This work offers a summary of the book "BEST PRACTICES: Building Your Business With Customer-Focused Solutions" by Robert Hiebeler, Thomas Kelly & Charles Ketteman.

Robert Hiebeler is the Managing Director of KnowledgeSpace, an Arthur Andersen project dedicated to the productive leverage of knowledge. Thomas Kelly is the Managing Partner of Arthur Andersen Knowledge Enterprises, a business focused on e-commerce and Internet based businesses. Charles Ketteman is the Managing Partner of Arthur Andersen's Business Consulting Practice.

Arthur Andersen conducted a $30 million research project to identify specifically what world-class companies do better than anyone else. Six business processes were identified and labeled ''best practices'' because they represent the optimum way for companies to achieve extraordinary results.

Taken together, these six business processes combine in a total commitment to and focus on the customer. Best-practice companies vigorously attempt to understand markets, form close associations with customers, design, market and deliver products that customers want. In the process, best-practice companies provide unequaled levels of service to their customers. When everything in the company is focused on learning and responding to what the customer wants, world-class performance can be achieved.

Best Practices is the book you need if you wish to learn from the best companies.