Punching in - by Alex Frankel (Paperback)

About the Book

Journalist Frankel went undercover and joined the ranks of low-paid, retail, and service employees of some of America's best-known companies to find out how these companies train thousands of average individuals, turn them into cheerleaders for their products, and then send them to the front lines where they become the main point of contact with customers.

From the Back Cover

During a two-year urban adventure through the world of commerce, journalist Alex Frankel proudly wore the brown uniform of the UPS driver, folded endless stacks of T-shirts at Gap, brewed espressos for the hordes at Starbucks, interviewed (but failed to get hired) at Whole Foods, enrolled in management training at Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and sold iPods at the Apple Store.

In this lively and entertaining narrative, Frankel takes readers on a personal journey into the land of front-line employees to discover why some workers are so eager to drink the corporate Kool-Aid and which companies know how to serve it up best.

Review Quotes

"I see Alex Frankel as the Jane Goodall of the modern Workplace jungle." - Po Bronson, author of What Should I Do With My Life?
"Like an intrepid anthropologist, Frankel immerses himself in self-contained commercial cultures and resurfaces to write with empathy and insight." - Dan Gross, Newsweek columnist and author of Pop! Why Bubbles Are Great for the Economy
"Insightful, personal, and funny. Frankel does the impossible--he gives corporate culture a soul." - Rodney Rothman, author of Early Bird
"Savor the reporting on offer..." - Wall Street Journal
"A book that takes readers behind the scenes at some of the country's best-known companies..." - Washington Post