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Customer Focus and RelationshipsRemove Customer Focus and Relationships →

New research on customer focus and relationships from Harvard Business School faculty on issues including customer relationship management, cultivating customer loyalty, and calculating lifetime customer value.
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The Right Way to Manage Customer Churn for Maximum Profit

by Michael Blanding

Many companies actively manage customer churn but aren't seeking out the best customers to retain, warns Sunil Gupta. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Your Customers Have Changed. Here's How to Engage Them Again.

by Rohit Deshpandé, Ofer Mintz, and Imran S. Currim

The coronavirus makes your customers less able and less willing to spend than before. How should you re-engage with them? Advice from Rohit Deshpandé and colleagues. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

How Following Best Business Practices Can Improve Health Care

by Sean Silverthorne

Why do Harvard Business School scholars spend so much time and money analyzing health care delivery? Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Identify Great Customers from Their First Purchase

by Kristen Senz

Using data from their very first transaction, companies can identify shoppers who will create the best long-term value, says Eva Ascarza. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Improving Customer Compatibility with Operational Transparency

by Ryan W. Buell and MoonSoo Choi

Service firms seeking prospective customers usually highlight the advantages of their offerings and downplay the tradeoffs. This study suggests a different approach: Provide transparency into advantages as well as tradeoffs. The transparency helps customers make informed decisions and can lead to better outcomes for both firms and customers over the long run.

Deconstructing 'Customer Experience'

by Sean Silverthorne

Providing great customer service is no longer the responsibility of just one department. Today it's called "customer experience," and everyone in the company is responsible for exceeding expectations. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Infographic: Can I Please Speak to an Actual Person?

by Katherine Vizcardo and Danielle Kost

Customers still want the option to access human help in automated service—even if they don't use it, says research by Michelle A. Shell and Ryan W. Buell. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Can Mark Zuckerberg Rebuild Trust in Facebook?

Bill George discusses his case study, "Facebook Confronts a Crisis of Trust," including why Zuckerberg handled the crisis as he did, the role of companies in protecting privacy, and the pros and cons of regulation. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Mitigating the Negative Effects of Customer Anxiety Through Access to Human Contact

by Michelle A. Shell and Ryan W. Buell

Firms increasingly deploy self-service technologies (SSTs) to manage customer interfaces that are inherently stressful. For example, patients may be asked to use kiosks to check themselves into hospitals. This study finds that customer anxiety during SST transactions can reduce customers’ trust in the service provider. Operational design choices may help.

What’s the Antidote to Surveillance Capitalism?

by James Heskett

SUMMING UP: As companies increasingly build business models around our personal data, what can be done to fight back? James Heskett's readers suggest there are no easy answers. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

The Legacy of Boaty McBoatface: Beware of Customers Who Vote

by Michael Blanding

Companies that encourage consumers to vote online should be forewarned—they may expect more than you promise, according to research by Michael Norton, Leslie John, and colleagues. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

How to Design a Better Customer Experience

by Dina Gerdeman

With the help of LEGO bricks, Stefan Thomke helps business executives discover how design principles can serve as building blocks to create a great customer experience. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Op-Ed: It’s a Bad Idea to Ban Customers From Recording Videos

by Benjamin G. Edelman

With videos of bad business practices routinely going viral, it might be tempting to prohibit customers from recording their surroundings. But banning cameras is the wrong way to go, says Benjamin Edelman. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

Why Uber Is Worth Saving and How To Do It

by Dina Gerdeman

For many, Uber is a cautionary tale of corporate hubris gone crazy. But Rosabeth Moss Kanter argues the innovator deserves a second chance. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

This Turkish Debt Collector Is Customer-friendly

by Michael Blanding

A Turkish-based company pioneers a kinder, gentler method of collecting debt that Professor Dennis Campbell sees as an international model. Open for comment; Comment(s) posted.

A Smarter Way to Reduce Customer Defections

by Dina Gerdeman

Companies can't afford to lose hard-won customers, but in truth some are more important to keep than others. Recent research by Sunil Gupta and Aurélie Lemmens explains how to find them. Closed for comment; 4 Comment(s) posted.

Is Something Wrong with the Way We Work?

by James Heskett

Summing Up Who is to blame for our pressure-packed 24/7 work culture? Technology? Globalization? Increasingly demanding customers? Jim Heskett's readers say it's best to first look in the mirror. Closed for comment; 41 Comment(s) posted.

HBS Cases: Lady Gaga

by Carmen Nobel

What goes into creating the world's largest pop star? Before her fame hit, Lady Gaga's manager faced decisions that could have derailed the performer's career. A new case by Associate Professor Anita Elberse examines the strategic marketing choices that instead created a global brand. Closed for comment; 28 Comment(s) posted.

Empathy: The Brand Equity of Retail

by Carmen Nobel

Retailers can offer great product selection and value, but those who lack empathy for their customers are at risk of losing them, says professor Ananth Raman. Closed for comment; 15 Comment(s) posted.

What Loyalty? High-End Customers are First to Flee

by Julia Hanna

Companies offering top-drawer customer service might have a nasty surprise awaiting them when a new competitor comes to town. Their best customers might be the first to defect. Research by Harvard Business School's Ryan W. Buell, Dennis Campbell, and Frances X. Frei. Key concepts include: Companies that offer high levels of customer service can't expect too much loyalty if a new competitor offers even better service. High-end businesses must avoid complacency and continue to proactively increase relative service levels when they're faced with even the potential threat of increased service competition. Even though high-end customers can be fickle, a company that sustains a superior service position in its local market can attract and retain customers who are more valuable over time. Firms rated lower in service quality are more or less immune from the high-end challenger. Closed for comment; 24 Comment(s) posted.