Good Customer/Bad Economy

Mike Donoghue is a member of a multinational information technology corporation where he collaborates on the communications guidelines and customer relationship strategies affecting the interactions with internal and external clients. He has analyzed, defined, designed and overseen processes for various engagements including product usability and customer satisfaction, best practice enterprise standardization, relationship/branding structures, and distribution effectiveness and direction. He has also established corporate library solutions to provide frameworks for sales, marketing, training, and support divisions.

  Business Intelligence   Communications Management   CRM   Stakeholder Management   Strategy  

Customers are acting with considerably more caution these days as we see how difficult economic times are putting pressure on them to be more particular about who they choose to do business with.

Bad marketing through extensive direct mail and e-mail explosions are seen as signs of desperation, hoping for something to stick and basically saying that you are willing to work with and for anyone. While more controlled and noteworthy messages using these methods are more accepted, organizations often instead perform a form of kneejerk marketing when times get tough and send an overabundance of junk mail in order to compensate for slow sales. It’s bad enough when prospects get this kind of treatment, but established clients are also on the receiving end of this onslaught.

What you don’t want to do is push your customers away. Ultimately, they pay your salary, so it’s important to remember to respect them. This doesn’t mean that you need to shy away from them, but be considerate and get their attention in such a way that isn’t too extreme.

Pros and Conversation
One way in which you can get noticed is by simply talking to them. While getting a real verbal conversation (let alone a face-to-face one) may be difficult with all the time constraints and competition for their attention, finding a way to speak to each one of them as individuals …

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