper South Hall in front of the Trucks, SUVs & Off-Road and Powersports & Utility Vehicles sections (view floorplan here).

Like last year, buyers will use scanners which read a barcode associated with the product. The captured product information can then be downloaded in several formats. This year, SEMA is redesigning the product display cases to improve scanning reliability.

Exhibitors who wish to enter a product in the New Products Showcase can register here. The first product entry is complimentary, and exhibitors can register a product in multiple categories.

The New Products Showcase will open at 8:00 a.m., prior to Show hours.

Watch eNews for developing information about the New Products Showcase. For more about the 2009 SEMA Show, visit www.SEMAShow.com.