Sunday, March 21, 2010

The Harvard Business Review whitepaper "ReThinking Marketing" is engaging. Out with the CMO and in with the CCO

The Harvard Business Review whitepaper "ReThinking Marketing" is engaging. Out with the CMO and in with the CCO - a position that will test corporate life-expectancy. There is an expectation that will only increase with time. That expectation is that customers expect to have access to companies - at a level never before available.

"Yet never before have companies had such powerful technologies for interacting directly with customers, collecting and mining information about them, and tailoring their offerings according. And never before have customers expected to interact so deeply with companies. To compete in this aggressively interactive environment, companies must shift their focus from driving transactions to maximizing customer lifetime value.
For example, I had a bad experience with Yankee Candle ---- that could have altered my opinion, permanently. What happened was I contacted a Vice President - who personally got involved, resolved it to my total satisfaction and treated me with total respect. Consequently, I will be a lifelong customer of Yankee Candle ... on a ongoing and predictable purchasing basis. They have also earned my respect - and consequently WOM advocacy. .

I personally know what goes into developing client relationships that survive years. As a professional customer advocate, and my corporate experience demonstrates that, as well as the testimony of those who have worked with me. I was bridging the gap between corporate management (top tiers) and customers beyond 'customer support'. But I have to give Timeplex the credit. Timeplex was a company I worked for in the 80's and 90's, and who understood relationship-building and increasing the unique customer value beyond the purchase order, years before the curve.

More to come...