Book Review of “Broken Windows, Broken Business” by Michael Levine

August 12th, 2011 by Diane Conklin under Diane's Book Reviews. 1 Comment.

Michael Levine has a real winner in “Broken Windows, Broken Business” where he talks about the fact that the little things are all that matters in business. And, once you start to let the little things slip how quickly and dramatically that can have a negative impact on your business.

For years, I have said everything matters and many people have responded by telling me my standards are too high or that nobody can live up to my high standards, and them Michael Levine comes along and says not only does everything matter, but that it counts significantly more than most people think.

There are numerous examples in “Broken Windows, Broken Business” and one of my favorites is when he uses New Coke as an example of a Broken Window. Don’t get me wrong, I am a Coke fan, always will prefer it over the other guy, but I think it’s pretty obvious New Coke was a failure on many levels for Coca-Cola.

There truly is nothing worse for a business than to disappoint its customers. Falling short of expectations is how Michael Levine defines disappointment and that’s always bad for business.

Levine notes that while customers aren’t always right, they think they are, and if you can find a way to agree with them, then you are on your way to exceeding their expectations.  Nobody says that’s easy, but it is certainly a great point and a great start to an awesome business

I also really liked the fact that throughout the book Michael Levine gave examples of not only the concept of “Broken Windows, Broken Business,” but also how companies have bounced back and recovered from these situations and gone on to thrive.

Broken windows only happen when somebody isn’t paying attention. And, those little things, like a dirty bathroom, fading wall paper, peeling paint, or running out of items all contribute to a broken business.  If you aren’t paying attention, by the time you notice these little things, customers have already gone elsewhere and are probably lost to you forever.

Another great point Michael Levine makes is when he talks about the debate between whether Krispy Kreme is better than Dunkin’ Donuts and when you think about it on a practical level, the donuts are made pretty much with the same ingredients and in the same way. Why then are people so dedicated to one brand or the other and why do they dig their heels in and almost never change? Loyalty, loyalty that might not come from a place of logic or anything that makes sense, but loyalty all the same.

If you are a donut lover, and I am, it might be that you prefer one brand over the next because that’s where you went as a kid with your parents, or that you lived in a part of the country where only one brand was available. We all have these kinds of loyalties.

As business owners, these are the kind of loyalties we need to cherish and take care of because these loyal champions are the ones who will fight for us and stay with us a little longer, even if we slip once in a while.

I would challenge you to take a look at the areas in your business where you might be keeping things up to your standards and correct them right away.

Then, read this great book and open your horizons to things you might not have thought mattered before.

I’d love to know what you think if you’ve already read this book, or after you read it now.

If you would like to purchase this book click here: Broken Windows, Broken Business: How the Smallest Remedies Reap the Biggest Rewards

Tags: Broken Business, Broken Windows, Broken Windows Broken Business, business, Coca-Cola, Complete Marketing Systems, Diane Conklin, Dunkin’ Donuts, entrepreneur, Gail Saseen, Krispy Kreme, Marketing, Michael Levine, Small Business.