Customer Engagement

When the Going Gets Tough

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Companies around the globe, such as Starbucks, Procter & Gamble, and Wal-Mart, are battling with the marketing challenges posed by a tough economy. What strategies work best for these global brands -- and why? A marketing expert tackles these questions.

Does Your Technology Engage Your Customers?

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Organizations continually feel pressure to improve efficiency and reduce costs while also meeting the demands of their increasingly time-starved customer base. Customers constantly seek speedier and more convenient access, wherever and whenever they might feel the need. Although technology should be able to directly address the demands of both company and customer, it isn't doing so effectively enough. Here's why.

Transformational Change in Higher Education

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Nova Southeastern University in Florida has gone to vast lengths to build its brand, in much the same way a successful business would. Here's how the school applied management practices commonly used in corporations and governmental organizations to its brand-building effort.

The Business Value of Niceness

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Upscale clothier Jack Mitchell, author of the bestseller Hug Your Customers and CEO of Mitchells/Richards/Marshs, explains his infectiously enthusiastic approach to management in his latest book, Hug Your People. In this interview, Mitchell tells why positivity is good for productivity and profits.

Knowing Your Company's Vital Signs

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Employee and customer engagement are leading indicators of financial performance. The authors of Human Sigma: Managing the Employee-Customer Encounter explain.

The Chief Marketing Officer's Dilemma

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Powerhouse brands such as Chrysler, Sears, Visa, and Coca-Cola have recently changed their marketing leadership. Are the cast-off executives victims of high expectations? Or are their employers failing to recognize what really drives the health of their brands? Bill McEwen, author of Married to the Brand, tackles these questions, which are daunting today's marketing chiefs at companies across many industries.

Sharing Knowledge Improves Stryker's Performance

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Measuring internal customer service is driving positive results in one of the world's biggest medical equipment companies. This profile of a major division of Stryker -- with 1,800 employees in 21 countries who speak almost two dozen different languages -- reveals how.

Toyota Tackles an Audacious Goal

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

George Borst, president and CEO of Toyota Financial Services, had a daring plan for leading TFS through an expansion of its customer base and product line. But that required transformation in every aspect of his organization -- new people, infrastructure, knowledge, and skills. Some of the changes offered fresh opportunities, but others presented big problems. What's more, the expansion required Borst to discover new methods of leadership. Here's how he successfully transformed his organization -- and, in the process, himself.

When Engaged Employees Meet Engaged Customers

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The authors of Human Sigma: Managing the Employee-Customer Encounter tell why people are the fulcrum of profitability and why it's tempting to replace workers with machines -- and why you really, really shouldn't.

How Employee and Customer Engagement Interact

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Conventional management wisdom holds that engaged employees create engaged customers who foster organizational success by delivering positive financial outcomes. Though this theory has some validity, the reality is more complex, according to the authors of Human Sigma.

Whatever Happened to the "Service Station"?

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

In their efforts to cut costs, companies in gasoline retailing -- and plenty of other industries -- are minimizing human interaction. But in doing so, they're undermining a major competitive advantage: the personal touch. Does this self-service approach risk turning their brands into commodities?

A Holiday Wish: Helpful Store Staff

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Those shopping for consumer electronics say employees in the store are a key factor in determining where they'll buy, according to recent results from a Gallup Panel.

Who Are Your Promise Keepers?

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Your company must do more than make promises to consumers. You need brand ambassadors who deliver on them, says William J. McEwen, author of Married to the Brand.

Will the Credit Crunch Steal Christmas?

Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Gallup's chief economist discusses what the credit crunch will do, what the Fed should have done, and whether or not it will hurt the holidays. He also warns that inflation, high commodity prices, a weak dollar, and potential unemployment are on the horizon.

China's Successes and Looming Challenges

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

An expert on Asian economics forecasts the political and economic fate of China, examines how immigration is shaping the U.S. and Japanese economies, and tells what every business student should know.

Five New Rules for Management

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The world's best companies unleash the power of their human systems, and the worst fail to do so. So write the authors of Human Sigma: Managing the Employee-Customer Encounter, due out next month from Gallup Press. Here, they reveal key lessons from leading-edge organizations.

The Future of Phones

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

"I think the last time I had a land line, it was in my dorm room in college." So says at least one 24-year old. Is he representative of a growing trend in phone usage? New research by The Gallup Panel reveals the answer to this and other questions.

Can the Toyota Way Be Transplanted?

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

In the second of a two-part interview, a longtime Toyota executive explains the world's best selling car manufacturer's methodology -- and how it creates loyalty. He also discusses matters such as why all the new cars look alike and why the market for luxury cars is expanding.

Customer Satisfaction: A Flawed Measure

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Business leaders, researchers, academics, and management consultants alike have found that customer satisfaction is, by itself, a relatively poor indicator of future customer behavior. And the data support their concern, say the authors of Human Sigma: Managing the Employee-Customer Encounter (Gallup Press, November 2007).

Heard About Michigan's "Ritzy" New Hospital?

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

When an acclaimed Ritz-Carlton executive was named president and CEO of a luxury hospital, it sure caught the attention of the healthcare industry. In this interview, Gerard van Grinsven explains his controversial appointment, how he'll keep his hospital's rates at or below average, and why he thinks his hotel-like hospital is the model that will be emulated in the future.

Turning a Crisis Into an Opportunity

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Like many Asian banks, Siam Commercial Bank suffered tremendously during the 1997-98 financial crisis. But it managed not only to pick up the pieces and regroup -- it moved to the front of the pack. Here's that company's success story, which offers a model for any business going through wrenching, and possibly fatal, change.

Beware: Your Customers Oppose Outsourcing

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Nearly 80% of Americans think the practice is bad for the U.S. economy -- and not just because of the loss of jobs, according to Gallup research. This may be a red flag for U.S. executives, who should be aware of the fact that, regardless of what their companies think of outsourcing, the vast majority of their customers aren't keen on it.

Don't Neglect Your Brand Ambassadors

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Gallup has found that employees often feel disconnected from the brands they're asked to represent. They also have little knowledge of -- or enthusiasm for -- what it takes to transform customer transactions into enduring relationships.

What Price Car Customer Loyalty?

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

There isn't much Bryan Bergsteinsson doesn't know about cars -- building them, selling them, and driving them. In an in-depth Q&A, this one-time Toyota executive draws on that knowledge to suggest that the automotive industry is being pushed too far too fast on environmental issues. More significantly for executives across industries, he questions the value of customer satisfaction ratings and explains why engaged customers are more valuable than merely satisfied ones.

The Business Value of Learning

Thu, 12 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Two leading researchers say that one way companies can increase employee and customer engagement is to develop market-oriented and learning-oriented cultures. Here are the findings of their extensive study.