Management guide The Ten Principles Behind Great Customer Experiences scoops the publisher the prestigious top award for second year in a row
Pearson have been crowned as the UK’s best management book publisher for the second year in a row, it has been revealed.
The publisher’s management guide The Ten Principles Behind Great Customer Experiences beat stiff competition from the likes of Random House and Hodder & Stoughton to scoop the top award at the prestigious Chartered Management Institute (CMI) Management Book of the Year awards this week.
The judges — comprised of senior business figures and advisers — sought to find a book that could be described as “management gold”, reflecting the very best in management writing.
The winning title also needed to have the potential to “transform the effectiveness of working managers or equip students for future management roles”.
In addition to netting first-time author Matt Watkinson a cash prize of £5,000, the book — released under the FT Publishing imprint — also won the Innovation and Entrepreneurship category at the annual competition, which is run in association with the British Library.
It is the second year in succession that Pearson have taken the top accolade at the CMI awards, with Richard’s Newton’s The Management Book triumphing in 2013.
The publisher also won the coveted title in 2011 with Managing by Henry Mintzberg.
Chris Cudmore, Editor in Chief, Professional Publishing, at Pearson said: “We’re delighted that this title from first-time author Matt Watkinson has made such an impact and has been recognised as being the very best book in management writing.
“Not only is The Ten Principles Behind Great Customer Experiences a very well written and accessible book, it’s jam-packed with practical tips and ideas that will addresses the challenges faced by any manager, in any business.
“It also shows that it’s possible to make a real difference to customers without it being complicated or costing a fortune.”
He added: “This is the second year in a row that Pearson and FT Publishing have triumphed at the CMI Management Book of the Year awards, and three years out of the last four, and we are delighted to be recognised once more for releasing the gold standard of management books.”
Professor Chris Roebuck, leading British economist and CMI competition judge, praised the book for addressing some of the key challenges faced in the management sector.
He said: “This is a book everyone should read – customer-facing or not. It addresses some of the key challenges managers are facing in 2014, like how to address costs without sacrificing customer experience.
“The Ten Principles Behind Great Customer Experiences has huge relevance to the public sector too.
If you look at the organisations with no historic DNA in terms of change management, who are being asked change at a very quick rate in 2014, without any funds – it’s those in the public sector.
“I would recommend this book, without hesitation, to managers in the public sector.”
Now in its fourth year, the CMI Management Book of the Year competition celebrates “excellence in all areas of management and leadership writing”.
The competition is divided into five categories from which one overall winning author is awarded the title of Management Book of the Year.
This year’s winning author, Matt Watkinson, advises some of the world’s biggest brands, design agencies and management consultancies on the topic of customer experience, and service design.
Commenting on his success, he said: “This award is a fantastic endorsement of using principles to make decisions and of the principles themselves.
“It’s so gratifying to see that people are finding this approach useful. So often we determine customer experience through focus groups and surveys, whereas using principles is faster, easier, and more likely to be right.”
He added: “I would like to thank Pearson and FT Publishing for all their support with my book, and the CMI for deeming it ‘management gold’. It’s an incredible accolade to have.”
Ann Francke, chief executive of CMI, which runs the competition, said: “Given the wealth of management books out there, it’s tough for managers, leaders and entrepreneurs to find the best one to help them make a success of their business or their career.
“The idea behind the CMI Management Book of the Year is to uncover those nuggets of ‘Management Gold’ that will really make a difference.
“No organisation will succeed if its managers aren’t focused on their customers so if you want to grow in 2014, read Matt Watkinson’s The Ten Principles Behind Great Customer Experiences.”
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