Customer Futures Releases Free Report on Customer Experience in the Recession

Customer Futures, the international members-based network to the improvement of customer experience which is owned by OgilvyOne Worldwide, has today published a free report which aims to help firms retain their customers in an economic downturn.

Early on in the current economic crisis, Customer Futures’ MD Peter Lavers teamed up with his San Francisco-based associate,John Todor of The Whetstone Edge, to commission some of the world’s top experts in Customer Experience Management (CEM) to write short papers on how not to lose customer focus when difficult decisions have to be made. They did this for the benefit of Customer Futures members around the World.

The resulting publication The Importance of the Customer Experience in a Down Economy was originally designed for Customer Futures’ membership, but was felt to be sufficiently insightful and useful to be deserving of much wider distribution.

Peter Lavers says:"We think the report is essential reading for all business people who are facing tough decisions at the moment. It contains numerous nuggets of good sound advice from 18 different contributors who are some of the World’s most respected experts in the field."

The report can be downloaded completely free from: Down Economy Publication. You will be asked to register.

Readers are also being encouraged to discuss and debate the issues raised in the report in the online forum on the same site.

Lavers adds:"I believe it will help professionals make the 'right' tough decisions, not ones that will alienate their customer bases and so cause prolonged suffering even when good times return. I hope it also helps those same readers influence others regarding the importance of customers – and the staff that serve them – in these trying times.”

John Todor says: "Historical evidence indicates that there are always winners and losers in down economies. The winners act to create competitive differentiation that is meaningful and valued by customers. Losers focus internally on cost-containment and efficiency. This report provides critical insights into how the recession has impacted what customers’ value and how they make decisions"

The Contributors: James Barnes (Canada), Jenny Belser and Naras Eechambadi (USA), Marco Bevolo (The Netherlands), Jeanne Bliss (USA), Graham Hill (Germany), Jan Hofmeyr (South Africa), Lynn Hunsaker (USA), Sampson Lee (China), James Lucas (USA), Bill Price (USA), Colin Shaw (UK), Merlin Stone (UK), Rory Sutherland (UK), Shari Swan (The Netherlands), Bob Thompson (USA), John Todor and William Todor (USA), John Turnbull (Australia), Lauree Vallery (Canada).

Please contact: Kevin Whitlock, head of communications at Ogilvy Group UK on +44 (0)20 7309 1114, kevin.whitlock@ogilvy.com; Peter Lavers at peter.lavers@customerfutures.com; or John Todor at jtodor@thewhetstoneedge.com.