Sense And Respond: The Journey To Customer Purpose

The authors argue that lean production should be driven by the desire to achieve optimal customer service by sensing and responding to the customer. The customer is at the centre of the process and the organisation needs to respond in a holistic way so that the customer can impact on the design and delivery of products and processes. The book is based upon substantial research and practice by leading practitioners and heralds a paradigm shift in thinking on these issues.

STEPHEN PARRY has extensive experience in the areas of customer service strategy, proposition development, organisational development, business process alignment, technology introduction, change and turnaround management. Over the last nine years he has developed an innovative approach to rapidly transforming and managing service centre operations called Sense and Respond, which combines the most beneficial elements of System Thinking, Lean Service and Transformational Leadership. This approach was adopted by Fujitsu who appointed Stephen as Head of Corporate Services. In 2001 he was awarded both the European Call Centre of the Year award for Innovation and Creativity and the European Call Centre of the Year award for best people development programme. He regularly lectures at leading Business Schools including Cambridge-MIT Institute, Aston Business School and Cranfield School of Management.

SUE BARLOW has worked in the retail and distribution industry and the IT Infrastructure Services business. Her expertise is in the field of Strategic Consultancy, specialising in organisational transformation and development across all business sectors. She co-developed the leading approach called Sense and Respond which was awarded the Best Customer Service Strategy award 2003 in the National UK Business Awards and also received the 2001 European Call Centre of the Year award for Innovation and Creativity and the Best People Development Programme. She is an influential leader in the field of organisational development and change management and is a member of IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland.

MIKE FAULKNER is an experienced writer who has contributed to all forms of printed media including books, newspapers and magazines. He is a regular writer for the Institute of Professional Sales. He has designed and implemented several in-depth benchmarking studies for organisations and was instrumental in the formation of the Customer Technology Association