FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE GOLD STANDARD: GIVING YOUR CUSTOMERS WHAT THEY DIDN’T KNOW THEY WANTED
by COLIN COWIE
In his storied career as one of the world’s most sought-after event planners, Colin Cowie has weathered numerous economic upheavals and many cultural changes. Yet, like all of us, he had never before faced a black swan event like the COVID-19 pandemic. With his trademark energy and vision, however, Cowie embraced a proactive response to the new challenges facing his company, doubling down on his core values of impeccable customer service and creating singular experiences for his clients.
More than ever, Cowie understands, setting your business apart is the way to survive and thrive in the new post-pandemic normal, and setting your business apart is all about customer experience. In The Gold Standard: Giving Your Customers What They Didn’t Know They Wanted, (HarperCollins Leadership; 978-1-4002-2400-5; September 7, 2021), the man whose clients number royalty, celebrities, and business luminaries around the globe shares his formula for cultivating and perfecting the premier consumer experience. “In today’s world consumers are overwhelmed with choices in every aspect of their lives,” Cowie says. “We live in a buyer’s world. It’s up to you to identify and meet their needs, not the other way around…Your customer has choices, and you still want the product or service they buy to come from you.”
To grab attention in a saturated market, you not only have to have the right product or service, but you must make the customer’s experience a priority. You need to know what your customers want before they do. To achieve this magic requires creativity, flexibility, and attention to detail. Today, perceived “luxury” brands are ubiquitous, so the true new luxury is getting great customer service. Serving up an unforgettable customer experience, Cowie reveals, includes making an emotional connection with them, listening to and catering to their needs and tastes, and going the extra mile. Be proactive, not just reactive, when dealing with a customer’s complaints—and always resolve those complaints with a sincere apology and by making things right—go above and beyond their expectations, even if that means a financial loss for the business.
The difference between survival and success, Cowie says, begins within your company’s culture. Know your brand, present it well to the world, and reinforce it with your own example, because your brand is what customers think of when they think of you. If you have employees, they should fully understand and reflect the ethos of the company and the brand as well. If you lead with the best version of yourself, your team will follow. And you always need to be looking ahead. Failures are inevitable, but not fatal. Be agile and ready to pivot when the business environment changes—a lesson the pandemic made all to clear.
As he maps out specific ways for you to provide peerless customer service, Cowie breezily illustrates his proven methods with stories from his own career working with everyone from Oprah to Kim Kardashian to Nicole Kidman, and with major corporations and cultural institutions around the world. And he draws on his own experiences as a world-travelling customer himself. THE GOLD STANDARD arrives on the cusp of a brave new world in business and beyond, and no one is a better guide to success—or knows more about doing things with style—than Colin Cowie.
**For media inquiries, please contact: Hilsinger-Mendelson East
Sandi Mendelson, [email protected], or Emily Willette, [email protected].
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Colin Cowie arrived in the United States from South Africa in 1985. His intelligence, personality, and stylish sensibility led him into the fast-paced, glamorous world of planning over-the-top parties for royalty, celebrities, and business luminaries. Respected around the world as an arbiter of style, Cowie has been at the forefront of event and wedding planning for the past 25 years, creating trends and raising the bar for providing the ultimate guest experience. In addition to Oprah Winfrey, his celebrity clients include Jennifer Lopez, Ryan Seacrest, Kim Kardashian, Lil Wayne, Nicole Kidman, and Demi Moore, to name a few. Cowie’s corporate clients include Dom Perignon, Warner Bros., CBS, The Whitney Museum, Architectural Digest, Cosmopolitan and Style. His previous books include Dinner After Dark, Colin Cowie Chic: The Guide to Life As It Should Be, and Colin Cowie Wedding Chic. Cowie’s latest book, The Gold Standard: Giving Your Customers What They Didn’t Know They Wanted, will be released by HarperCollins Leadership on September 7, 2021.
Advance Praise for THE GOLD STANDARD:
“Let’s face it, at some level, we’re all in the service business, regardless of our profession. If you are looking for a way to get the most positive reaction to whatever you do, get The Gold Standard.” —Ryan Seacrest, Emmy Award Winning Television Host and Producer
“Colin Cowie’s events are the gold standard for creating unforgettable experiences. His relentless pursuit of excellence sets him apart in the customer service industry. Following his advice, you will impress your customers and keep them coming back for more.”
—Susan Dell, Philanthropist, MSD Capital
“If your goal is consistent excellence, The Gold Standard offers you far more than you expect. Everyone who works with me is going to have a copy!“
—Eric Ripert, Chef and Owner, Le Bernardin, Bestselling Cookbook Author and Television Personality
“Frankly, it’s the best first-person analysis I’ve read on the topic of customer service. It’s an enjoyable read with unforgettable practical advice you can put into use immediately.”
—Ken Blanchard, The Ken Blanchard Companies, Co-author of Bestsellers, The New One Minute Manager and Raving Fans
“Colin is the epitome of The Gold Standard.”
—John Carlton Tolbert, Blackstone Real Estate Hotels & Resorts and Founder, Revelation Consultancy