Large firms race to protect their best customers

Customer relationship expert Bruce Kasanoff, author of "Making It Personal," has launched a new service in which he interviews the best customers of major firms. Each resulting Customer Status Report helps the firm fine-tune its efforts to protect and serve that customer.

Westport, CT, USA - Time after time, Bruce Kasanoff has heard the same sad story: a firm's best customer - an account that generated millions of dollars and appeared to be satisfied - suddenly defects. And management is shocked.

"What's really shocking," says Kasanoff, "Is that none of these firms were doing enough to listen to their customers and be responsive to their needs."

That's why Kasanoff is now writing Customer Status Reports for major firms. Each one is based on a 30-60 minute interview Kasanoff conducts with an executive of a top account.

The report alerts Kasanoff's clients to both opportunities and obstacles. It is both a road map to growing their business with this account as well as an early warning system for any problems that could cause them to lose all or part of their business.

"Executives tell me things that my clients seldom hear," says Kasanoff. "It's often considered too difficult or stressful to tell a vendor how you really feel about them, but they don't mind telling an independent and objective observer like me. Besides, the fact that the firm hired me to speak with them suggests the vendor is serious about improving their service."

In addition to questions about the standard things companies want to know about their customers, Kasanoff poses questions that would never occur to them. He even probes for feelings the customer did not even realize they harbor.

"The truth is that customer satisfaction is meaningless. What matters is whether a firm has made it convenient for its best customers to remain loyal. Most haven't, and my reports make that obvious," concluded Kasanoff.

Kasanoff's business management book, "Making It Personal," was praised by Publishers Weekly for offering "cutting edge advice." It has received critical acclaim and he is a frequent speaker at corporate events.