Management consultants in highly successful separate firms, Wayland and Cole collaborate to offer a comprehensive system for putting customer relationships at the center of a business and give managers the tools for implementing customer-based strategies to improve profitability and growth.

A new data-driven approach to building customer relationships that fuel sustainable business growth Igniting Customer Connections explores how organizations of all sizes can build powerful and profitable customer relationships in a today's increasingly complex, fast-paced, and fragmented marketplace. Written by the president of one of the world's largest marketing firms, the book provides expert insights about connecting with customers effectively across all channels and over time. The central premise is a refreshingly different, evidence-based approach called Return On Experience and Engagement, or ROE2, which delivers a new way to inspire and measure customer connections—and improve business results. The traditional marketing campaign—a battle for attention with a clear launch date and endpoint—no longer works. Marketing is faster and more complex than ever, and consumers now have the power to turn off the message. Igniting Customer Connections explores the benefits of a new approach that enables companies to connect with customers, rather than just talk at them. Topics include: Why classic ROI is losing relevance as a way to measure results—and to budget marketing spend How to make powerful connections by taking full advantage of "atomic moments of truth" Amplifying the impact of customer experience and engagement Creating a continuous, measurable, repeatable process for growth The key to winning customers and building long-term business is creating positive customer experiences that inspire ongoing engagement—from Facebook "likes" to purchase decisions. Based on data and stories drawn from dozens of top brands and thousands of consumers, Igniting Customer Connections helps marketers create long-term brand equity and sustainable business growth.

Continuing Merritt's "Taking Control" series, this book offers businesspeople a practical guide to improving their customer service operations. Using case studies and interviews, author Jack Burke shows businesses how to use customer service to strengthen customer loyalty and promote the company as a whole.

Creating Authentic Customer Connections in a High-Tech World In The Relationship Economy, author John DiJulius teaches business leaders about the importance of relationship building in the digital age. He argues that in spite of (and because of) the advances in tech, we've become a less connected society. We have dramatically evolved away from face-to-face communication, and the skill of building rapport is evaporating. This means that customer personalization and relationships are more important now than ever—and they will be the key to success for businesses moving forward. As he aptly states, “Being able to build true sustainable relationships is the biggest competitive advantage in a world where automation, artificial intelligence, and machine learning are eliminating the human experience, which is what creates the emotional connections that build true customer loyalty.” This book reminds readers of the importance of personal connections and shows them how to attain meaningful, lasting relationships with their customers.

"The vast majority of word-of-mouth happens offline, in everyday conversations. This book offers simple concepts plus practical guidance for individual professionals, teams, and complex organizations to be part of those conversations in ways that grow their business"--

With emerging technology transforming customer expectations, it's important to keep a laser focus on the experience companies provide their customers. Tomorrow's customers need to be targeted today! Customer experience futurist Blake Morgan outlines ten easy-to-follow customer experience guidelines that integrate emerging technologies with effective strategies to combat disconnected processes, silo mentalities, and a lack of buyer perspective. The Customer of the Future explains how today's customers are already demanding frictionless, personalized, on-demand experiences from their products and services, and companies that don't adapt to these new expectations won't last. This book prepares your organization for these increas­ing demands by helping you do the following: Learn the ten defining strategies for a customer experience-focused company. Implement new techniques to shift the entire company from being product-focused to being customer-focused. Gain insights through case studies and examples on how the world's most innovative companies are offering new and compelling customer experiences. Tomorrow's customers will insist on experiences that make their lives significantly easier and better. Craft a leadership development and culture plan to create lasting change at your organization!

Business Models for Transforming Customer Relationships What if there were a way to turn occasional, sporadic transactions with customers into long-term, continuous relationships--while simultaneously driving dramatic improvements in operational efficiency? What if you could break your existing trade-offs between superior customer experience and low cost? This is the promise of a connected strategy. New forms of connectivity--involving frequent, low-friction, customized interactions--mean that companies can now anticipate customer needs as they arise, or even before. Simultaneously, enabled by these technologies, companies can create new business models that deliver more value to customers. Connected strategies are win-win: Customers get a dramatically improved experience, while companies boost operational efficiency. In this book, strategy and operations experts Nicolaj Siggelkow and Christian Terwiesch reveal the emergence of connected strategies as a new source of competitive advantage. With in-depth examples from companies operating in industries such as healthcare, financial services, mobility, retail, entertainment, nonprofit, and education, Connected Strategy identifies the four pathways--respond-to-desire, curated offering, coach behavior, and automatic execution--for turning episodic interactions into continuous relationships. The authors show how each pathway creates a competitive advantage, then guide you through the critical decisions for creating and implementing your own connected strategies. Whether you're trying to revitalize strategy in an established company or disrupt an industry as a startup, this book will help you: Reshape your connections with your customers Find new ways to connect with existing suppliers while also activating new sources of capacity Create the right revenue model Make the best technology choices to support your strategy Integrating rich examples, how-to advice, and practical tools in the form of "workshop chapters" throughout, this book is the ultimate resource for creating competitive advantage through connected relationships with your customers and redefined connections in your industry.