ZINGERMAN'S GUIDE TO GIVING GREAT SERVICE

Eighty percent of complaining customers are unhappier AFTER they complain. That's one statistic that surfaces in this short customer service guide from Zingerman's, the feisty food emporium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which INC. magazine dubbed "the coolest small company in America." There's plenty of advice here and lots of tips on how to treat customers like royalty. For example, the 10-4 rule: Make eye contact within 10 feet of a customer; greet him or her verbally within 4 feet. Author Ari Weinzweig's narration--like Zingerman's signature coffee cake--is warm and homey. But the project also has a few drawbacks: It's fairly short, a third of it is a Q&A with the company's founder, and the charts and action lists are not included. They're available upon request. R.W.S. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 05]