Martin De Saulles

I have just finished writing a first draft of a training programme aimed at helping SMEs get more from the Web.  One of the modules focuses on how companies can develop better relationships with their customers and increase loyalty.   Having emailed the first draft of this to my collaborators I had a quick look at my newsreader to see what was new.  The first thing I read was Barry Graubart complaining about the poor customer service he has received from AT&T over setting up international roaming on his iPhone.  The second post was Fred Wilson announcing a competition by Etsy offering its users the chance to win several thousand dollars by making a promotional video for the company. 

In those 2 posts is encapsulated the opportunities, challenges and threats facing companies of all types: 

• Develop loyal and happy customers and they will do the marketing for you;
• Pi** people off and you'll have to spend twice as much to bring in new customers as existing ones leave.

I know I'm not offering any radical insights into what's going on in this new digital world of marketing but it makes me wonder how many companies really "get it".