Jan Carlzon (born 1941) is a Swedish business executive who gained international fame as the CEO of Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS). When he took over the airline in 1980, it was facing financial crisis and poor customer service.
The radical conclusion? The entire, multi-million dollar reputation of SAS rested not on its CEO’s quarterly reports, nor its fleet of aircraft, but on the smile of a gate agent, the efficiency of a baggage handler, or the empathy of a ticketing clerk in a 15-second window.
In a traditional company, the CEO is at the top and the "front line" is at the bottom. Carlzon argued that the front-line employees (gate agents, flight attendants, mechanics) are the most important people in the company because they manage the Moments of Truth. The Shift: Moments Of Truth Jan Carlzon Pdf
If you are in any leadership role—or aspire to be—this book will challenge you to look at your own organization not through the lens of assets or processes, but through the eyes of your customers and the actions of your people. It will leave you with the question:
While Moments of Truth was written before the internet era, its principles are more relevant than ever. Jan Carlzon (born 1941) is a Swedish business
Take a piece of paper. Write down every single touchpoint a customer has with your firm—from seeing an ad, to visiting your website, to calling support, to unboxing a product. For a restaurant, that’s hosting, seating, water pouring, menu explaining, ordering, cooking, serving, checking, bussing, and paying. Each is a Moment of Truth.
While Jan Carlzon wrote his book in an era dominated by face-to-face and telephonic interactions, the concept of the moment of truth has evolved seamlessly into the digital age. The entire, multi-million dollar reputation of SAS rested
This article serves as a comprehensive guide to Carlzon’s masterpiece. We will explore what the “Moments of Truth” are, why the PDF version of this book remains a critical resource for modern managers, and how you can apply its principles without getting lost in 20th-century airline jargon.
— Physical and digital copies can be purchased through Abebooks and other online retailers.
To win a Moment of Truth, an employee cannot say, "I need to ask my boss." By then, the moment is gone. Carlzon gave his staff the authority to make decisions on the spot to solve customer problems.
The customer decides whether the moment was good or bad.