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<b>Everyone knows that the best way to create customer loyalty is with service so good, so over the top, that it surprises and delights. <i>But what if everyone is wrong?</i></b><p> </p><p><br> In their acclaimed bestseller <i>The Challenger Sale</i>, Matthew Dixon and his colleagues at CEB busted many longstanding myths about sales. Now they’ve turned their research and analysis to a new vital business subject—customer loyalty—with a new book that turns the conventional wisdom on its head. </p><p><br> The idea that companies must delight customers by exceeding service expectations is so entrenched that managers rarely even question it. They devote untold time, energy, and resources to trying to dazzle people and inspire their undying loyalty. Yet CEB’s careful research over five years and tens of thousands of respondents proves that the “dazzle factor” is wildly overrated—it simply doesn’t predict repeat sales, share of wallet, or positive wordof-mouth. The reality: <br><br> <i>Loyalty is driven by how well a company delivers on its basic promises and solves day-to-day problems, not on how spectacular its service experience might be. <b>Most customers don’t want to be “wowed”; they want an effortless experience. </b>And they are far more likely to punish you for bad service than to reward you for good service.</i></p><p><br> If you put on your customer hat rather than your manager or marketer hat, this makes a lot of sense. What do you really want from your cable company, a free month of HBO when it screws up or a fast, painless restoration of your connection? What about your bank—do you want free cookies and a cheerful smile, even a personal relationship with your teller? Or just a quick in-and-out transaction and an easy way to get a refund when it accidentally overcharges on fees?</p><p><br> <i>The Effortless Experience</i> takes readers on a fascinating journey deep inside the customer experience to reveal what really makes customers loyal—and disloyal. The aut