Wrap Your Arms Around Your Customers

Here's how: 5 steps for marketers who want to be customer-centric in 2009 (come to think of it: it isn't optional). To sum up:

1. Get senior management on board: this isn't just the marketing department's job
2. It's about the money: measure how putting customers top of the agenda helps meeting bottom line objectives.
3. Let your people get on with their job: don't tie them up in processes and systems that meet internal requirements but defeat external ambitions.
4. Start at the end: ruthlessly cut back (or out) those procedures and layers that stop your business profitably meeting customers needs.
5. It isn't optional: if you're not effectively managing the flow of revenues into your business from your customers (that's why you have them) then you soon won't have a business ...