Serving the Nonstop Customer

A customer’s path to purchase used to be linear. Now the journey is dynamic, accessible and continuous. Marketing executives need a new model that can help them become and remain relevant to their customers in this uncharted environment.

Blurring Borders

Some companies attempt to segment customers based on characteristics such as profitability and cost to serve. But not many organizations have mastered global segmentation: creating shared messages and comparable selling models for like customers regardless of location. Across markets worldwide, enlightened manufacturers, retailers and service providers are leveraging customer commonalities.

Toward a Customer Meritocracy

Most companies need to rethink their basic assumptions about how sales and service programs are designed, funded and managed. And as they transform customer care, their mantra must be: All customers are not created equal.