The 24-Hour Customer: New Rules for Winning in a Time-Starved Always Connected Economy by Adrian C. Ott (Harper Business, 2010)

The already in flux retail world  is changing even faster since the recession started. Customer values have changed. Ott sets the tone in her new book:

“Time isn’t money.

It’s more important than money.”

My industry seems to be in chaos. The future of the physical book is in jeopardy with the growth of electronic publishing. The box bookstore concept appears frail at best. And easy-to-click-and-buy Amazon seems more homogeneous and stereotyped with price being its defining focal point.

Ott’s book has helped me to think about my customers while analyzing the value added service of Lemuria. We hope not to waste our readers’ time by guiding them to books of low quality or poor choice for their reading tastes. We work to provide high-value books that satisfy the time available. We strive to make knowledge-based book suggestions fed by our own first-hand reading experiences. We want to engage our customers in the store and online. We want to guide you with our blog similar to in-store interaction. We even consider the added value of a book in terms of its collectibility.

Over the years, Lemuria has had many types of customers, and many have become friends and members of the Lemuria reading family. We have not always been perfect. Bookselling is harder than it seems and being a good bookseller is not just about personal reading taste. As we start our 36th year, I’m pleased to say that my young-gun booksellers are the overall best unit Lemuria has ever had. Combined with their online efforts, we are looking for the customers who want us and value our work. Let us know your reading desires and I know we will try to match them with good books.

We hope to save you time and money while enhancing your reading life.

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