Why Customers May Never Care About Your Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

A few interesting studies have been released recently that look at the “Green or Corporate Social Responsibility Movement.” I like to focus on how it impacts customers. So a few recent stats to consider: Your messaging isn’t memorable. Over 70% of North Americans are interested in the CSR of the brands they buy, but most [...]

The Key to Customer Advocacy is …

  According to the article “Is Your Bank an Advocate” on the 1 to 1 website, simplicity is the key for banks becoming an advocate for their customers.  The article discusses the results from Forrester’s 2007 report “How Canadians Rate Their Banks on Customer Advocacy.” Making advocacy simple equates to a simple product set, simple messaging, first-call resolution, and working [...]

The Big D’s – The Two Keys That Make or Break a Customer Initiative

  After years of working on “customer” projects it always seems to be the same two “keys” that get a project to show results quickly, or force us into endless meetings to discuss these two mysterious “keys.”  With all the thoughtful strategy, market analysis, and product development that happens around “customer” projects you will hit a [...]

Focus Groups – Are They Fruitful or Folly?

  As with most research techniques, there are many different opinions out there regarding the usefullness of focus groups.  Some find them extremely valuable, others find them a waste of time and a lot of money.  Maybe they are all correct.  Like any technique, it’s how you plan and execute that helps determine the outcome.  I [...]