1to1 - Spring 2009 - (Page 6) editor’s note It’s Now or Never: Customer Centricity in 2009 It is a frightening financial time for many, with soaring joblessness, descending economic confidence, and entire industries on the brink of collapse. It’s also a time in which short-term actions can indelibly mark long-term customer relationships. The reasoning behind such concepts as customer engagement, voice of the customer, and loyalty must evolve. Customer value, loyalty, and evangelism impact both sides of the customer relationship, and while building customer value is as important as ever, it is also crucial to deliver value. There has never been a better time to show customers that you care about both their business and personal success (see “Adapt or Die,” page 18). It’s vital to let customers know that they’re not just a number on a spreadsheet to you. Find ways to support your customers through the current economic crisis, such as extending credit terms, informing customers of possible business opportunities, or continuing to offer special amenities even though the cost falls on your organization. Most any company would be happy to take your customers’ last dollar. How are you differentiating yourself to Today customer centricity show that not only is their business important means remembering that to you, but that their well-being also matters? customers are people—don’t Today customer centricity means rememsimply pay lip service to bering that customers are people—don’t simply caring about customers, take pay lip service to caring about customers, take action on those declarations. action on those declarations. Whether they’re corporate clients or consumers, every purchase they make is the equivalent of taking a risk. Are you increasing that risk or decreasing it? It’s also a time to be a good customer. Many buyers are asking their suppliers to cut their rates. It’s a necessary action for companies doing everything they can to stay in business. Whether or not you’re in that position, perhaps being a good customer means ensuring that bills are paid in 30 days or taking your supplier to lunch as a thank-you for their great work or making an introduction that may lead to new business for them. Now is the time to be an evangelist for the companies that are supporting your business, that always deliver on their promises, or that continually go out of their way to surprise and delight their customers. And as a customer, are you offering compliments when due, or just complaints? Are you showing your appreciation for those truly customer-centric providers by sticking by them even though you’re tempted by a short-term deal from a competitor? If you expect suppliers to be customer centric and deliver a consistently stellar experience, then now, more than ever, is the time to show your gratitude through loyalty and evangelism. As businesses evolve through this economic crisis, executives need to recommit to customer centricity in their organizations and be good customers themselves. EDITORIAL STAFF Ginger Conlon Editor-in-Chief 203-642-5341 ginger.conlon@1to1.com 203-642-5159 mila.dantonio@1to1.com 203-642-5195 elizabeth.glagowski@1to1.com 203-642-5254 jeremy.nedelka@1to1.com Mila D’Antonio Managing Editor Elizabeth Glagowski Managing Editor, Interactive Jeremy Nedelka Assistant Editor Contributors Greg Edmondson, Eric Krell, Alison Lowander, Kevin Zimmerman CREATIVE STAFF Annette Webb Creative Director 203-642-5501 annette.webb@1to1.com 203-642-5283 lorri.cosentino@1to1.com Lorri A. Cosentino Art Director SENIOR ADVISORS Don Peppers, Founding Partner Martha Rogers, Ph.D., Founding Partner Marji Chimes, Vice President Marketing/Media EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Stephanie Acker-Moy, Hewlett-Packard Thomas J. Hannigan, Hoffmann-La Roche Pharmaceuticals Justin C. 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Box 2075 Skokie, IL 60076-9417 1to1@halldata.com Editor-in-Chief, Publications 203-642-5341 or ginger.conlon@1to1.com www.1to1media.com/weblog 6 1to1 magazine Vol. 11, No. 1 1to1® Magazine (ISSN 1540-5249) is published four times per year (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter) by Peppers & Rogers Group. Periodicals postage paid at Norwalk, CT, and additional entry points. Editorial and adver® tising sales office: 1to1 Magazine, 901 Main Ave., Ste. 212, Norwalk, CT 06851. Tel: 203-6425121; fax: 203-642-5306; www.1to1media.com. © 2009 Peppers & Rogers Group. All rights reserved. 1to1 is a registered trademark, and Return on Customer is a registered service mark of Peppers & Rogers Group. Both are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Postmaster: Send address changes to above address. Subscriptions are free to qualified U.S. subscribers. Non-qualified U.S., $60 annually, and all international subscriptions, $120 annually. 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