SPARC Book Club - "Raving Fans"
This Book Club discussion is facilitated by Karen McCann McClelland, Executive Director of Auxiliary Programs at Sidwell Friends School and SPARC Senior Advisor; and Kristi Jacobi, Director of Operations / Auxiliary Programs at St. Mark’s School.
SPARC Book Club: Raving Fans - A Revolutionary Approach to Customer Service by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles
After such enriching and energizing conversations around customer service and creating campy community experiences, there was clear enthusiasm for continuing this theme. In response, we’re excited to add a March SPARC Book Club focused on a classic, highly practical read: Raving Fans.
Written in the engaging parable style of The One Minute Manager, Raving Fans tells a simple yet powerful story that challenges organizations to rethink what customer service really means. The core message is clear: satisfied customers aren’t enough anymore. To truly stand out - and to build loyalty, trust, and advocacy - we must aim to create raving fans.
Through the journey of a new Area Manager on his first day, the book explores how to define a clear service vision, understand what customers genuinely want, and build systems that consistently deliver exceptional experiences - not as a one-time initiative, but as a sustained way of operating.
For those of us leading summer, auxiliary, and school-based programs, this book offers an accessible framework for elevating how families, students, and staff experience our programs day in and day out.
Key Concepts
- From Satisfied to Raving: Why meeting expectations isn’t enough - and how exceeding them builds loyalty and advocacy
- Define Your Service Vision: Getting clear on what exceptional service truly looks like in your context.
- Know What Customers Really Want: Listening deeply to families, students, and internal stakeholders.
- Systems Matter: Creating structures that make outstanding service repeatable, not accidental.
- Service as Culture, Not a Program: Embedding excellence into daily habits and team mindset.
Join us for a SPARC Book Club discussion as we connect the lessons of Raving Fans to our own programs - summer camps, enrichment offerings, facility rentals, extended day, and beyond. We’ll share key takeaways, favorite quotes, real-world examples, and ideas you can immediately apply with your teams.
If you enjoyed our recent conversations on hospitality and customer experience, this book will feel like a natural next step - simple, actionable, and deeply relevant. If you have never joined a SPARC Book Club - please grab a copy and join our next conversation! Whether you’re refining existing practices or looking to reenergize your team around service excellence, this discussion with SPARC peers will leave you inspired and ready to turn your customers into true raving fans.
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