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New Strategic for Today's Customer-Driven Economy
This article is about the book written by Jan Carlzon, then President of SAS, and his strategies to turn the financial situation around between 1980 and 1984. This book contains actual examples of cases Carlzon faced, and the steps in which he addressed them. Moments of Truth is an instructional and informative book for both airline executives and top-line management who are seeking to reorganize their company structure and make effective changes that coincide with the vision of the company.

Moments of Truth
The conditions of the book exist under the awareness that the Western world has been transformed into a service economy. Carlzon's company had to reorganize themselves around the customer by making deliberate decisions with the customer's needs and wants in mind. Carlzon turned their organization upside down and by the end of 1984 SAS had been voted Air Transport World's "Airline of the Year." Along with the adaptation of SAS in a customer-driven industry, Carlzon advocated for high executive level positions to empower frontline employees with authority and power to make direct decisions for the customer. The frontline is where the action is, it is those amidst the action that sense the changes in the market. Collectively they are the face of the company and need to be well-equipped when faced with customer inquiries.

Recommendations Carlzon gives include, but are not limited to:
 * Flattening the pyramid and giving power to lower-level workers
 * "Bigger isn't always better"; having more inventory, or more fleets, doesn't always coincide with the company strategy
 * Engage in deals that fit into your business strategy
 * A simple message is key: do not overwhelm or cloud your practices. Focus on a few things and do them well.
 * Understanding the differences between production-oriented and customer-driven industries
 * Ask the question: "What business are we in?"
 * Success requires a plan and a direct way of communicating
 * Create special "moment of truth" interactions with customers that help reveal who the company is
 * Realize that every process has a bottleneck that can be improved
 * As a manager or leader, always recognize employees in order to boost their self worth and esteem: treat them right
 * Always update your goals

Famous Quotes
 * "Everyone needs to know and feel that he is needed."
 * "Everyone wants to be treated as an individual."
 * "Giving someone the freedom to take responsibility releases resources that would otherwise remain concealed."
 * "An individual without information cannot take responsibility; an individual who is given information cannot help but take responsibility."