Case study 1: The Ritz-Carlton

Questions:

1. How does The Ritz-Carlton match up to competitive hotels? What are the key differences?

2. Discuss the importance of the "wow stories" in customer service for a luxury hotel like The Ritz-Carlton.

Case study 2: Mayo Clinic

Questions:

1. Explain why Mayo Clinic is so good at customer service. Why has it been so successful practicing medicine differently from other hospitals?

2. Do conflicts of interest exist between wanting to make your patient happy and providing the best medical care possible? Why or why not?

Case study 3:eBay

Questions:

1. Why has eBay succeeded as an online auction marketplace while so many others have failed?

2. Evaluate eBay's fee structure. Is it optimal or could it be improved? Why? How?

3. What's next for eBay? How does it continue to grow when it needs both buyers and sellers? Where will this growth come from?

Case study 4: Southwest Airlines

Questions:

1. Southwest has mastered the low-price model and has the financial results to prove it. Why don't the other airlines copy Southwest's model?

2. What risks does Southwest face? Can it continue to thrive as a low-cost airline when tough economic times hit?