Hug Your Haters - by Jay Baer (Hardcover)

About the Book

Includes a detachable folded poster of "The Hatrix."

Book Synopsis

Haters are not your problem. . . .
Ignoring them is.

Eighty percent of companies say they deliver out­standing customer service, but only 8 percent of their customers agree. This book will help you close that gap by reconfiguring your customer service to deliver knockout experiences.

The near-universal adoption of smartphones and social media has fundamentally altered the science of complaints. Critics ("haters") can now express their displeasure faster and more pub­licly than ever. These trends have resulted in an overall increase in complaints and a belief by many businesses that they have to "pick their spots" when choosing to answer criticisms.

Bestselling author Jay Baer shows why that approach is a major mistake. Based on an exten­sive proprietary study of how, where, and why we complain, Hug Your Haters proves that there are two types of complainers, each with very differ­ent motivations:

-Offstage haters. These people simply want solutions to their problems. They complain via legacy channels where the likelihood of a response is highest--phone, e-mail, and com­pany websites. Offstage haters don't care if any­one else finds out, as long as they get answers.
-Onstage haters. These people are often disap­pointed by a substandard interaction via tradi­tional channels, so they turn to indirect venues, such as social media, online review sites, and discussion boards. Onstage haters want more than solutions--they want an audience to share their righteous indignation.

Hug Your Haters shows exactly how to deal with both groups, drawing on meticulously researched case studies from businesses of all types and sizes from around the world. It includes specific play­books and formulas as well as a fold-out poster of "the Hatrix," which summarizes the best strate­gies for different situations. The book is also filled with poignant and hilarious examples of haters gone wild, and companies gone crazy, as well as inspirational stories of companies responding with speed, compassion, and humanity.

Whether you work for a mom-and-pop store or a global brand, you will have haters--and you can't afford to ignore them. Baer's insights and tactics will teach you how to embrace complaints, put haters to work for you, and turn bad news into good outcomes.

Review Quotes

"Customer service is the new marketing. You need to buy this book if you care about your customers and your business."
--Gary Vaynerchuk, author of Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook

"This is a landmark book in the history of customer service."
--Guy Kawasaki, chief evangelist of Canva and author of The Art of the Start 2.0

"If you need to decrypt customer service, you NEED to read Hug Your Haters. Baer gives you a better map to success than anyone else."
--Chris Brogan, CEO of Owner Media Group

"Hug Your Haters is one of the most profound books a business can read today. Baer is one of the foremost experts on customer experience"
--John R. DiJulius III, author of The Customer Service Revolution

"When customers complain, they aren't just being negative - they're giving you fascinating insights and inspiration about your brand. Hug Your Haters reveals why detractors can become your most valuable customers."
--Sally Hogshead, author of Fascinate and How the World Sees You

"Jay Baer demonstrates that the single greatest threat to customer retention is to appear indifferent to customer complaints."
--Steve Curtin, author of Delight Your Customers

"Jay provides strategies that are easy to understand and can be immediately implemented."
--Jeffrey Gitomer, author of Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless

"Finally a book with steps to get even the toughest critics on your side!"
--Jeffrey Hayzlett, primetime TV & radio host, keynote speaker, best-selling author and global business celebrity

About the Author

Jay Baer is the president of Convince & Convert, an online customer service and digital marketing consultancy and media company. He is the author of five books, including the New York Times bestseller Youtility. He contributes articles to Inc., Entrepreneur, and Forbes.com; writes the world's #1 content marketing blog; and hosts several award-winning podcasts. He lives in Bloomington, Indiana, with his family.