By Bettina Nyffenegger Managers often have to decide whether their marketing activities should focus on improved services and functional features or on more emotional content to develop strong customer-brand relationships. That was a challenge that the Head of Marketing of a large European Airline was facing at the time we conducted a research project on …
By Randy Wootton The Challenge Today, more and more companies depend on software as a service (SaaS) to operate essential parts of their business, such as managing their relationships with customers, driving sales performance, and maintaining employee communication. As the industry and surrounding ecosystem that delivers these services matures, it faces a growing demand for accountability and results. …
Interviewed by Donna Stone Ray Barton is the Chairman and former CEO of Great Clips. I had the opportunity to talk to him about how he built Great Clips into the world’s largest salon brand. Here are some of the key takeaways from our conversation. You can hear more of Ray’s insights at the Compete …
Earlier this year Solutions Insights Inc. conducted a benchmarking survey designed to better understand the issues that B2B companies face in developing new solutions. The survey explored the following questions: • Current importance and relevance of solutions • Identification of the stakeholders who are involved • Key processes required • The level of process standardization …
By Darima Fotheringham New research by Darren Dahl, University of British Columbia, and Morgan Ward, Southern Methodist University, “Should the Devil Sell Prada? Retail Rejection Increases Aspiring Consumers’ Desire for the Brand” received a lot of attention in the press lately. The research shows that condescending attitude of sales representatives at higher end stores can …
By Beth Walker and Crina Tarasi Few firms consider “whether all of their individually desirable customers are, from the standpoint of risk, desirable collectively” (Dhar and Glazer 2003). Dr. Beth Walker, Arizona State University, and Dr. Crina Tarasi, Central Michigan University, present the findings of two papers that highlight the importance of considering the likely …
By: Rajiv K. Sinha Warranties have traditionally been used as a means to signal to potential customers that the product is high-quality and to allay customers’ anxiety over purchasing a new product of unknown reliability. However, given large increases in reliability as well as the level of commoditization in consumer electronics markets, the value of …
By Bobbi Dangerfield @BobbiAtDell Michael Dell, said it best: “We’re a company with big ears” – a good thing considering there are more than 25,000 online conversations about Dell each day in English. While that number can be overwhelming, it underscores the wonderful opportunity social media offers for companies to listen, engage, and ultimately understand …
By Lan Xia With the support of new technologies, companies are gradually realizing the importance and benefits of co-creation, where the value of a service is increasingly co-created by the firm and the customer. Consumers are increasingly put to work for the services they demand, from carrying their own food in fast-food restaurants to creating …
By Stephen Mostrom Unless you spend a lot of time in Louisiana, you likely haven’t heard the term “lagniappe.” But this Creole aphorism has the power to transform your business. Defined as “the gift” or “to give more,” lagniappe represents the potential to turn customers into your largest sales force by exceeding expectations. As Stan …
