Service Revolution in Snooty Industries

“days after taking control, I turned my attention to the firm’s most important asset—its people. It was time for some straight talk and tough love. I had the deepest respect for the expertise and talent of our associates, but I was far less satisfied with the level of service we provided to our clients at every level. “Being knowledgeable,’’ I ex¬ plained, “does not give us the right to be rude.””

“From now on, Sotheby’s was going to embrace a service mental¬ ity and treat everyone with respect. We were going to introduce the auction experience to a broader audience of consumers around the world and encourage the development of new collectors and con¬ noisseurs. Together we were going to open up and make more trans¬ parent what had been traditionally a closed and unnecessarily intimidating business. In short, we were going to break down the threshold resistance that had been holding us back and stifling the art market for as long as I could remember.”