1to1 Magazine Demo

editor’s note When Customer Strategy Is Rewarding As you might imagine, I spend a great deal of my time talking about all things customer strategy. One topic that has garnered an increasing amount of attention is employee engagement as it relates to the customer experience. It’s especially pertinent to this issue’s cover story on the 2008 Gartner & 1to1 Customer Award winners: Employee engagement was often mentioned as an integral part of these companies’ successful customer strategies. This approach isn’t exclusive to one type of company either. Executives from these award-winning organizations—from every corner of the globe across myriad industries— understand that no matter how superb the strategy or cutting edge the technology, without engaged employees it will all fall flat. The interesting issue here is that employee engagement has two key elements, and some companies don’t consider the importance of both. First and foremost, corporate culture and C-level executives must dictate the value of all employees’ contribution to the business. The environment and processes must foster growth, collaboration, innovation, empowerment, and yson (left) Conlon with CIO Jeff Gra accountability. If an organization doesn’t Oldham of and club GM Wally support its employees and treat them well, inox Fitness employee-focused Equ they have no motivation to treat customers with courtesy and respect. Additionally, employees shouldn’t have to start half of their sentences with an apology of why they can’t help the customer; they should be given the information and tools necessary to deliver an exceptional customer experience. Second is hiring the right employees. If someone has no interpersonal skills, putting them in a customer-facing role is a recipe for disaster. Yet this is all too often the case. No amount of training can improve a person’s attitude. That’s why the adage says, “Hire for attitude, train for skill.” This goes for the back office as well. Every employee touches the customer in one way or another, no matter how indirectly. Truly customer-centric organizations hire people who can put themselves in the customers’ shoes and see how their role—whether it’s billing or shipping or IT—impacts the customer, and potentially the profitability of the organization. Think about your own experience as a customer. Given the choice of two companies to buy from with similar products and pricing, it’s highly likely that you’ll choose the one with the better service; that is, the one with the employees who are courteous, helpful, interested, and knowledgeable. I certainly would—and do. Customers may be the ultimate source of a company’s revenue, but employees are the cornerstone that supports the company. Customers won’t stick around for long to build that revenue if that organization’s employees are rude, disinterested, or unable to resolve their concerns. The 2008 Gartner & 1to1 Customer Award winners know this and act accordingly (see page 19). How does your organization support its staff? 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 203-642-5229 kevin.zimmerman@1to1.com 203-642-5254 jeremy.nedelka@1to1.com Mila D’Antonio Managing Editor Elizabeth Glagowski Managing Editor, Interactive Kevin Zimmerman Senior Editor Jeremy Nedelka Assistant Editor Contributors Greg Edmondson, Eric Krell CREATIVE STAFF Annette Webb Creative Director 203-642-5501 annette.webb@1to1.com 203-642-5283 lorri.cosentino@1to1.com 203-642-5225 gregg.watson@1to1.com Lorri A. Cosentino Art Director Gregg Watson Senior Designer 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 Michael Eichorst, TIAA-CREF Thomas J. Hannigan, Hoffmann-La Roche Pharmaceuticals Justin C. Honaman, Coca-Cola Bottler Sales and Service Violette Jacobson, Ed.D., United States Postal Service Henk Kok, Air Miles Netherlands Andy Lorin, Bonasource Paul Miller, Prolog Connect Dan Steinbock, India, China, and America Institute Pete Winemiller, Seattle SuperSonics and Seattle Storm ADVERTISING & MARKETING STAFF Michael Dandrea Group Publisher 203-642-5525 michael.dandrea@1to1.com 203-642-5343 dara.smith@1to1.com 203-642-5443 thomas.schmalzl@1to1.com 203-642-5425 carolyn.filbert@1to1.com 203-642-5165 cheryl.richter@1to1.com Dara Smith Sales Manager Thomas Schmalzl Director, Integrated Communications Carolyn Filbert Sales Coordinator CIRCULATION Cheryl Richter Audience Development Manager SUBSCRIPTIONS Send address changes and cancellations to: 1to1 Magazine c/o Hallmark Data P.O. 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. 10, No. 5 1to1® Magazine (ISSN 1540-5249) is published six times per year (January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November/December) by Peppers & Rogers Group. Periodicals postage paid at Norwalk, CT, and additional entry points. Editorial and advertising sales ® office: 1to1 Magazine, 901 Main Ave., Ste. 212, Norwalk, CT 06851. Tel: 203-642-5121; fax: 203-642-5306; www.1to1media.com. © 2008 Carlson Marketing Worldwide Inc. All rights reserved. 1to1 is a registered trademark, and Return on Customer is a registered service mark of Peppers & Rogers Group, a division of Carlson Marketing Worldwide. 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. For additional subscription information, call 203-642-5165. http://www.1to1media.com http://www.1to1media.com/weblog

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of 1to1 Magazine Demo

1to1 Magazine Demo Contents 1to1media.com Editor's Note Feedback Putting Care in Patients' Hands Loyalty at Work Redefining the Contact Center Agent Introducing Enterprise 2.0 Cigna Dental Drills for Loyal Customers On the Beat 19 Ways to Succeed Miami Heat Schools Its Staff on Sales and Service Marketing Lends a Helping Hand More Than Meets the Eye Customer Service by Committiee Textron's Business Soars by Tracking Customer Loyalty Resources Contact Center Agent as Trusted Advisor Mastering Global CRM Face to Face with Don Peppers and Martha Rogers, Ph.D.

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