Second To None

Sr. Consumer Centricity Consultant Needed

By Kerry Colligan

Most retailers see consumer-centricity as a top three success factor, according to a recent "Being Consumer Centric" study. (More here.)

Surprise.

What's new in this study is that consumer-centricity now has C-level support. Fully 84% of respondents believe executive level support is no longer an impediment; 3 out of 4 companies have appointed a senior-level employee to the consumer-centricity role.

Set that aside for a moment.

Pundits, practitioners and academics agree that today's... Continue Reading

Keeping Your Best Customers Happy

By Kerry Colligan

It might seem as if cutting back on customer service is a necessary evil amid the downturn, but that’s likely to turn off businesses' best customers. Smart companies such as Zappos are redirecting their efforts at their best customers by directing them to elite services.

Read the article: BusinessWeek. 

Seize advantage in a downturn

By Kerry Colligan

From Harvard Business Review: Seize advantage in a downturn.

Summary

By first stabilizing their business, retailers can take advantage of "less savvy" competitors during a downturn. To do this:

• Know your cash flow and manage for the top line.
• Manage operational inefficiencies and costs.
• Consider the impact of the downturn on your merchandising strategy.
• Form a cross-functional team to carry out your plans. 

Video: MSNBC Profiles Mystery Shopping

By Kerry Colligan

Second To None, Inc. founder and CEO Jeff Hall was recently featured on MSNBC's Your Business on a panel discussion focusing on mystery shopping and the value of customer experience measurement for business owners. The show included a segment in which a mystery shopper was discreetly followed on an in-store experience evaluation.