Enduring customer relationships are the result of continuously creating value for your customer. That value is different for each one, and it evolves over time. What a customer values changes with their circumstances, and in most cases, what they value is more complex than getting the lowest price. The challenge is to remain engaged with the customer when no immediate opportunity is apparent. This is the time to be generous with your experience and competency …
One of the lessons I learned years ago, during my first time as the chief executive, was that our business lived on the street, with the customers…more so than inside the walls of our facilities. All around me, inside the business, leaders and their teams made essential contributions to our success, delivering on promises made by our marketing, sales, and customer service folks. Their actions relied primarily on established expectations and known variables around product …
The way we do business will be different going forward. With most of us now connecting virtually, what should we expect once the proximity restrictions are removed? What are our expectations about rejoining our organization’s physical community? In the 1980’s, author John Naisbitt (“Megatrends”) introduced the concept of “High Tech – High Touch.” Its premise is that the more dependent we become on technology, the greater will be our need to gather, to experience human touch. …
Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet Profitable growth relies upon the preservation of enduring customer relationships. Sustaining these relationships demands that a business consistently produce more strategic value for a key customer than can be gained elsewhere – value that contributes to the customer’s progress. A key factor in creating strategic value is moving faster – faster in delivering results, adapting to changing needs, and innovating. When Google wanted to move faster, they formed small, cross-functional teams to …
Last weekend, a few of my closest friends and I gathered to share memories, stories and laughter at our college reunion. Each of us wandered off at times to reflect on our personal journey during those years, but by far, the most rewarding, enjoyable moments occurred when we were together, reconnecting with the experiences that created our bond. In addition to being the essence of a meaningful lifetime, enduring relationships are the lifeblood of a sustainable …
