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The Ice Cream Maker by SUBIR CHOWDHURY
Innovation, claims quality consultant Subir Chowdhury, is part of America’s DNA. No other country in the world matches America’s creative drive and its ability to turn innovative ideas into revolutionary products–from antilock brakes and steel-belted radial tires to sophisticated software and microprocessors. But as fast as we introduce new products, we lose the markets we establish to countries that know how to manufacture higher quality versions for less money. As Japanese and European firms win market share by concentrating on quality, America is continually forced to rely on innovation to stay ahead. In The Ice Cream Maker, Chowdhury uses a simple story to illustrate how businesses can instill quality into our culture and into every product we design, build, and market. The protagonist of the story is Peter Delvecchio, the manager of a regional ice cream company, who is determined to sell its ice cream to a flourishing national grocery chain, Natural Foods. In conversations with the Natural Foods manager, Peter learns how the extraordinarily successful retailer achieves its renowned high standard of excellence, both in the services it provides its customers and in the foods it manufactures and sells. Quality, he discovers, must be the mission of every employee; by learning to listen, enrich, and optimize, he can encourage and sustain the highest levels of quality in everything the company does.Like Fish! and Who Moved My Cheese? The Ice Cream Maker offers an essential and universal lesson about one of industry's foremost challenges in a thoroughly engaging style. For managers and executives, small business owners and entrepreneurs, The Ice Cream Maker is a compelling, eye-opening guide to the most effective ways to achieve excellence and become industry leaders on the global stage.
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First published January 1, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
April 12, 2023
The brilliance of this book is that it makes "quality" approachable for anyone. Finance, operations, sales, etc.
The downsides of this book - of course "everything works out" in the end. As a quality manager by trade, I can tell you real life (especially in bigger corporations) do not pan out like the story of "Dairy Cream."
Second, this book follows the same pattern as all business books. There are probably 10 solid pages of hard hitting info. The rest is narrative, etc. I get it, I do. Who's going to publish a 10 page book. It makes for an easy read but it's a TON of fluff.
The downsides of this book - of course "everything works out" in the end. As a quality manager by trade, I can tell you real life (especially in bigger corporations) do not pan out like the story of "Dairy Cream."
Second, this book follows the same pattern as all business books. There are probably 10 solid pages of hard hitting info. The rest is narrative, etc. I get it, I do. Who's going to publish a 10 page book. It makes for an easy read but it's a TON of fluff.
December 26, 2018
Excelente. Me encantó.
May 9, 2011
“The better you treat your employees, the better they treat your customers”
Day by day we realize that the world is changing. From the day we stepped into the 21st century, the way we saw things, people, places, and businesses has changed. This book is a sole representative of just that fact. Mr. Chowdhury has brought in the most important aspect to many organizations today. “People”.
The book is a simple story of a man who tries more than anyone in his organization to bring back the momentum and quality, and in return save the jobs of his and thousand others. The element he focuses on is their customers.
Peter was a simple Plant manager at Dairy Cream. When sales was going down tremendously, he was given the ultimatum of getting it back into track soon or close down the entire plant. Realizing that the latter was not a good choice, especially for the fact that he would lose his job too, he took a different turn and got advice from one of his friends who always rejected his ice creams to be in their stores.
The book goes through the changes that peter implements through out the organization after countless sessions with his friend, who advices him that “Quality” and “Customer service” is everything when it comes to selling your products and keeping your customers happy. We see a great portrayal of how small companies with humble beginnings emerge amidst the overruling competition in the industry.
“Great companies are built on a thousand great ideas. To get the best ideas you have to ask your employees.”
It’s a great book on how Peter changed the entire thinking and the creativity of the organization just by doing the most key things most organizations lack. Listening to your employees and customers. He realized that he needed to get the best from his employees and for that he needed to keep them satisfied. In turn they managed to produce the best ice cream that their customers wanted and loved. I would recommend this book to any organization, because it will show you exactly what you need to change in your business.
“The real measure of performance is not how you do at your best, but how you do at your worse.”
Day by day we realize that the world is changing. From the day we stepped into the 21st century, the way we saw things, people, places, and businesses has changed. This book is a sole representative of just that fact. Mr. Chowdhury has brought in the most important aspect to many organizations today. “People”.
The book is a simple story of a man who tries more than anyone in his organization to bring back the momentum and quality, and in return save the jobs of his and thousand others. The element he focuses on is their customers.
Peter was a simple Plant manager at Dairy Cream. When sales was going down tremendously, he was given the ultimatum of getting it back into track soon or close down the entire plant. Realizing that the latter was not a good choice, especially for the fact that he would lose his job too, he took a different turn and got advice from one of his friends who always rejected his ice creams to be in their stores.
The book goes through the changes that peter implements through out the organization after countless sessions with his friend, who advices him that “Quality” and “Customer service” is everything when it comes to selling your products and keeping your customers happy. We see a great portrayal of how small companies with humble beginnings emerge amidst the overruling competition in the industry.
“Great companies are built on a thousand great ideas. To get the best ideas you have to ask your employees.”
It’s a great book on how Peter changed the entire thinking and the creativity of the organization just by doing the most key things most organizations lack. Listening to your employees and customers. He realized that he needed to get the best from his employees and for that he needed to keep them satisfied. In turn they managed to produce the best ice cream that their customers wanted and loved. I would recommend this book to any organization, because it will show you exactly what you need to change in your business.
“The real measure of performance is not how you do at your best, but how you do at your worse.”
December 20, 2023
This was a great quick read filled with quality nuggets about... quality. From the perspective of a ice cream maker businessman, with the help of a mentor from an excellent local grocery store, he shared with Subir how to transform his company from the inside out. Below are my key takeways
- Ask what the customer wants in terms of quality, what matters to them?
- Profits are the result. Profits are the by-product of great service, great teamwork, great quality
- By showing folks HOW they are contributing, you make work fun. By encouraging high quality, they strive for better
- Value their input and contributions
- Make them responsible
- Make it fun and fulfilling
- “If you give your people responsibility and treat them as the important parts of your business as they are, they respond. Give them the right tools and training, encouragement and compensation, give them the opportunity to be heard, and they’ll be more engaged in the work they do and more invested in your business”
- When you setup the right systems, your teammates push each other far harder than you could.
- The better you treat your employees, the better they treat your customers (they CARE because they are cared for) - Southwest
- THIS is the kind of environment where quality can flourish
Dress for success. Show up feeling good and confident, showing up as the part you want to play.
LEO
1. Listen - to your customers and employees
2. Enrich - the products and services you offer
3. Optimize - the customer experience
1. Strive for perfection
1. Recognize the price of failure
2. Do it right the first time
3. Details, details, details!!!
4. Productive paranoia *************what else can you do, what is the competition doing, what opportunities are you missing, don’t get complacent*************
2. Passion for perfection
- ASK what your customers want and then show how your products provide that
- While it is exciting to build something new, we can’t sustain excellence unless we find the energy, skills, and motivation to maintain excellence and quality in everything we do.
- Ask what the customer wants in terms of quality, what matters to them?
- Profits are the result. Profits are the by-product of great service, great teamwork, great quality
- By showing folks HOW they are contributing, you make work fun. By encouraging high quality, they strive for better
- Value their input and contributions
- Make them responsible
- Make it fun and fulfilling
- “If you give your people responsibility and treat them as the important parts of your business as they are, they respond. Give them the right tools and training, encouragement and compensation, give them the opportunity to be heard, and they’ll be more engaged in the work they do and more invested in your business”
- When you setup the right systems, your teammates push each other far harder than you could.
- The better you treat your employees, the better they treat your customers (they CARE because they are cared for) - Southwest
- THIS is the kind of environment where quality can flourish
Dress for success. Show up feeling good and confident, showing up as the part you want to play.
LEO
1. Listen - to your customers and employees
2. Enrich - the products and services you offer
3. Optimize - the customer experience
1. Strive for perfection
1. Recognize the price of failure
2. Do it right the first time
3. Details, details, details!!!
4. Productive paranoia *************what else can you do, what is the competition doing, what opportunities are you missing, don’t get complacent*************
2. Passion for perfection
- ASK what your customers want and then show how your products provide that
- While it is exciting to build something new, we can’t sustain excellence unless we find the energy, skills, and motivation to maintain excellence and quality in everything we do.
November 3, 2018
Looking to sell to Natural Foods and they said "you are dying to make this sale but you have never asked us what we want or what our customers want. You haven't asked how you can help us or our customers as your focus is on selling your ice cream and not much else."
Business is about taking care of people!
Profits are the result, the by product of great service, quality, and teamwork and not an end in themselves.
Turn what you do everyday out of necessity into something you love to do.
You can make any job fun and fulfilling if you show them how they're contributing.
Ask them what is important to them.
Asked "who thinks we make the best ice cream on the market? Who loved working here."
Focus on WHAT you do, not just the results.
When you focus on helping people, you excel.
If you focus on the score, you lose focus on how to achieve a good score!
FOCUS ON THE THINGS YOU NEED TO DO TO GET A GOOD SCORE!
Let your internal customers (employees) know how important they are!
You need to think about how to improve your product or service every single day.
Reward creativity.
Cultivate a strong desire to change how things are done, think outside the box, improve everything you do!
ASK THEM WHAT'S WORKING AND WHAT ISN'T.
LEO: Listen to internal and external customers. Enrich. Optimize.
Strive for perfection.
Recognize the price of failure.
Do it right the first time. Plan and prevent.
Get absolutely dogged on the details.
Have productive paranoia. Don't get complacent.
Instill in your team a passion for perfection everytime.
Encourage all employees to be fire marshals (who can prevent fires).
Pay attention to the details because your customers do.
Paranoia is an excellent motivator to continue to grow.
If you can't measure what you're doing, you can't improve it.
Quality is defined by the client, not by the company.
Everyone is responsible for quality!
Use the same principles at home by LISTENING to wife and kids, work on IMPROVING TIME TOGETHER, pay ATTENTION TO SMALL THINGS.
The real MEASURE OF PERFORMANCE is not how you do at your best, but HOW YOU DO AT WORST!
Quality is cheaper in the long run then "good enough."
Business is about taking care of people!
Profits are the result, the by product of great service, quality, and teamwork and not an end in themselves.
Turn what you do everyday out of necessity into something you love to do.
You can make any job fun and fulfilling if you show them how they're contributing.
Ask them what is important to them.
Asked "who thinks we make the best ice cream on the market? Who loved working here."
Focus on WHAT you do, not just the results.
When you focus on helping people, you excel.
If you focus on the score, you lose focus on how to achieve a good score!
FOCUS ON THE THINGS YOU NEED TO DO TO GET A GOOD SCORE!
Let your internal customers (employees) know how important they are!
You need to think about how to improve your product or service every single day.
Reward creativity.
Cultivate a strong desire to change how things are done, think outside the box, improve everything you do!
ASK THEM WHAT'S WORKING AND WHAT ISN'T.
LEO: Listen to internal and external customers. Enrich. Optimize.
Strive for perfection.
Recognize the price of failure.
Do it right the first time. Plan and prevent.
Get absolutely dogged on the details.
Have productive paranoia. Don't get complacent.
Instill in your team a passion for perfection everytime.
Encourage all employees to be fire marshals (who can prevent fires).
Pay attention to the details because your customers do.
Paranoia is an excellent motivator to continue to grow.
If you can't measure what you're doing, you can't improve it.
Quality is defined by the client, not by the company.
Everyone is responsible for quality!
Use the same principles at home by LISTENING to wife and kids, work on IMPROVING TIME TOGETHER, pay ATTENTION TO SMALL THINGS.
The real MEASURE OF PERFORMANCE is not how you do at your best, but HOW YOU DO AT WORST!
Quality is cheaper in the long run then "good enough."
April 20, 2025
I picked this up at a thrift store (for my LittleFreeLibrary#182597) and as I do with all my purchases, I check the ratings, and try to read some before setting them in the box. As I TRY to get a physical read (I'm mostly audio, love Kindle as well) and this was short, I figured I'd give this a go. I don't think I'm the prime audience ... just a housewife (I know there could be an argument made that I still have interactions and can learn about quality). I think coming in as a reader of fiction (primarily) this just didn't have the same ... um, quality, as authors who write stories for a living. I found this story very basic, almost childish.
I think one thing that REALLY rubbed me the wrong way (and it's not really the book/author's fault) is that this is listed as "non-fiction" on Goodreads and Storygraph. Um, what? Even on the book cover, this is described as "an inspiring tale" ... a tale, a story, a fable/parable if you will. It is NOT TRUE, and not non-fiction. These characters, these companies, are all fabricated, set up as an illustration for the author's bullet points about quality control.
Yes, there were some decent tidbits of information, but as with most fiction, it requires the "suspension of disbelief". I realize there likely are wonderful people out there who might possibly drop everything they have on their to-do list to chat with an acquaintance and mentor them. That a boss who has put the project manager on warning would then give so much time and money, that employees would spend their Saturday working for no pay (and even IF they were willing, how many happened to have that day free at such short notice), that the changes needed "really didn't actually cost much money" ...
This all just seemed over the top sickly sweet and HEA, more so than most fairy tales. I can see others loved it and I'm just surprised. I would think that it would be too simple and make believe for those with a business background to benefit from, and too business-ey for those who want a story.
I think one thing that REALLY rubbed me the wrong way (and it's not really the book/author's fault) is that this is listed as "non-fiction" on Goodreads and Storygraph. Um, what? Even on the book cover, this is described as "an inspiring tale" ... a tale, a story, a fable/parable if you will. It is NOT TRUE, and not non-fiction. These characters, these companies, are all fabricated, set up as an illustration for the author's bullet points about quality control.
Yes, there were some decent tidbits of information, but as with most fiction, it requires the "suspension of disbelief". I realize there likely are wonderful people out there who might possibly drop everything they have on their to-do list to chat with an acquaintance and mentor them. That a boss who has put the project manager on warning would then give so much time and money, that employees would spend their Saturday working for no pay (and even IF they were willing, how many happened to have that day free at such short notice), that the changes needed "really didn't actually cost much money" ...
This all just seemed over the top sickly sweet and HEA, more so than most fairy tales. I can see others loved it and I'm just surprised. I would think that it would be too simple and make believe for those with a business background to benefit from, and too business-ey for those who want a story.
June 26, 2018
Short anecdotal story on how to improve & optimize operations for a business. Taking the example of a small ice cream manufacturer, the author relays the lesson of focusing on quality to improve the overall business. Too many companies assume that if/when they release an innovative product or flashy feature, customers will flock to their business. But Subir correctly points out that for long-term success, consistency and quality matters more to customers.
January 6, 2019
Buen libro , te explica de una manera muy sencilla el por que la calidad es importante, pete entendió la importancia de escuchar a sus clientes y poner atención a los pequeños detalles , el denominador común siempre debe de ser la calidad , alcanzar la perfección obtenida por natural foods fue la meta y el goal que pete obtuvo con todo el coaching por parte de Mike.
Muy recomendable, me gusto mucho.
Muy recomendable, me gusto mucho.
May 3, 2022
Growing up, my parents owned an ice cream parlor, so I was immediately drawn to The Ice Cream Maker. I’ve also worked in customer service and am now a manager - concepts at the heart of this light, easy, and quick read.
Peppered with thoughtful advice and “sweet” tips on listening and focusing on quality, among other valuable life and leadership insights, such as the LEO acronym:
- Listen to team/customers,
- Enrich your product/service,
- Optimize the customer/employee experience.
Peppered with thoughtful advice and “sweet” tips on listening and focusing on quality, among other valuable life and leadership insights, such as the LEO acronym:
- Listen to team/customers,
- Enrich your product/service,
- Optimize the customer/employee experience.
December 20, 2022
I read this book all in one sitting to prepare for an upcoming book discussion at a lean consortium meeting that I am a member of. Such an easy read to connect quality to everyone in an organization. Everyone is responsible for quality. Some great advice on how to engage everyone. Love the story of turning this company around!
October 4, 2018
I read this sort of classic 80s business allegory. A decent and easy read. There are a few quotable lines for pursuing quality and/or listening to the user, but nothing revolutionary to a 21st Century business person.
February 19, 2019
Este libro explica teorias de empresa, como tratar al cliente, la calidad...en forma de historia.
Me parece muy fácil de leer (a pesar de que lo escuché en audiolibro), es la forma de ver la teoría en la practica.
Me parece muy fácil de leer (a pesar de que lo escuché en audiolibro), es la forma de ver la teoría en la practica.
March 27, 2018
READ MAR 2018
Concise story about the connection between quality and results.
Concise story about the connection between quality and results.
December 1, 2019
An excellent book to read as a team, keep them motivated and focused on work.
May 31, 2020
Easy to read, clear and concise. However, the story and concepts are quite naïve.
November 24, 2020
Muy buen libro introductorio como base de los detalles en calidad
January 1, 2021
Educational
June 24, 2021
Excellent story telling while educating on best business practices. So many great take aways from this quick read with a happy little story.
Read
May 20, 2022Great book! It gives you a new perspective on how to achieve quality.
September 27, 2022
Grandes consejos para ir mejorando nuestros servicios o productos! Me ha gustado.
March 25, 2024
Parece libro de autoayuda, el prota un nabo terrible
July 11, 2025
Best practical book on doing things with quality and excellence.
September 12, 2025
There were some interested concepts in this book, but it was all a little too over the top. I also expected it to be a non-fiction story, not a fictional one.
January 10, 2017
A must read for entrepreneurs, marketing professionals and HRs.
January 15, 2021
This book is an inspiring story indeed. We get to see the struggles and triumphs of a business. We see how accepting change, taking advice, and excepting criticism will help with the growth of not just yourself but the people around you. This book helps with the processes of creating a successful business not just a successful person.
July 2, 2017
So, if you have a good mentor and follow advise everything will go well.
May 3, 2015
I came across this book after skimming through a coworker’s bookshelf. I was looking for something I could read quickly and that also delivered a lesson. This book did the job! It was an easy read and I felt like it was filled with useful information for anyone in a management role or someone looking to improve the quality of their product or service. This seems like the perfect book to gift to someone who runs a business or a team. It could also be applied to one’s personal life.
I like his LEO approach to improving quality. Listen, Enrich and Optimize! Giving your team a voice and truly listening to them was perhaps the biggest point I thought would help anyone managing people. Making their voice your voice and allowing their ideas both good and bad to be heard. It gives your team ownership and motivation especially when their ideas are actually being implemented or at least being seriously considered as an option.
This book was definitely worth the read and I would recommend it to anyone in business who needs some inspiration on how to improve quality. This could also be applied to one’s personal life to increase the quality of your relationships. I may have to look into more books by Subir Chowdhury
I like his LEO approach to improving quality. Listen, Enrich and Optimize! Giving your team a voice and truly listening to them was perhaps the biggest point I thought would help anyone managing people. Making their voice your voice and allowing their ideas both good and bad to be heard. It gives your team ownership and motivation especially when their ideas are actually being implemented or at least being seriously considered as an option.
This book was definitely worth the read and I would recommend it to anyone in business who needs some inspiration on how to improve quality. This could also be applied to one’s personal life to increase the quality of your relationships. I may have to look into more books by Subir Chowdhury
July 10, 2019
Business books aren't my cup of tea at all. However, I was asked to read this by my boss, so I couldn't really refuse to read it. Anyway, I found the book very readable at least. It only took a couple of hours. As far as the message goes, it had some good points and it has given me some things to discuss with my boss. But, I honestly think these books are better served at the top than at the bottom. Reading this reminded me how much my opinions don't matter and how much I'm undervalued in my organization, not necessarily by my own boss, but by the execs. I also thought it was a bit unrealistic, but who am I to say that since I don't know the first thing about business. I just show up to work and do my job, lol.
September 23, 2013
The Ice Cream Maker is a simple read but has some great insights. It is written in a story setting versus a text book so it is easy to understand the application of the ideas presented. The Concept of LEO - Listen, Enrich, Optimize - is clearly defined and applied so that the reader can not only understand the methodology, but also see its application throughout the story.
iF you liked this book but wnat to learn more about LEO, then I suggest "The Power of LEO", also written by Subir Chowdhury, that has case study examples of LEO being successfully applied in many industries.
iF you liked this book but wnat to learn more about LEO, then I suggest "The Power of LEO", also written by Subir Chowdhury, that has case study examples of LEO being successfully applied in many industries.
October 1, 2011
Quality expert Subir Chowdhury uses a parable to emphasize the importance of quality. In this short book, Chowdhury uses the story of a plant manager at an ice cream manufacturer who wonders why a natural food retailer refuses to stock his brand. Going in person to the store manager, an old neighbor, he learns how to transform his company and products. Lots of lessons to be learned here, and not just in the manufacturing field.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews