Gary Schwartz

It was so good, I don’t mind outing them; it was Verizon Wireless.

The customer service agent quickly solved my immediate problem (enabling my wife’s phone for international roaming after she’d already arrived overseas).  The agent then enabled us to have unlimited data while she’s overseas (critical for her so she can use e-mail and not break the bank) for a minimal fee.  Best of all, and not at all related to my call, she noticed that the monthly rate from our 10-month old contract was outdated and more expensive than their current rates.  So she reduced our monthly rate going forward.

It was truly outstanding service, provided in a friendly and helpful manner.  The kind that creates loyal customers who advocate for the brand.

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The year so far has been filled with predictions of a recession on both sides of the Atlantic. Sitting at home in England, I find myself tightening my family's purse strings as heating bills grow and mortgage payments rise with interest rates (yes, I had to remortgage at a higher rate this year). Looks like we're in for a rough ride.

And it would seem that the carnage isn't close to finished. The newspapers describe the problem as one of solvency, not liquidity or operational. In an economic climate in which survival of the business is at stake, how should you plan your spending for the rest of the year? Is it very different than the way consumers prepare spending for their families?

Almost certainly. In spending for my family, I don't consider growth (except in how it affects clothing purchases for the children), retention or acquisition. But those are the things that senior managers must consider in planning investments for the balance of the year. In a...