629 Posts Found

Commerce is once again becoming conversational as technology enables companies to interact intelligently with individual customers across time. Gaining a better understanding of the mechanics of good conversation can help businesses become more than good companies-they can also become good company.

Editor’s Note: this is an excellent article and deceptively so. I first started skimming it and halfway through realized that it contained a lot … [ Read more ]

Content: Article | Authors: Brian A. Johnson, Paul F. Nunes | Source: Outlook Journal (Accenture) | Subjects: Customer Related, Marketing / Sales

America’s poshest inn reveals its secrets for satisfying the world’s toughest customers.

Content: Article | Author: Tahl Raz | Source: Inc. Magazine | Subjects: Best Practices, Customer Related

What the economy has today is not service – it’s lip service, the thing that delivers what we call little murders, the daily indignities as customers that suffocate us. That’s why the service economy is giving way to what we call the support economy.

Content: Quotation | Source: Across the Board (ATB) | Subject: Customer Related

In their rush to realize the benefits of CRM initiatives, many companies have used an ad hoc, tactical approach lacking an overarching strategy. An Accenture Customer Relationship Management expert describes how a more strategic approach – integrated with the organization’s customer, channel and brand strategies – can increase the potential of CRM initiatives to boost revenues and reduce costs.

Content: Article | Author: Steven S. Ramsey | Source: Accenture | Subject: Customer Related

How do you turn short-term transactions into long-term relationships? Harvard Business School professor Narakesari Narayandas finds answers in mature industrial markets.

Content: Article | Source: Harvard Business School (HBS) Working Knowledge | Subjects: Customer Related, Marketing / Sales

Why are customers who say they’re satisfied not necessarily repeat customers? Because satisfaction is a measure of what people say, whereas loyalty is a measure of what they actually do. Many managers still don’t recognize this fundamental difference, so they use customer satisfaction and customer loyalty interchangeably, as though they were synonyms.

Content: Quotation | Source: strategy+business | Subjects: Customer Related, Marketing / Sales

As firms pay greater attention to managing their relationships with customers, there has been a proliferation of interest in Customer Relationship Management (CRM). However, what constitutes a CRM initiative exactly, or whether it can help a firm perform better, remains still unclear. This Working Paper by Professors Reinartz, Krafft, and Hoyer seeks to clarify some of these issues, conceptualizing, operationalizing and validating the … [ Read more ]

Content: Article | Authors: Manfred Krafft, Wayne D. Hoyer, Werner Reinartz | Source: INSEAD Knowledge | Subjects: Customer Related, IT / Technology / E-Business

There are three things which are vital to business success: the customer experience, great employees and cash flow.

#1 is great customer experience

Content: Quotation | Subject: Customer Related

From the Publisher
Customer loyalty has always been grounded in human interaction. Years ago, you’d walk into your favorite store and the staff would know your name, they’d remember your favorite brands and they’d smile, nod and take pains to make sure you came back. Because you were treated well by a personable, friendly staff-and because you were physically constrained by time and … [ Read more ]

Content: Book | Author: Ellen Reid Smith | Subjects: Customer Related, Marketing / Sales

Customers don’t want to be managed, says marketing consultant Newell in this contrarian take on the current state of CRM. Instead, he says customers must define their relationships with you and shows how to refocus CRM efforts and programs, such as e-mail, permission marketing, and loyalty cards, to allow customers to specify and communicate their wants and needs.

Content: Book | Authors: Frederick Newell, Seth Godin | Subjects: Customer Related, Marketing / Sales

There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else.

Content: Quotation | Source: Kearney | Subjects: Business Rules, Customer Related

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One of the most influential figures in the frequency marketing business is Richard Barlow, who founded Colloquy, a publication that lives mainly on the Web but also has occasional print incarnations. A visit to Colloquy will pay off ten-fold. After no-cost registration, you will gain access to one of the world’s best libraries of statistics, case studies and thought leadership on customer retention marketing. Check … [ Read more ]

Content: Online Resource | Source: Frequency Marketing Inc. | Subjects: Customer Related, Marketing / Sales

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.

Content: Article | Authors: Paul F. Nunes, Robert E. Wollan | Source: Outlook Journal (Accenture) | Subjects: Customer Related, Management

Three simple principles can keep customers from becoming disloyal.

Content: Article | Author: John Sviokla | Source: Context Magazine | Subject: Customer Related

Several considerations for an effective customer service program as part of core strategy to serve customers well.

Content: Article | Author: Jim Clemmer | Subject: Customer Related

Participants of this roundtable, held in partnership with Convergys Corp., explored the key questions facing CEOs considering the growing complexity of effective – and profitable -customer management.

Do we truly understand the profitability of customer relationships? Why do customers defect? And do we need to keep every customer, or does there come a time when it’s best to say goodbye?

Editor’s Note: read a related roundtable … [ Read more ]

Content: Article | Source: Chief Executive | Subject: Customer Related

Consistent delivery on the brand’s promise builds competitive advantage in the form of loyal customers.

Content: Article | Authors: J. Scott Dinsdale, Jim Taylor | Source: Optimize Magazine | Subjects: Customer Related, Marketing / Sales

Hit the CustomerSat University section of this site to get the inside scoop on customer satisfaction. You’ll find tutorials on how to compose a survey and analyze the results, as well as customer satisfaction best practices. If you are in the habit of asking your customers, “Hey, how are we doing?” (and you should be), be sure to check out the collection of 2000 customer … [ Read more ]

Content: Online Resource | Source: CustomerSat Inc. | Subjects: Customer Related, Marketing / Sales

Economic turbulence is forcing companies to sharpen their focus on customer loyalty. But a promising technique that emphases loyalty-building — Customer Relationship Management programs, or CRM — is falling flat. Bain’s Darrell Rigby and Fred Reichheld offer insights on turning the promise of CRM into profits.

Content: Article | Authors: Darrell K. Rigby, Frederick F. Reichheld | Source: Bain & Company | Subjects: Customer Related, IT / Technology / E-Business