Survive the Vortex: Focus on the Customer

Abstract

The adage “service with a smile” portrays service as a novelty tacked on to the product, it is not. A product is not only produced, it is also designed, marketed, delivered, stocked, priced and sold. Therefore, a product is the succession of services that go into it. In the same way, achieving customer satisfaction requires satisfying the customer’s total requirements, and as always, the customer judges what is good enough. He/she judges not only the product but also the totality of the experiences which flow from it. The competitive arena is changing faster and faster. To keep from being sucked into the vortex, the best answer is a steady focus on the customer. Total customer satisfaction has become the decisive strategic leverage which transforms a mediocre company into an industry leader. Total customer satisfaction is achieved by providing the product and its services in a manner which exceeds the customer’s expectations. Defines the concept, demonstrates its value, describes how to measure it and how to design a strategy to accomplish it.