Comments on: Listen to your customers, or else! http://responsiblemarketing.com/blog/2008/07/01/listen-to-your-customers-or-else?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=listen-to-your-customers-or-else where commerce and conscience come together Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:26:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Freddy J. Nager http://responsiblemarketing.com/blog/2008/07/01/listen-to-your-customers-or-else/comment-page-1#comment-1269 Freddy J. Nager Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:32:18 +0000 http://responsiblemarketing.com/blog/?p=424#comment-1269 I have written on the topic -- please check it out: http://coolrulespronto.wordpress.com/2008/06/16/listening-to-customers/ I have written on the topic — please check it out: http://coolrulespronto.wordpress.com/2008/06/16/listening-to-customers/

]]> By: Patrick Byers http://responsiblemarketing.com/blog/2008/07/01/listen-to-your-customers-or-else/comment-page-1#comment-1268 Patrick Byers Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:26:41 +0000 http://responsiblemarketing.com/blog/?p=424#comment-1268 Freddy, I agree wholeheartedly. Failure to evaluate your which customer segments are most valuable is irresponsible. I'm not sure if Netflix did their due diligence on this one---I get the feeling this was an engineering decision, not one based on customer preferences. What's important is that, unlike some companies (governments, even) they didn't make a decision in a vacuum, then decide to be bullheaded and stick with it. They responded, and since Netflix has built up a lot of brownie points with its customers, it appears they've been forgiven. I'm sure you'd also agree that not all customers should be treated the same, either. A high volume customer that doesn't price shop is very different from one that spends little and negotiates everything. After all, if Apple did everything their customers told them, a Macbook Pro would be a completely different (and less valuable) company. I think I'm going to need to write a post on that topic. Or you can, and I'll link to it! Happy marketing. Freddy,

I agree wholeheartedly. Failure to evaluate your which customer segments are most valuable is irresponsible.

I’m not sure if Netflix did their due diligence on this one—I get the feeling this was an engineering decision, not one based on customer preferences.

What’s important is that, unlike some companies (governments, even) they didn’t make a decision in a vacuum, then decide to be bullheaded and stick with it.

They responded, and since Netflix has built up a lot of brownie points with its customers, it appears they’ve been forgiven.

I’m sure you’d also agree that not all customers should be treated the same, either.

A high volume customer that doesn’t price shop is very different from one that spends little and negotiates everything.

After all, if Apple did everything their customers told them, a Macbook Pro would be a completely different (and less valuable) company.

I think I’m going to need to write a post on that topic. Or you can, and I’ll link to it!

Happy marketing.

]]> By: Deston http://responsiblemarketing.com/blog/2008/07/01/listen-to-your-customers-or-else/comment-page-1#comment-1267 Deston Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:16:48 +0000 http://responsiblemarketing.com/blog/?p=424#comment-1267 I always love it when a company says, "we'll be eliminating a service to improve service." I always love it when a company says, “we’ll be eliminating a service to improve service.”

]]> By: Freddy J. Nager http://responsiblemarketing.com/blog/2008/07/01/listen-to-your-customers-or-else/comment-page-1#comment-1266 Freddy J. Nager Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:54:18 +0000 http://responsiblemarketing.com/blog/?p=424#comment-1266 While I agree that listening to customers is important, a company must also strategically determine which customers they should listen to, since not all customers agree on certain points. In fact, contrary to the pithy phrase, customers are NOT always right. For example, I'm sure there are Netflix customers who would love to see the company carry hardcore porn; I'm sure there are others who would love to see anything that doesn't have "family values" banned from Netflix. In such a case, Netflix should trust experience and expertise to make the right decision, and not just capitulate to the loudest voices. Conversely, Dunkin' Donuts recently generated negative publicity and angered both liberals and Arab-Americans by capitulating to some right wingers regarding an ad campaign starring Rachel Ray. I just wrote on these topics, including an article entitled, "Don’t Believe Everything You Hear: Why Listening to Your Customers can be Hazardous to Your Health." As I tell my students, don't just follow "best practices" blindly -- think them through carefully and strategically. While I agree that listening to customers is important, a company must also strategically determine which customers they should listen to, since not all customers agree on certain points. In fact, contrary to the pithy phrase, customers are NOT always right. For example, I’m sure there are Netflix customers who would love to see the company carry hardcore porn; I’m sure there are others who would love to see anything that doesn’t have “family values” banned from Netflix. In such a case, Netflix should trust experience and expertise to make the right decision, and not just capitulate to the loudest voices. Conversely, Dunkin’ Donuts recently generated negative publicity and angered both liberals and Arab-Americans by capitulating to some right wingers regarding an ad campaign starring Rachel Ray. I just wrote on these topics, including an article entitled, “Don’t Believe Everything You Hear: Why Listening to Your Customers can be Hazardous to Your Health.” As I tell my students, don’t just follow “best practices” blindly — think them through carefully and strategically.

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