PIONEERING BOOK HELPS INFORMATION SYSTEMS MANAGE CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS

New York, March 1994--As the information industry comes of
age, the emphasis is shifting from technology to service.
Information systems professionals need to monitor and man-
age their customers' service expectations. Managing
Expectations: Working with People Who Want More, Better, Faster,
Sooner, NOW! by noted author and consultant Naomi Karten
offers techniques for reconciling what customers and service
providers expect of each other. The book, new from Dorset
House Publishing, features a foreword by Gerald M. Weinberg.

Expectations affect a range of interactions with customers, including
service responsiveness, service capability, product functionality, and
project success. Expectations are influenced by departmental priorities,
management styles, organizational cutbacks, competitive pressures,
technological change, and an array of factors that affect people's work
from day to day.

The author warns that mismatched expectations lead to misunderstandings,
frayed nerves, and ruffled feathers. More seriously, they often lead to
flawed systems, failed projects, and a drain on resources. With insightful
guidelines and inventive techniques, Managing Expectations clearly
demonstrates how to strategically improve the quality, impact, and
effectiveness of information services.

Twelve guidelines show that most problems can be resolved with attention to
three issues: communication (how to communicate with customers to create
appropriate expectations); information gathering (how to determine
customers' needs and evaluate solutions); and policies and practices (how
to establish an infrastructure for managing expectations).

Managing Expectations deftly guides information systems professionals
through the morass of ill-defined expectations--with a refreshing,
entertaining perspective on a subject that's long overdue for a thorough
evaluation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Naomi Karten is an internationally respected speaker, seminar leader,
author, and consultant, known for her action-oriented advice on helping
organizations deliver top-notch service and support. She has extensive
experience in IS technical, customer support, and management positions,
and holds a B.A. and M.A. in psychology. She wrote the highly acclaimed
newsletter Managing End-User Computing, and has published two previous
books and more than 150 articles. She and her husband, Howard, live in
Randolph, Massachusetts.

Dorset House Publishing
353 West 12th St, New York, NY 10014
212-620-4053,  fax 212-727-1044

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