Strategic Customer Care: An Evolutionary Approach To Increasing Customer Value And Profitability

Most organizations today recognize the importance of improving customer care—the need to go beyond traditional customer service and truly manage customers as assets—but only about 6% apply its principles effectively. This book fully explains the three stages in the evolution of customer care. Readers will be guided through the process of acquiring customers, retaining them through segmentation and management of the relationship, and targeting their most significant marketing efforts to the most profitable segments.

• Shows companies how to identify where they are in their own evolutionary process
• Outlines successes and failures of companies, including Sears, CIBC, AT&T/Matrixx, Kodak, FedEx, and more

He is a frequent speaker on the topic of customer care, and writes regularly for newsletters and magazines, including Sales and Marketing Management and ICSA News. He is the author of four previous books: Practices of Leaders in Customer Support (Wiley, 1997), What Customers Value Most: How to Achieve Business Transformation by Focusing on Processes That Touch Your Customers (Wiley, 1995), Total Quality Service, and Creating the Service Culture.

PART ONE: THE SKILLS NEEDED BEFORE YOU START: THE FIVE FOUNDATION PILLARS THAT DEFINE YOUR CURRENT AND FUTURE STAGE OF EVOLUTION

Chapter 1: The Stages in the Evolution of Customer Care
Building the Foundation: Where Are You Right Now?
The Stages of Evolution
What Stage Are You In?
Lessons Learned

Chapter 2: Who Are Your Customers?: The Need for Customer Profiles
Bulding the Foundation: Who Are My Customers and What Are Their Needs?
In Which Supplier Category Do You Fall?
The Significance of the Customer Profile: Why It Defines Your Stage
Information Gathering Best Practices
Lessons Learned

Chapter 3: Segmentation: Some Customers Are More Important Than Others
Building the Foundation: Not All Customers Are Created Equal
The Importance of Customer Segmentation
Getting Started: A Step-by-Step Guide to Segmentation Best Practices
Lessons Learned

Chapter 4: Focusing on Customer Needs Through the Voice of the Customer
Building the Foundation: The Voice of the Customer (VOC) Interview and Summary
Best Practices in Determining the VOC
Using Your Data
Lessons Learned

Chapter 5: The Importance of Technology: A Key Enabler
Building the Foundation: Choosing Your Technology Carefully
The Role of Technology: Matching It to Your Stage of Evolution
A Step-by-Step Approach to Technology Investments
Tools for Success
Lessons Learned

Chapter 6: Staged Customer Management
Building the Foundation: Customer Management Must Fit the Stage
A Staged Perspective on Customer Management Practices
Customer Complaint Management
Lessons Learned

PART TWO: THE ROUTE MAP TO STAGE III CUSTOMER CARE: THE 12 STEPS TO GET YOU TO YOUR DESTINATION

Chapter 7: Your Survival Strategy for the Future: Why the Route Map is Essential
Using the Route Map: Perspectives on Strategic Customer Care
How to Overcome Common Reasons for Failure
A Fork in the Road Ahead— Which Path Will You Choose?
Lessons Learned

Chapter 8: Bringing the Process to Life: The Importance of Alignment
Using the Route Map: Aligning People and Process Steps
Step 1: Management Alignment and Mobilization
Step 2: Readiness Assessment: Is Everyone Ready for Change?
Step 7: Management Call to Action— Using Your Results to Build Your Team
Step 10: Team Training
Lessons Learned

Chapter 9: How to Support the Process: The Tools and Practices Needed for Information Gathering
Using the Route Map: Acquiring New Skills and Embracing New Technology
Revisiting the Importance of Customer Loyalty and Retention
Step 3: Customer Segmentation
Step 4: Customer Profiling
Step 6: Gap Analysis
Lessons Learned

Chapter 10: Action Planning: Building the Plan with Tools and Practices in Place
Using the Route Map: Time for Action
Step 8: Building Your Strategic Action Plan
Step 9: Customer Alignment
Step 11: Developing an Implementation Plan
Step 12: Performance Monitoring and Adjustment
Lessons Learned

Chapter 11: Destination: Success
Part I: Building the Foundation
Part II: Using the Route Map

Appendix A: Syndicated Research on Customer Satisfaction

Appendix B: The Project Charter

Appendix C: Sample Readiness Assessment

Appendix D: The Customer Profile

Recommended Reading List

Index