What Do We Expect from Customers?

On this historic day of the inauguration of the 44^th president of the United States, it is insightful to reflect on how we treat elected officials—and the lessons for how we treat customers. Americans tend to expect too much from our presidents, and when presidential expectations are set too high, presidencies are doomed to failure.

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Microsoft, Micro-Share

Industry observers agree that a mobile device is the computing platform of the future. Currently, about 12 percent of mobile phones sold worldwide are smartphones, but the percentage is expected to increase to 20 percent by 2012. Just as Microsoft and Apple battled for control of the market for PC operating systems.....

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Using Customer Stories to Sell

Stories from customers can be a powerful and effective tool in providing trustworthy information that other customers will favorably act upon. In separate surveys taken at each end of the decade 1997 to 2007, family, friends and acquaintances kept the top spot in terms of “trusted sources of information.” However, “strangers with experience” moved ....

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Top 20 Most Valuable Retail Brands

The best-known brands aren't always the most valuable. In a new ranking from Interbrand Design Forum Walmart comes in first, with its brand value estimated at $129.8 billion, followed by Best Buy, at $22 billion, and the Home Depot at $20.8 billion. Many household names - including Kroger, Macy's and Sears - don't even crack the top 50.

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