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highly recommended |
A Guide Map 
Prof. Maister detail in this book all management dimensions in a Service Firm. He provides helpful and powerful insights to every one interested in this market. Being you a beginner or a senior in your profession, you will always find important, helpful and practical orientation on how doing business and improve in this market.
It is a classic.
Still an Important Book After All These Years
Still very relevant and important read for anyone in professional services. I particularly like the following chapters:
A Question of Balance:
Quality Work Doesn't Mean Quality Service
The Importance of SchedulingThere's so much in this book, well recommended.
If you're the one who has my old copy...
I've read a lot of books on leadership, management and selling - this is one of a select few that I find myself referring back to frequently since I first read it 5 years ago. I just logged on to buy a new copy - I've loaned out my old one again and forget who has it. The chapters on selling professional services are particularly strong, because Maister recommends dignified, professional approaches to client development. I personally practice ideas like 'marketing from the inside' and it's helped me help a lot of people - and make a lot of money in the process.
The definitive re-usable book of knowledge on service firms
I have read, re-read and shared this book countless times over the years. David's chapters on sales hit the mark. The chapter's on culture choice and picking an identity then living that identity can fix broken service models if adapted quickly. The reading style is light and enjoyable. A good, worthwhile, easy read. Buy it!
Like textbook for professionals
For consultants it is like "The Bible" for Christians or "Capital" for Marxists. This book is like a Bible for all professionals, regardless of whether they are working on their own or for a company. It can be read again and again and every time you can find something new. I think that even Maister did not suspect how great it would be. I feel able to declare that everybody who wants to be called "a consultant" must read this book. Although this book consists of articles by different years it can be read without any difficulty. Maister also used international English and therefore it is easy for non-native English speakers to read. I found especially interesting the following chapters:
1. Marketing to Existing Client
2. Attracting new Clients
3. Managing the Marketing Effort The core ideas of all these chapters are:
1. Demonstrate you ability do not declare (Marketing works when it is demonstrative not
assertive)
2. The most effective type of marketing is client-level marketing (face-to-face meeting not to-
broadcast marketing)
3. Existing clients are the best sources of new business (and often the most profitable ones)
4. Marketing activities represent an investment and therefore should be budgeted for. The author puts all these principles into practice. In this book (and all the rest of his books) he demonstrates his quality. He treats all his readers if we were already his clients and which means he shares some top secrets of this business.
All in all, I can say that it is amazing how many new ideas I managed to get from this book for so little money. Buying this book was one of my greatest investments. I only regret that I did not read this book in the eginning of my career in consulting.
reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, page 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
managing the, firm, managing, professional, service
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