Nobody can read a customer's mind, but with the right analytics technology, you can come pretty close. Past behavior suggests future behavior, so all you have to do is watch. The hard part is figuring out what data to watch for, picking out a pattern, and figuring it all out with enough time to make the right decision. 20 May 2008
Vodafone has acquired ZYB, a Danish company, for €31.5m. ZYB has developed a social networking and online management tool for backing up and sharing contact and calendar information online. This acquisition represents part of an intelligent effort by carriers to facilitate the movement of social networking services from PCs to the mobile phone. 19 May 2008
Ads24s community newspaper survey, Compass24, shows that women are no longer the primary decision makers (PDMs) when it comes to consumer spending. 13 May 2008
Official figures released two weeks ago showed that consumers were paying an average of 15.3% more for their food in March than a year ago. 5 May 2008
Soft drinks are the single most important product group to the turnover of small informal business, according to a study conducted by the University of South Africa's (UNISA) Bureau of Market Research. 30 Apr 2008
According to results from Accenture's Global Broadcast Consumer Survey, consumers are growing increasingly disenchanted with their overall television experience, but are remaining loyal to their favourite programs. 30 Apr 2008
The difference between tactics and strategy can be monumental in the success of any marketing, and search is no exception. So, what are the telltale signs of a strategy? How can you tell when you're dealing with a basketful of tactics rather than a well-thought-out strategic plan? Here are some things to look for. 25 Apr 2008
Serving your subscribers properly is key to keeping them - and it's easy to lose them through bad service. If the watermelon salad you are offered in a restaurant is just right, great; if not... 24 Apr 2008
The Web is not about "aiming for the middle," a broad branding exercise seeking the lowest common denominator, big advertising themes and irrelevant emotional hooks. The control is no longer in the hands of the broadcasters; it is in the hands of the consumer. 22 Apr 2008
Logs will tell you what happened; user comments will tell you why. 21 Apr 2008
One agent with a bad attitude can cost your company plenty in lost customers or even Do-Not-Call List fines. Unless your call center is using a call-monitoring system, that agent is taking calls and losing you customers every day. 17 Apr 2008
Nielsen Online recently released findings that find that protecting the environment has become increasingly important to consumers, with online buzz around sustainability growing 50% in 2007. 17 Apr 2008
VRM - vendor relationship management - is a concept that turns CRM on its head. It's designed to put consumers in control of the transaction and level the landscape. This is not an us-versus-them movement; rather, it is a deliberate approach by consumers that will be equally beneficial to vendors. 16 Apr 2008
In order to create a successful e-mail contact strategy, marketers must listen to their customers to cater to their needs. Common tactics used in developing an e-mail contact strategy are onboarding and launching a win-back campaign. 14 Apr 2008
The latest consumer confidence poll by Stellenbosch University's Bureau for Economic research has found that households by and large haven't as yet been financially devastated by higher fuel prices and so on, nor do they expect this to happen in the coming year. 10 Apr 2008
In its first advertising expenditure forecasts of 2008, ZenithOptimedia downgraded its combined growth forecasts for North America and Western Europe this year from 4.4% to 3.8%, as consumer and business confidence is negatively impacted by current economic conditions. 10 Apr 2008
Online retail sales in the US are expected to rise 17% this year to reach $204 billion, according to a Forrester Research study conducted for Shop.org. Clothing, computers and automobiles will be the three largest online sales categories in 2008. 9 Apr 2008
The other day, and for the tenth time in the last year, I showed my mother how to answer her cellphone. 9 Apr 2008
Weeks after settling a legal threat from one potential competitor, Nielsen Co. has announced plans to acquire another, IAG Research, for $225 million. 9 Apr 2008
Consumer confidence has fallen by a whopping 10 points from its previous record, according to the latest First National Bank/BER consumer confidence index (CCI). 8 Apr 2008
