IN TOUCH WITH THE CUSTOMER
In order to fight competition, companies need to check out their potential customers abroad as carefully as they do for new domestic clients. Good sources of information are their accounting firms, international banks and credit-reporting services.
To be successful, national and global competitors need skilled employees and a large customer base as well as new marketing strategies.
Lack of information may inhibit the ability to meet customer demand for certain products, which can have an adverse impact on operating costs.
Philip
Douglas R&D responsible at Dolphin Communication recently declared:
- I want to see what the customer sees. As you get bigger and start to feel success, you tend to get isolated from what the customer sees. Sometimes you start to disregard customer complaints. You don't know if they're a problem or not.
That’s why I need direct experience at the retail level. I always shop at retail stores just to see what the shopping experience is like. I've been impressed and amazed at some shopping experiences.
Shopping along Oxford Street, for example, is always a very pleasant experience. Those stores are a model for customer satisfaction. The stock is good and the customer engagement is terrific. -
DC planned to launch its new customer-focused innovations first in the U.K. and later in other parts of the world. The programs would include 24-hour customer service and guaranteed shipment on more than 10,000 items. It will also include reduced minimum order quantities, simplified prices, and a larger sales force to improve presence at customer facilities.