How to know customers' needs before they do
[Scott Herron] All companies have similar problems, with one of the biggest being the ongoing challenge of growing their revenues. In today's declining economy, companies are seeking new ideas, new solutions, and proven advice to fight off competition and stay above water. The most successful organisations are not focused solely on increasing product sales, but also on improving service revenues to stay ahead of the competition. 6 Oct 2008 06:03

Contact centres invest in CRM to improve customer retention
[Aphrodite Brinsmead] Enterprises are to up investment in customer relationship management (CRM) and unified desktop solutions in a bid to improve customer retention. 3 Oct 2008 06:14

Boosting SA customer service
Altius Investment Holdings recently acquired a stake in the online complaints management and consumer affairs portal, getclosure!. 29 Sep 2008 13:31

How small stores can lure holiday shoppers
[John Tozzi] Call it a customer service Christmas. Consumers are expected to rein in spending this year, and the retail climate favours big-box stores that can offer bargains. But because small retailers can't win price wars, experts say independents need to leverage their biggest advantage over the chains: personal relationships with customers and the ability to deliver superior service. With some economists predicting one of the weakest Decembers since 1991, retailers that falter could face a cold winter. 29 Sep 2008 10:58

ANC political crisis spells uncertainty for South African BPO sector
[Peter Ryan] Recent political instability in South Africa, culminating in the removal of South African President, Thabo Mbeki, and the resignation of several of his cabinet colleagues, may discourage offshore business process outsourcing (BPO) investors. However... 25 Sep 2008 12:18

Countdown to the holidays: 100 days to ramp up
[Luc Vezina] Despite the recent gloomy economic news and consumer credit crunch, consumers will still spend hundreds of billions of dollars this holiday season. For retailers, the countdown has already begun and now is the time to start thinking about your holiday marketing programs for the holiday push. Start in September and you have 100 days to grow your business. 23 Sep 2008 12:35

Retail pharmacy conference highlights benefits of MTM
Clicks, one of the industry leaders in the field of retail pharmacy in South Africa, held its second annual Pharmacy Conference at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from 10 - 12 September 2008. The theme for the conference was ‘Realise More' which is a key message formulated to show the company's dedication to building pharmacies in SA to the benefit of all stakeholders. 19 Sep 2008 12:10

Marketing the unseen
[Claus Jakobsen] Consumers respond best to what they can see. We buy a watch because it symbolises what we believe is our place in society: a fashionista or an elegant businessperson. Cars and clothes are highly visible statements of our individuality and we also often use them to make a statement about how far we've come in life. But what about invisible assets? 17 Sep 2008 09:26

Ruminations on CRM following Gartner's industry bash
[Erika Morphy] USA: Gartner's annual Customer Relationship Management Summit stirred up a lot of speculation over the way the industry is evolving. The focus on Web 2.0 was intense and expected, but attendees also found plenty of grist for debate over CRM's fundamental principles. 17 Sep 2008 06:08

Dialing up an effective call centre startup plan
[Jennifer Heldt Powell] USA: The founders of GotVMail, who were students when they started their company, found a smart way to get the startup off the ground without going after investors - they included their vendors as partners, cutting deals that would let them launch on the cheap. 15 Sep 2008 12:37

New children's advertising code welcomed
The new regulations governing advertising to children have finally come out and Bizcommunity.com has asked various advertising and marketing agencies for their comment and analysis. In the first in this series of articles, the overall impression, according to Draftfcb, is that the spirit of the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa's code appears to be sound. 15 Sep 2008 11:38

The long wait for mobile CRM: Are we there yet?
[Erika Morphy] Is mobile CRM just around the next bend? If a slew of new applications for the iPhone are any indication, it may have jumped from the realm of wishful thinking to concrete possibility - but "possibility" is still the operative word. 10 Sep 2008 12:08

Digital signage grabs, engages, and informs
A study released in 2008 by US-based SeeSaw Networks, conducted by OTX, to better understand how digital out-of-home media can be used to reach mobile consumers, shows that digital signage advertising engages people, has high awareness, and is a compelling media that advertisers can use to effectively reach people with their message. 8 Sep 2008 06:11