一、 何謂客戶關系管理（CRM）？
◆CRM是英文Customer Relationship Management的縮寫。
◆CRM就是以現代信息技術為手段，以客戶為中心，以最大限度滿足客戶需求為目的，對企業的市場策略、各部門的功能職責、工作流程進行重新設計，從而使企業收益最大化的一系列的設計過程。
二、 為什麼要開發客戶關系管理(CRM)？
目前企業的競爭已經從產品質量、價格的競爭逐漸轉變為服務的競爭，這種競爭呼喚CRM。
1. Internet 改變了傳統的商業模式
(1) 客戶接觸方式
(2) 銷售方式
(3) 客戶服務方式
2. 客戶的期望值和需求越來越高
(1) 更好的產品與服務
(2) 隨時隨地的訪問
(3) 更便捷、更快速…
3. 短缺經濟向過剩經濟過渡
4. 壟斷經營向市場經營過渡
5. 從產品銷售轉向關系銷售
6. 3P(Product, Pricing, Promotion) aCRM
7. 永遠的商業驅動力
三. 客戶關系管理（CRM）的基本精神
(1 )什麼是客戶關系管理的基本精神？
方便(convenient)、親切(care)、個性化(Personalized)、立即回應(Real-time)即縮寫為CCPR(1) 讓客戶更方便(Convenient)要讓客戶更方便、更容易地取得企業的服務，就象住宅巷口的小店，想要什麼東西和服務可以隨時取得。
(2) 對客戶更親切(Care)這一點特別要注意。在實施CRM的過程中，如果過分重視科技和自動化，使得企業與客戶接觸的界面成了冰冷的自動販賣機，這就糟了。應該是人的"用心"和高新科技的結合，使顧客感到更親切。
(3) 個性化(Personalized)企業要把每個客戶當作一個永恒的寶藏，而不是一次交易，因此，必須了解每一個客戶的喜好與習慣，并適時提供度身定制的個性化服務。
(4) 立即回應(Real-time)企業對於客戶行為，必須透過每次接觸不斷學習，并且很敏感地立即回應。
四. 客戶關係的基本知識
1. 客戶關係的類型
(1) 基本型：銷售人員把產品銷售出去就不再於客戶聯係（賣冰棍）
(2) 被動型：銷售人員把產品銷售出去并鼓勵遇到問題或有意見時和公司聯繫（賣手機，移動通訊服務）
(3) 負責型：銷售人員在產品售出後聯繫客戶，詢問對產品和服務的意見，使之更符合客戶需求（賣電腦）
(4) 能動型：銷售人員不斷的聯系客戶，提供有關改進產品及服務要求信息（賣Unix服務器）
(5) 伙伴型：不斷的和客戶共同努力，幫助客戶解決問題，實現共同發展（賣解決方案）
五. 如何實施CRM？ 五步曲
1. 統一思想認識，建立相應項目組織機構；
2. 明確企業戰略（定目標，找差距、尋類比）；
3. 組織構架重組（以客戶為核心，市場為理念調整部門職責）
4. 調整工作流程（依據新構架，調整相適應的工作流程）
5. 選擇CRM軟件（新的工作流程需要先進的流程管理/客戶關係管理工具來支持）
六. 實施步驟 分為兩個階段：
第一階段：準備階段：對CRM業務流程和信息系統進行診斷；
第二階段：實施階段：按"五步曲"進行
七. 項目成功關鍵因素
1. 最高管理決策層的堅決支持；
2. 各部門的密切合作，理解和支持；
3. 業務管理人員的直接參與；
4. 業務骨幹的全時參與；需要業務骨幹的全時全程參與，并保持連貫性，避免頻繁換人。
5. 全員參與和上下的溝通。注意CRM體係建設理念在整個企業範圍內的溝通，形式可以有內部溝通雜誌，郵件，研討會等，以及時獲得反饋，使實施航運公司的CRM建設成為整個企業共同關心的問題。
八、 客戶關系管理的目標
1. 提高經濟效益
(1) 提高市場競爭力
(2) 留住老客戶，拓展新客戶
(3) 關注和發現利潤區
2. 密切客戶關係
(1) 與客戶成為伙伴型關係
(2) 進而結成客戶聯盟
3. 提高客戶的滿意度和忠誠度
(1) 提供多個渠道的客戶服務方式：網絡、電話呼叫、上門服務等，為客戶提供最大的方便；
(2) 加快客戶請求的響應時間；
(3) 為所有客戶需求建立一致性的聯系方式
(4) 針對性的客戶
九. 項目實施的成功經驗
1. 組織要落實
2. 計劃要落實
3. 經費要落實
4. 技術要落實
5. 監督和反饋要落實
7/07/2009
Embracing New Media To Reach Customers By Chuck Sink
Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, My Space and others are a new frontier in marketing opportunities. People offer demographic information online that can be used by sales and marketing people to target precise audiences in an intimate and familiar setting. But best practices are still yet to be defined.
As traditional media continues to lose audiences, businesses are increasingly focused on new media formats, such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, to connect with customers. The goal should be to reach your precise target audience.
New media allows marketers to activate the interested and turn them into campaigners for products and services. Advocates drive success. You may have the shiniest needle in the haystack, but without help, few will notice your podcast, blog, or Flash-enhanced Web site.
Once noticed, however, the best in any category will be discussed among the most passionate talkers and bloggers in that field. The trick is to learn where those people "hang out" and give them some-thing worth talking about (and forwarding to fellow aficionados).
Viral Marketing
How do you make viral marketing work for you? A good example is the Blendtec blender. The company's home blender sells for about $400 retail--a huge premium considering that most decent blenders sell for about $50. This is one tough blender, though. Tom Dickson, CEO of Blendtec hadn't even heard of YouTube in late 2006 before his marketing manager, George Wright, decided to try a viral marketing stunt by posting a few homespun videos on the Internet. Dickson actually became the main character in the "Will it blend?" videos.
In a matter of weeks, spending under $100, Blendtec generated rabid interest in its blender and increased sales dramatically because millions watched the company's YouTube videos.
The viral campaign worked like magic. Thousands of people rushed out to purchase a $400 Blendtec when a $39.95 Hamilton Beach blender would make just as fine a smoothie. In 2006, Blendtec sales were well under $10 million. By 2007, Blendtec sales exceeded $40 million. That astronomical growth resulted from giving the marketplace something unique, compelling and remarkable (as well as funny) to spread around.
E-Mail Marketing
E-mail marketing is almost like free direct mail. I'm a traditional salesman by trade, building business by cold calling, appointment setting, presenting, and bidding. That is the old way. Firms that make effective use of e-mail marketing may find they rarely make cold calls because they're too busy helping prospects and clients who call them instead. Your firm's e-mail list needs to be a high priority and treated like gold. An electronic newsletter can deliver high value to customers and potential customers. Request permission of every business contact to send them a newsletter and rarely use the list to promote yourself. Deliver value-based content that readers can use. They will remember this when in need of your services.
Here I Am!
Smart companies are shifting marketing dollars to the precise marksmanship of search engine marketing campaigns and search engine optimization (SEO). Organic search engine optimization is a complex process of convincing Google, Yahoo!, MSN or other search engines that your Web site is among the most relevant and respected sources to find information or products by key word searches. The search engine's goal is to deliver the most relevant and prominent Web sites to those conducting a search.
Effective SEO requires good key word strategy, consistent analytics, resubmission and reciprocal link-ability with other relevant sites. A relatively modest monthly or annual investment in a Web administrator's time or a paid SEO service can help move your Web site search rankings up significantly enough to be found by that precise target audience.
My Space or Yours?
Social Networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, My Space and others are a new frontier in marketing opportunities. People offer demographic information online that can be used by sales and marketing people to target precise audiences in an intimate and familiar setting. However, the bounds of appropriate contact with Facebook and other sites' users are still in question and best practices are yet to be defined. There are paid advertising opportunities on many of the social networking sites that can be effective with results that are easy to measure and track. Many organizations are having great success interacting with their target audiences by courting an active group of followers and having a constant discussion going on their pages.
CRM, customer relationship management, crm system, crm software, customer loyalty, customer loyalty management, customer management, loyalty system, loyalty management, loyalty software, loyalty card, vip, vip card, vip system, vip management, vip management system, vip software, member system, member management, member software, member card, membership system, membership software, membership card, membership management, member management system, membership management system, member management software, membership management software, Rewrite Card, Rewritable Card, Card, Thermal Rewritable Card, Printable Card,
As traditional media continues to lose audiences, businesses are increasingly focused on new media formats, such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, to connect with customers. The goal should be to reach your precise target audience.
New media allows marketers to activate the interested and turn them into campaigners for products and services. Advocates drive success. You may have the shiniest needle in the haystack, but without help, few will notice your podcast, blog, or Flash-enhanced Web site.
Once noticed, however, the best in any category will be discussed among the most passionate talkers and bloggers in that field. The trick is to learn where those people "hang out" and give them some-thing worth talking about (and forwarding to fellow aficionados).
Viral Marketing
How do you make viral marketing work for you? A good example is the Blendtec blender. The company's home blender sells for about $400 retail--a huge premium considering that most decent blenders sell for about $50. This is one tough blender, though. Tom Dickson, CEO of Blendtec hadn't even heard of YouTube in late 2006 before his marketing manager, George Wright, decided to try a viral marketing stunt by posting a few homespun videos on the Internet. Dickson actually became the main character in the "Will it blend?" videos.
In a matter of weeks, spending under $100, Blendtec generated rabid interest in its blender and increased sales dramatically because millions watched the company's YouTube videos.
The viral campaign worked like magic. Thousands of people rushed out to purchase a $400 Blendtec when a $39.95 Hamilton Beach blender would make just as fine a smoothie. In 2006, Blendtec sales were well under $10 million. By 2007, Blendtec sales exceeded $40 million. That astronomical growth resulted from giving the marketplace something unique, compelling and remarkable (as well as funny) to spread around.
E-Mail Marketing
E-mail marketing is almost like free direct mail. I'm a traditional salesman by trade, building business by cold calling, appointment setting, presenting, and bidding. That is the old way. Firms that make effective use of e-mail marketing may find they rarely make cold calls because they're too busy helping prospects and clients who call them instead. Your firm's e-mail list needs to be a high priority and treated like gold. An electronic newsletter can deliver high value to customers and potential customers. Request permission of every business contact to send them a newsletter and rarely use the list to promote yourself. Deliver value-based content that readers can use. They will remember this when in need of your services.
Here I Am!
Smart companies are shifting marketing dollars to the precise marksmanship of search engine marketing campaigns and search engine optimization (SEO). Organic search engine optimization is a complex process of convincing Google, Yahoo!, MSN or other search engines that your Web site is among the most relevant and respected sources to find information or products by key word searches. The search engine's goal is to deliver the most relevant and prominent Web sites to those conducting a search.
Effective SEO requires good key word strategy, consistent analytics, resubmission and reciprocal link-ability with other relevant sites. A relatively modest monthly or annual investment in a Web administrator's time or a paid SEO service can help move your Web site search rankings up significantly enough to be found by that precise target audience.
My Space or Yours?
Social Networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, My Space and others are a new frontier in marketing opportunities. People offer demographic information online that can be used by sales and marketing people to target precise audiences in an intimate and familiar setting. However, the bounds of appropriate contact with Facebook and other sites' users are still in question and best practices are yet to be defined. There are paid advertising opportunities on many of the social networking sites that can be effective with results that are easy to measure and track. Many organizations are having great success interacting with their target audiences by courting an active group of followers and having a constant discussion going on their pages.
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3/25/2009
Meeting Economic Challenges with Customer Relationship Management Strategies
零售業經濟衰退下的生存策略：客戶關係管理
Content:
1. Introduction
2. Business Strategies for a Slowing Economy
3. CRM Strategies for a Slowing Economy
4. Shoring up the top line by increasing market penetration
5. Addressing the expense lines by emphasizing high-ROI investments
6. Reality Check: Managing CRM Investment Under Tight Budget Conditions
7. CRM System Case Studies
Introduction
New initiatives are often the first victims during times of economic stress, whether those difficulties are at the company level or come from the broader economy. Those cuts can be short-sighted, since new initiatives may be exactly the game-changers a company needs to pull it through hard times.
A prime example would be customer relationship management (CRM) initiatives. CRM strategies-whether new to a company or already installed-can make some critical differences that help a company survive economic setbacks.
Of course, the temptation to put off projects like installing CRM software is understandable when economic conditions are tight. New capital investments may be unpopular, and training initiatives to advance CRM adoption may be seen as stretching already strained resources. Even so, if a company were to analyze strategies for not only surviving a downturn, but possibly even benefiting from one, it may conclude that investment in a CRM system is an important component of a plan to return to economic health. This white paper will examine some basic business strategies for economic downturns, and discuss where a CRM emphasis fits into those strategies.
Business Strategies for a Slowing Economy
An economic slowdown may squeeze a company’s bottom line, but the cause generally can be traced to the top line of the financial statement, i.e., revenues. Despite this, the knee-jerk reaction when times are tight is to attack the expense lines of the corporate budget. While cutting expenses can provide temporary relief to the bottom line, it can also precipitate a downward spiral. A problem starts with shrinking revenues due to a contracting economy or market. The company cuts expenditures to preserve the bottom line, and as a result, diminishes its resources. These diminished resources lead to further revenue declines, so the pressure on the bottom line only becomes greater. A new round of expense cuts repeats the process, until the company is sliding toward bankruptcy.
While expenses should be scrutinized during a downturn, they should be cut with a surgical approach that targets fat rather than muscle. Moreover, since revenue shrinkage is generally the root cause of declining earnings during an economic slowdown, that aspect of the company’s finances should not be ignored.
Therefore, the following are some basic concepts for addressing both top-line and expense issues during a downturn:
‧ If top-line growth reflects a shrinking market, a potential solution is to increase penetration of that market. In other words, there are times when the only way to grow or even preserve revenues is to capture a bigger slice of a shrinking pie. Two ways of doing this are to pick up market share at the expense of weaker competitors, and increase penetration of existing customers.
‧ As for the expense line, it should be scrutinized based on return-on-investment (ROI). The vulnerability of earnings to a downturn is in inverse proportion to profit margin. For this reason, low-ROI expenditures should be targeted for cutting, but high-ROI expenditures should be preserved-or ramped up.
CRM Strategies for a Slowing Economy
Where do CRM systems fit into these business strategies for a slowing economy? The next economic downturn will give business leaders a chance to pioneer answers to that question.
According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, as of 2008 there had been only two official recessions in the preceding 25 years. One was from July 1990 to March 1991, when CRM software as we know it today did not really exist. The next was from March 2001 to November 2001, when CRM software was still going through its adolescent growing pains. According to a 2001 Gartner study, at that time some 55 percent of CRM projects had not yet met corporate expectations, and of course, CRM penetration was much lower then than it is today. Since then, CRM software capabilities have become more robust, delivery options have become broader, and recognition of the potential of CRM systems has become greater at both the executive and rank-and-file levels.
In short, the next economic downturn will define how CRM strategies can help in a slowing economy. Therefore, companies which are quick to realize the potential will have a jump on the competition. If, as described in the previous section, two fundamental business strategies in a slow economy are to increase market penetration and emphasize high-ROI investments, CRM systems may be able to help significantly:
1. Shoring up the top line by increasing market penetration. CRM systems can be used to increase market penetration in a couple of ways. One is to pick up market share at the expense of weaker competitors. When market data is gathered for entry into the CRM database, a key field should be the existing vendor or service provider for each potential customer. Economic downturns will bring news of service cutbacks and even bankruptcies. Using the CRM system to target customers of those troubled companies will put information in front of those customers right when they might be needing to make a change. Also, CRM systems can be used to increase customer penetration. Every service call can be turned into a cross-selling, up-selling, or at least a re-selling opportunity. Having access to as much information as possible about the customer during service calls will help representatives spot opportunities for additional sales to increase penetration.
2. Addressing the expense lines by emphasizing high-ROI investments. There are several examples of how CRM software can enhance ROI, but here are just three of them. First of all, CRM reporting capabilities can save significant labor hours in compiling reports. Standard reports can be available at the click of a mouse, and custom reports can be configured with little trouble. Second, CRM software can be used to automatically launch e-mail campaigns, saving not only labor but the cost of materials and postage that traditional mailings would incur. Finally, CRM systems can be used to enhance sales force productivity. Activity levels can be monitored on a timely basis, so any sub-standard efforts can be addressed appropriately. For representatives with sufficient activity but poor closing ratios, sales force automation techniques can be used to try to improve performance. According to a Harvard Business Review study, companies taking a more systematic approach to sales can see average productivity rise by 30 percent, with the most dramatic increases coming from the bottom-quartile producers.
Reality Check: Managing CRM Investment Under Tight Budget Conditions
The potential of CRM systems to help during a downturn may seem enticing, but tight budget conditions may demand a reality check. There are times when companies just don’t have the cash flow for new capital expenditures, even when they know those expenditures will enhance their business in the long run. However, the emergence of Software as a Service (SaaS) delivery has lowered the barrier to many new technology initiatives, including CRM.
Hosted CRM systems, in which the vendor houses and maintains the software and the data storage, have been a leading example of SaaS delivery. Hosted CRM systems drive down initial cost by eliminating the need for software installation and data storage capacity. They also minimize ongoing system administration costs. Finally, by providing instant scalability, hosted CRM systems help a firm adapt to the ups and downs of economic cycles.
While some companies may find it preferable in the long run to bring the CRM system on-site, hosted CRM systems are an option which can make CRM software more accessible under weak economic conditions.
CRM System Case Studies
The following are a few examples to illustrate some of the principles described so far in this paper:
‧ By training its sales force on Maximizer’s CRM system, Staffco, a manufacturing sales company, was able to automate reports that previously had to be compiled manually. The result was a savings of 30 hours per week in labor.
‧ By using NetSuite’s web-based tools, Virgin Money Australia avoided a large capital expenditure during a financially sensitive period when it was trying to penetrate the market.
‧ Commercial real estate firm Richards Barry Joyce & Partners realized dual efficiencies from its ACT! by Sage CRM. The firm has cited the cost effectiveness of ACT! as one of the product’s merits, and because it could transition seamlessly to upgraded versions, its CRM capabilities were readily scalable.
Conclusion
Given the potential for customer relationship management systems to increase top-line productivity while enhancing return on investment, perhaps the question should not be whether a company can afford to pursue these systems during a downturn, but whether it can afford not to invest.
Sources
ACT! by Sage
BusinessWeek, Spring, 2006 Making Sense of Sales
CRM2Day.com
Forbes, May 21, 2008, Powerful Enterprise Software Small Biz Can Afford
Harvard Business Review, September 2006 The New Science of Sales Force Productivity
Maximizer
National Bureau of Economic Research
NetSuite
New York Times, November 13, 2007, Software for Rent
About the Author
Richard Barrington is a freelance writer and novelist who previously spent over twenty years as an investment industry executive.
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3/06/2007
百佳「易賞錢」掀起零售業CRM熱潮
零售業巨人百佳超級市場推出「易賞錢」(Money Back)計劃，可說為連鎖零售集團實施「客戶關係管理」(Customer Relationship Management CRM)正式拉開序幕。更正確的說法是，Money Back尤如在零售業市場投下一個深水炸彈，引起了一場不少的哄動；大家爭相查探，百佳何以如此勞師動眾地搞會員積分制度？
百佳催生CRM大熱潮
百佳的Money Back可以說只是比行家走快一步，事實上，不少連鎖零售集團在過去的一年間已成立CRM專案部門，積極研究CRM的落實方案，顯示出連鎖零售業己了解到CRM的重要性。百佳的Money Back令這些「研究中」的項目產生催生作用，我們可以預期，2007年將陸續有多家連鎖零售集團推出會員制和各式其色的獎賞計劃。
不過，究竟什麼是CRM？若對這個概念欠缺正確理解，你將發現，花費大額投資於CRM，卻收不到預期效果，就正如早期不少歐美公司的經驗一樣。
CRM系統只有兩成功能有用
不少人的印象中，CRM是一項昂貴的「實驗」，在未確定其「投資回報」(Return of Investment ROI)之前，動輒就花費數十萬甚至是數百萬，購買一套功能完備的CRM系統，令不少商戶望而卻步。
百佳催生CRM大熱潮
百佳的Money Back可以說只是比行家走快一步，事實上，不少連鎖零售集團在過去的一年間已成立CRM專案部門，積極研究CRM的落實方案，顯示出連鎖零售業己了解到CRM的重要性。百佳的Money Back令這些「研究中」的項目產生催生作用，我們可以預期，2007年將陸續有多家連鎖零售集團推出會員制和各式其色的獎賞計劃。
不過，究竟什麼是CRM？若對這個概念欠缺正確理解，你將發現，花費大額投資於CRM，卻收不到預期效果，就正如早期不少歐美公司的經驗一樣。
CRM系統只有兩成功能有用
不少人的印象中，CRM是一項昂貴的「實驗」，在未確定其「投資回報」(Return of Investment ROI)之前，動輒就花費數十萬甚至是數百萬，購買一套功能完備的CRM系統，令不少商戶望而卻步。
問題正是出於「功能完備」這四個字，CRM涵蓋的範圍甚為廣濶，不少CRM軟件包括了「營銷及市場推廣管理」(Sales & Marketing Management)、電郵發放及監控系統，甚至公司行政及會計管理系統。在絕大多數的情况下，這種「包羅萬有」的CRM系統，商戶都用不到當中兩成的功能。換言之，有80%的投資是浪費了。
找出CRM系統的首要任務
這當中牽涉到一個最基本的問題，究竟什麼是CRM呢？專家的答案是「增加顧客的忠誠度」！答案若然如此，怪不得CRM系統是如此多功能和昂貴了！因為要增加客戶的忠誠度確實是一件絕不簡單的事情，必然在組織、系統甚至是企業文化作出緊密的配合，故此CRM系统必然繁複而昂貴。
保住20%的貴客和80%的生意
但實情是，CRM的首要任務並不是要「增加顧客的忠誠度」！我這個提法看似有點離經叛道，其實是從一個更具體的角度來定義CRM。
CRM的首要任務，是要找出那些是「已經」非常忠誠的「貴客」，並加以好好維繫，防止流失。
著名的80/20黃金定律告訴我們，20%的「貴客」是生意總額80%的來源。換言之，若能找出這20%的「貴客」，不讓他們流失，商戶就可以確保80%的生意額不被對手搶走。進而若加強對這批「貴客」推銷，商戶就會獲得更佳的利潤回報。
CRM目標明確 系統合用又相宜
不同的定義，衍生不同的CRM方案：若說CRM系统的首要任務是「辨識」這群影響業績深遠的20%「貴客」，要達致這種目標，CRM系统的功能其實不會複雜，故此也就更容易使用，即使是度身訂造，價格亦不會昂貴。
這種以「辨識及維繫貴客」作為首要務的CRM系统需要的「模組」(Module)包括：
一、會員管理
主要功能：「辨識」客戶
二、會員數據追踪及捕捉
主要功能：追踪及捕捉會員的購買及兌換獎賞的記錄
三、「貴客」辨識報表
主要功能：辨識誰是20%的貴客
四、積分/現金券/禮品管理
主要功能：「獎賞」，「激勵」貴客增加消費
上述的「模組」是所有CRM系統的基本和根本，有了這個基礎，我們才進一步研究如何加強整體客戶的忠誠度。
從這個定義出發，對大部份的零售業來說，CRM系统只有兩個基本「模組」就已足夠，一個是「數據捕捉」(Data Capture)，另一個是「報表」(Report)。
這些報表都是協助零售業經營者了解CRM系統的績效，包括
– 生意額增長率
– 會員重訪增長率
– 會員消費增長率
– 市場推廣效率
– 各分店表現之差異等等
故此，針對零售業的CRM系統，重點應放於如何讓商戶快捷、方便地讀取到具商業分析(Business Intelligence)價值的報表，同樣重要的是這些報表必須介面友善(User-Friendly)。
攻守兼備的「客戶忠誠系統」
我們的「客戶忠誠系統」(Customer Loyalty System)建基於這個信念而設計及開發，包括一個先進的「可視重寫會員咭系統」(Visual Rewrite Card System)、用作捕捉顧客每次來訪的交易及活動細節的「忠誠管理軟件」(Loyalty Management Software)、用作顧客分類的「顧客區塊劃分器」(Customer Segmentation Engine)和製作簡便易明報表的「報表編寫器」(Report Generator)。
忠誠管理軟件(左) 報表編寫器(右)
顧客區塊劃分器(左) 可視重寫會員卡(右)
結合上述四項工具可達致攻守兼備的效果：「守」方面是有效地辨識及保住20%的貴客，從而守着80%的生意額。「攻」的一面則是有計劃、有系統地增加80%顧客的忠誠度和活躍度，從而提升營業額。
提升營業額達30%
根據外國多個研究調查結果顯示，設計得宜的CRM系統能提升營業額達17至30%，系統的投資回報率(Return of Investment ROI)是6個月，換言之，企業投資於CRM的費用在半年之內就已能於增加的利潤收回來。這亦解釋了何以近年全球企業投資在CRM系統以幾何級數跳升。
說回百佳的「易賞錢」，推出之後，消費者的口碑只是一般而已，甚至有消費者投訴其「甩漏」甚多。究其原因，是系統設計過於以商戶本身的方便為重，忽略了消費者的「消費體驗」(Shopping Experience)。愈來愈多的CRM專家表示，CRM系統必須配合良好的消費體驗，才能培養出真正的「忠誠顧客」，這又是另一值得探討的議題。
作者：徐少驊︳Jeff Tsui
畢業於澳洲悉尼科技大學。先達智能有限公司創辦人及行政總裁，多年從事VIP、會員、客戶管理方案及諮詢服務，經常主講有關全球「客戶關係管理」(Customer Relationship Management, CRM)趨勢，為多間報刊撰寫企管文章。jeff@chinetekintel.com
先達智能有限公司(Chinetek Intelligence Company Limited - www.chinetekintel.com)
成立於2003年，是一家專門服務零售業的科技公司，開發了兩套產品，包括客戶忠誠系統(Customer Loyalty System)和專門針對美容業和保健業的「美麗中心系統」(Beauty Management System)。推出服務後，很快就成為零售業及美容業管理系統顯要的服務供應商。
11/08/2006
為何「客戶忠誠計劃」不成功
西方有一句諺語：魔鬼在細節（The Devil is in the details），企管學則稱之為「執行力」，也就是說，再好的規劃或策略，在推行時，若沒有環環相扣的執行細節、沒有監察執行的狀 並檢討可改進的地方，則成功的機會是相當渺茫的。
不少服務零售企業，花了很多資源在「客戶忠誠計劃」（Customer Loyalty Program）上，包括購置先進的系統：會員管理軟件、會員咭打印機、回贈禮品或現金禮券……。不過，效果卻差強人意，申請入會者稀、會員活躍度低、會員重訪率和消費額沒有顯著增加，在這種情況下，「客戶忠誠計劃」被管理層判定為錯誤的投資。
「客戶忠誠計劃」已是全球企管專家公認為二十一世紀最重要的市場行銷策略。故此，它的成或敗，並不是「客戶忠誠計劃」本質上有甚麼問題，而是在執行時不夠力度而已。以下我會跟大家分享一些服務零售企業在推行「客戶忠誠計劃」時最常犯的毛病：
一、招收會員不夠主動
一般來說，服務零售企業會印製精美的會員申請表格單張和宣傳海報，內裡詳盡地闡述會籍的申請辦法和會員福利等內容，並將這些單張和海報放置和張貼於舖面的當眼處。主事人認為，客人見到這些資料，如感興趣，自會主動填寫及遞交表格。這是對客人一個錯誤的期望。客人在店舖的主要活動是消費，故此他們的注意力都會集中在產品和服務上，一般客人在心理上會自動地篩走不相關的資訊。所以，即使將會員單張放置於舖面的當眼處，大部分客人還是會視而不見的。
另外，單張和海報上刊印的文字是解釋性多於推銷性的，換言之，文字是死的，欠缺說服力。好了！情況是，留意到會員資訊的客人已經不多，留意到了又採取行動的客人就更少。事實上，要說服客人加入成為會員，跟推銷貨品或服務的難度不遑多讓，絕少客人會主動地拿起表格然後乖乖地奉上資料。所以，「會籍推廣員」是少不了的。
一些公司要求前線員工兼顧推銷會籍的工作，譬如餐飲業的會要求侍應生在下單時向客人「多說兩句」；美容院要求美容師在服務中途向客人推介。我認為這種「兼顧式」會籍推銷效果不會很好。首先，前線員工在工作火線上已經非常忙碌，很容易就忘記了要向客人「多說兩句」了。再加上，服務人員實在不宜兼營推銷，這會降低他們在客人心目中的信任和專業形象。故此，公司應聘用一些「會籍推廣員」，可以是兼職，也可以外判與專業的市場推廣公司，這種作法會使會員招募得到更佳效果。
二、會員不清楚有何「著數」
會員活躍度低是不少會員制度面對的問題。公司花了很多功夫和資源，也聘用了「會籍推銷員」來招收會員，會員數目不斷增加，但是會員累積積分和換領禮品等活動卻十分稀少，何以如此？原因當然有很多，或許是「著數」不夠吸引。不過，更多時候是，會員根本不知道有甚麼「著數」。不少公司以為，已將積分的玩法和「著數」詳細列明在單張內和網站上，會員對有關的訊息理應十分清楚了。
實情是，大部分會員不會主動查核自己的會籍、積分和「著數」兌換狀態，日常生活已有很多要事記掛，會籍事宜又如何會放於心上？所以，公司必須跟會員建一個有效的「全方位行銷」的溝通平台，包括電郵、手電短訊、視訊重寫咭，讓公司和會員隨時隨地連上，告之最新的優惠資訊。
另外，一般公司會在客人結賬時才問客人是否會員，這個步驟可以提前至接待的時候，若客人並非會員，接待人員可以通知「會籍推廣員」。若客人已是會員，則接待員可為客人查核積分狀態，並告之可兌換之禮品、折扣或是現金券。客人經常獲得實質好處，自然就多來訪多消費了。
三、貴客仍然流失
客戶忠誠計劃的主旨之一正是防止客人流失，但一些推行此計劃的公司卻仍然經歷客人流失之苦，流失的客人甚至是高消費一族的貴客。何解？
因為客人不會因一些「著數」就忠誠於你，產品和服務的質素仍然是最重要的。又或是客人一次不愉快的經驗：買了「次貨」、受到服務人員不禮貌的接待，他們就會一去不返。有一個統計數字值得我們留意，有八成客人遇到不愉快的購物經驗，他們不會投訴，而是選擇不再「幫趁」這家店舖。因此，若果你等待客人投訴才去補救，你將永遠沒有這個機會。
所以，任何成功的「客戶忠誠計劃」，都必須配以市場人員的緊貼跟進，定期審閱會員報表，看那些會員突然冷下來，就要主動地連絡，查詢情況並給與優惠，讓客人重返你的懷抱。
作者簡介：徐少驊｜Jeff 畢業於澳洲悉尼科技大學。先達智能有限公司創辦人及行政總裁，多年從事VIP、會員、客戶管理方案及諮詢服務，經常主講有關全球「客戶關係管理」（Customer Relationship Management, CRM）趨勢，為多間報刊撰寫企管文章。jeff@chinetekintel.com
原文刊於《盛世》月刊2006年11月號
不少服務零售企業，花了很多資源在「客戶忠誠計劃」（Customer Loyalty Program）上，包括購置先進的系統：會員管理軟件、會員咭打印機、回贈禮品或現金禮券……。不過，效果卻差強人意，申請入會者稀、會員活躍度低、會員重訪率和消費額沒有顯著增加，在這種情況下，「客戶忠誠計劃」被管理層判定為錯誤的投資。
「客戶忠誠計劃」已是全球企管專家公認為二十一世紀最重要的市場行銷策略。故此，它的成或敗，並不是「客戶忠誠計劃」本質上有甚麼問題，而是在執行時不夠力度而已。以下我會跟大家分享一些服務零售企業在推行「客戶忠誠計劃」時最常犯的毛病：
一、招收會員不夠主動
一般來說，服務零售企業會印製精美的會員申請表格單張和宣傳海報，內裡詳盡地闡述會籍的申請辦法和會員福利等內容，並將這些單張和海報放置和張貼於舖面的當眼處。主事人認為，客人見到這些資料，如感興趣，自會主動填寫及遞交表格。這是對客人一個錯誤的期望。客人在店舖的主要活動是消費，故此他們的注意力都會集中在產品和服務上，一般客人在心理上會自動地篩走不相關的資訊。所以，即使將會員單張放置於舖面的當眼處，大部分客人還是會視而不見的。
另外，單張和海報上刊印的文字是解釋性多於推銷性的，換言之，文字是死的，欠缺說服力。好了！情況是，留意到會員資訊的客人已經不多，留意到了又採取行動的客人就更少。事實上，要說服客人加入成為會員，跟推銷貨品或服務的難度不遑多讓，絕少客人會主動地拿起表格然後乖乖地奉上資料。所以，「會籍推廣員」是少不了的。
一些公司要求前線員工兼顧推銷會籍的工作，譬如餐飲業的會要求侍應生在下單時向客人「多說兩句」；美容院要求美容師在服務中途向客人推介。我認為這種「兼顧式」會籍推銷效果不會很好。首先，前線員工在工作火線上已經非常忙碌，很容易就忘記了要向客人「多說兩句」了。再加上，服務人員實在不宜兼營推銷，這會降低他們在客人心目中的信任和專業形象。故此，公司應聘用一些「會籍推廣員」，可以是兼職，也可以外判與專業的市場推廣公司，這種作法會使會員招募得到更佳效果。
二、會員不清楚有何「著數」
會員活躍度低是不少會員制度面對的問題。公司花了很多功夫和資源，也聘用了「會籍推銷員」來招收會員，會員數目不斷增加，但是會員累積積分和換領禮品等活動卻十分稀少，何以如此？原因當然有很多，或許是「著數」不夠吸引。不過，更多時候是，會員根本不知道有甚麼「著數」。不少公司以為，已將積分的玩法和「著數」詳細列明在單張內和網站上，會員對有關的訊息理應十分清楚了。
實情是，大部分會員不會主動查核自己的會籍、積分和「著數」兌換狀態，日常生活已有很多要事記掛，會籍事宜又如何會放於心上？所以，公司必須跟會員建一個有效的「全方位行銷」的溝通平台，包括電郵、手電短訊、視訊重寫咭，讓公司和會員隨時隨地連上，告之最新的優惠資訊。
另外，一般公司會在客人結賬時才問客人是否會員，這個步驟可以提前至接待的時候，若客人並非會員，接待人員可以通知「會籍推廣員」。若客人已是會員，則接待員可為客人查核積分狀態，並告之可兌換之禮品、折扣或是現金券。客人經常獲得實質好處，自然就多來訪多消費了。
三、貴客仍然流失
客戶忠誠計劃的主旨之一正是防止客人流失，但一些推行此計劃的公司卻仍然經歷客人流失之苦，流失的客人甚至是高消費一族的貴客。何解？
因為客人不會因一些「著數」就忠誠於你，產品和服務的質素仍然是最重要的。又或是客人一次不愉快的經驗：買了「次貨」、受到服務人員不禮貌的接待，他們就會一去不返。有一個統計數字值得我們留意，有八成客人遇到不愉快的購物經驗，他們不會投訴，而是選擇不再「幫趁」這家店舖。因此，若果你等待客人投訴才去補救，你將永遠沒有這個機會。
所以，任何成功的「客戶忠誠計劃」，都必須配以市場人員的緊貼跟進，定期審閱會員報表，看那些會員突然冷下來，就要主動地連絡，查詢情況並給與優惠，讓客人重返你的懷抱。
作者簡介：徐少驊｜Jeff 畢業於澳洲悉尼科技大學。先達智能有限公司創辦人及行政總裁，多年從事VIP、會員、客戶管理方案及諮詢服務，經常主講有關全球「客戶關係管理」（Customer Relationship Management, CRM）趨勢，為多間報刊撰寫企管文章。jeff@chinetekintel.com
原文刊於《盛世》月刊2006年11月號
11/01/2006
Top 10 Customer Service Mistakes
Good customer service is a valuable asset, especially in today's high-tech-oriented, increasingly impersonal business world. Therefore, if you are aware of common customer service mistakes and go out of your way to avoid them, you may strengthen your position in a competitive market.
1 Untrained staff. It does not matter whether you have two or 200 employees, you must train everyone in the art of customer service. Customers or clients will not tolerate rudeness, incorrect information, or apathy on the part of your staff. Not training the staff – which should include everyone – is a major mistake made by too many businesses
2. Trying to win the argument. It is worth remembering that it takes five times more effort (and cost) to gain one new customer as it takes to maintain one current customer. Therefore, by winning an argument and losing a steady customer, you are costing your business a valuable customer.
3. Inaccessibility. If you want to see repeat business, you need to be accessible to your customers. If it is difficult to contact the customer service department or speak to a manager, customers may not return. Many businesses, especially on the Internet, try to maintain a distance from their customers. This rarely works. Check out Online Customer Service Basics for tips on providing a positive online customer service experience.
4. Standing by your policy. While the clerk who is scared that he or she may lose their job can say "that's our policy," customer service representatives and managers should be able to find ways to bend policies to build customer relationships. The phrase "If I do that for you, I'll have do to it for everyone," is one of the fastest way to lose customers.
5. Unfulfilled promises. If you promised a customer that something would be ready by Thursday, then it should have been there by Thursday. There are no excuses, and the only words you need to remember are "we're sorry," backed up by an extra effort to make the customer happy.
6. Poor record keeping. If you keep referring to Mrs. Johnson of Jackson Avenue as Mrs. Jackson of Johnson Avenue, you can be sure she will not continue doing business with your company. While any business can make a mistake, constant misspelled names and similar foul-ups do not encourage regular customers to return.
7. The runaround. When someone calls for customer service, they expect a service representative to be the first or second person they speak to, following a receptionist perhaps. People do not like being passed from one person to another repeatedly or sent from one department to another in a retail location. Passing the buck is akin to passing the customer on to your competitor.
8. Email/online cop outs. Since email is impersonal, many businesses send a form letter or a programmed response that answers 10 common FAQs, none of which may apply to a particular customer. Other businesses simply ignore customer complaints hoping the customer will simply forget about the issue. These are email cop outs, or excuses for not providing adequate customer service. It is very simple for a customer representative to respond to each inquiry in a timely fashion.
9. Failure to listen. Customer service representatives routinely do not listen closely to customers. Typically they respond with an answer that does not match the problem because they were not paying attention. Customer relation representatives need to be trained, particularly in the art of listening and even taking notes.
10. Forgetting the basics. "Please," "thank you," "we're sorry about the inconvenience," and so on are simple phrases that cost nothing, take little effort, and win big points.
1 Untrained staff. It does not matter whether you have two or 200 employees, you must train everyone in the art of customer service. Customers or clients will not tolerate rudeness, incorrect information, or apathy on the part of your staff. Not training the staff – which should include everyone – is a major mistake made by too many businesses
2. Trying to win the argument. It is worth remembering that it takes five times more effort (and cost) to gain one new customer as it takes to maintain one current customer. Therefore, by winning an argument and losing a steady customer, you are costing your business a valuable customer.
3. Inaccessibility. If you want to see repeat business, you need to be accessible to your customers. If it is difficult to contact the customer service department or speak to a manager, customers may not return. Many businesses, especially on the Internet, try to maintain a distance from their customers. This rarely works. Check out Online Customer Service Basics for tips on providing a positive online customer service experience.
4. Standing by your policy. While the clerk who is scared that he or she may lose their job can say "that's our policy," customer service representatives and managers should be able to find ways to bend policies to build customer relationships. The phrase "If I do that for you, I'll have do to it for everyone," is one of the fastest way to lose customers.
5. Unfulfilled promises. If you promised a customer that something would be ready by Thursday, then it should have been there by Thursday. There are no excuses, and the only words you need to remember are "we're sorry," backed up by an extra effort to make the customer happy.
6. Poor record keeping. If you keep referring to Mrs. Johnson of Jackson Avenue as Mrs. Jackson of Johnson Avenue, you can be sure she will not continue doing business with your company. While any business can make a mistake, constant misspelled names and similar foul-ups do not encourage regular customers to return.
7. The runaround. When someone calls for customer service, they expect a service representative to be the first or second person they speak to, following a receptionist perhaps. People do not like being passed from one person to another repeatedly or sent from one department to another in a retail location. Passing the buck is akin to passing the customer on to your competitor.
8. Email/online cop outs. Since email is impersonal, many businesses send a form letter or a programmed response that answers 10 common FAQs, none of which may apply to a particular customer. Other businesses simply ignore customer complaints hoping the customer will simply forget about the issue. These are email cop outs, or excuses for not providing adequate customer service. It is very simple for a customer representative to respond to each inquiry in a timely fashion.
9. Failure to listen. Customer service representatives routinely do not listen closely to customers. Typically they respond with an answer that does not match the problem because they were not paying attention. Customer relation representatives need to be trained, particularly in the art of listening and even taking notes.
10. Forgetting the basics. "Please," "thank you," "we're sorry about the inconvenience," and so on are simple phrases that cost nothing, take little effort, and win big points.
10/09/2006
60-Second Guide to Establishing Great Customer Service
Every once in awhile it pays to sit back and take stock of how you’re running your business. Is the accounting software still the best for the job? Is the phone system meeting your needs? And most importantly, are you focusing on your greatest asset of all: your customers? Sometimes we get so caught up in the mechanics of doing business that we forget the reason we’re in business in the first place.
In just 60-seconds, you’ll learn to establish a way to keep your customers loyal to you.
0:60 Incorporate Customer Service into Your Business Culture
Customer service should be as routine as paying your bills or ordering office supplies. And it doesn’t have to be elaborate to make an impression. Often it’s the small things that customers remember: a phone call returned on time, a card to mark a special occasion, a thank you note or a gift.
0:46 Small Businesses Have a Customer Service Advantage
An advantage of being a small business is that it’s usually easier to respond quickly and personally to customer inquiries. Put yourself in your customers’ shoes. Ask yourself how you would like to be treated, and then act accordingly. Remember to be proactive toward your customers as well as reactive to their concerns and questions.
0:38 Communicate with Your Customers
Keep your customers apprised of the status of their accounts. If someone’s order is held up, let them know as soon as possible. If you promise to have a job done by a certain date and there are glitches, tell your client right away and let them know when you expect the issue will be resolved.
0:20 Respond to Customers Quickly
When dealing with customers or clients over the telephone, try not to put them on hold for longer than a minute or two. If you expect to be tied up for longer than that, take a message and respond as soon as possible. When you plan to attend an important meeting or event with a client, call beforehand to remind them of how they should prepare. After the meeting, check back with the client to find out their impressions. The client will appreciate your concern, and you will gain valuable feedback.
0:11 Let Customers Know You Appreciate their Business
Thank customers for their business. If customers regularly visit your place of business, make them feel welcome with coffee. Also, if customers are likely to bring children to your store or office, keep a basket of toys handy. Harried parents will appreciate the distraction, and are likely to stick around longer if their children are occupied.
0:03 Ask Customers for Feedback
Finally, when you sit back and ask yourself how you’re business is doing, be sure to ask your customers as well. Send them postage-paid response cards or make a questionnaire available in your place of business.
Brought to you by SCORE “Counselors to America’s Small Business”
In just 60-seconds, you’ll learn to establish a way to keep your customers loyal to you.
0:60 Incorporate Customer Service into Your Business Culture
Customer service should be as routine as paying your bills or ordering office supplies. And it doesn’t have to be elaborate to make an impression. Often it’s the small things that customers remember: a phone call returned on time, a card to mark a special occasion, a thank you note or a gift.
0:46 Small Businesses Have a Customer Service Advantage
An advantage of being a small business is that it’s usually easier to respond quickly and personally to customer inquiries. Put yourself in your customers’ shoes. Ask yourself how you would like to be treated, and then act accordingly. Remember to be proactive toward your customers as well as reactive to their concerns and questions.
0:38 Communicate with Your Customers
Keep your customers apprised of the status of their accounts. If someone’s order is held up, let them know as soon as possible. If you promise to have a job done by a certain date and there are glitches, tell your client right away and let them know when you expect the issue will be resolved.
0:20 Respond to Customers Quickly
When dealing with customers or clients over the telephone, try not to put them on hold for longer than a minute or two. If you expect to be tied up for longer than that, take a message and respond as soon as possible. When you plan to attend an important meeting or event with a client, call beforehand to remind them of how they should prepare. After the meeting, check back with the client to find out their impressions. The client will appreciate your concern, and you will gain valuable feedback.
0:11 Let Customers Know You Appreciate their Business
Thank customers for their business. If customers regularly visit your place of business, make them feel welcome with coffee. Also, if customers are likely to bring children to your store or office, keep a basket of toys handy. Harried parents will appreciate the distraction, and are likely to stick around longer if their children are occupied.
0:03 Ask Customers for Feedback
Finally, when you sit back and ask yourself how you’re business is doing, be sure to ask your customers as well. Send them postage-paid response cards or make a questionnaire available in your place of business.
Brought to you by SCORE “Counselors to America’s Small Business”
10/06/2006
留住客人 要先留住員工
我曾在這裡說過，「客戶忠誠計劃」始於「建立會員制度」，但當我讀完Jill Griffin的 "12 Laws of Customer Loyalty"，我必須修正我的說法，「客戶忠誠計劃」始於「建立員工的忠誠度」。有關「員工的忠誠度」對「客戶忠誠計劃」的影響，我們可以從多個角度來審視，Griffin所說的可說是最直接的角度。
客人購買「關係」和「熟識度」
Griffin的說法是：「若你的員工經常流失，要建立一個很強的客戶忠誠度幾乎是不可能的。為甚麼？這是因為客戶購買的不單是你的產品或服務，還有的是「關係」和「熟識度」(relationships and familiarity)，客人希望從那些熟知他們喜好的人那裡購物。所以，有關客戶忠誠計劃的第一條黃金定律是：首先好好地「服侍」你的員工，以致他們能好好地服侍你的客人。」
這一點，對服務業尤為重要，因為服務人員與客人之間的關係十分密切。以美容業為例，客人十分倚重美容師的手藝和美容顧問的意見，隨著服務時日的增加，美容師和顧問熟知客人的要求、關注、喜好和習慣，客人亦與這些人員建立起「關係」和「熟識度」。一旦一間美容院的人員經常流失，客人就購買不到「關係」和「熟識度」。結果會如何？客人即使沒有跟隨美容師和顧問「過檔」至你的競爭對手那裡，也會逐漸減少來訪，直至絕跡於你的店舖。
星巴克使命宣言首重善待員工
是以Griffin提出「首先好好地「服侍」你的員工，以致他們能好好地服侍你的客人」。這使我想到星巴克咖啡的「使命宣言」，內容包含六則「天條」，指導著日常運作和發展。所謂「天條」者，就是不容輕易修改，最高管理層也必須遵從，若管理層的一些決定違反了其中任何一則，員工可拒絕執行。這六則「天條」的首條是「提供完善工作環境，對員工要保持敬意及尊嚴」，第四條才是「盡力培養極度滿意的客人」。
有關善待員工這一則竟然高踞「天條」榜首。從排列的次序看來，善待員工獲得的重視程度甚至比客人的滿意度更高。單是這一點，星巴克可說是開商界的先河。不是說客人才是「米飯班主」嗎？何解員工竟成了聚焦點？！這跟星巴克主席霍華蕭茲（Howard Schultz）如何理解零售業的本質有關。
服務員以服務為榮
蕭茲認為，零售企業的形象以及業績，全繫於最前線服務人員或銷售員每天的工作態度，一旦有任何閃失，客人可能一輩子不再回來，因此員工向心力的強弱，攸關公司成敗，輕忽不得。另外，善待員工，員工流失率就會降低，也就可省下新進人員的培訓費用。
蕭茲花了很多心力「討好」他的員工，首先他打破了零售業服務人員低薪無福利的格局，有了好的待遇，員工自我感覺良好，不以服務為恥，心情開朗，對客人也就能不亢不卑，服務質素自然提高。
蕭茲又引入員工的配股制度，他稱之為「豆股票」（Bean Stock），按員工年薪為基準，無償配股，人人有份，這又開創了商界的另一先河。自此，星巴克不再有「員工」，只有「股東」。此法使所有「股東」也緊張公司的業績，人人都替公司省錢和提供各種開源的創見。上述各項「德政」，使星巴克員工自願解散工會組織，由此可知，管理層與員工的關係是如何親蜜！
必須配以優質服務
事實上，不少零售業經營者只懂關注「米飯班主」，花了不少資源在「辨識客人」、「鼓勵重訪」、「獎賞VIP」和「個性化行銷」上，但效果總是差強人意。究其原因，是服務的介面出了問題。服務人員態度不友善、不主動為客人解決問題，又或經常在客人面前投訴公司種種不是、服務人員持續流失……，這些情況都使客人對該公司產生不良印象，更先進的「客 戶忠誠系統」也無濟於事。
上下一心推動「客戶忠誠計劃」
正如文首所言：員工對「客戶忠誠計劃」的影響可以從多個角度來審視。服務人員的流失只是其中一點。除此之外，公司心須讓上上下下包括前線、後勤支援和市場人員都清晰了解「客戶忠誠計劃」的政策和精神，貫徹始終。否則，前線人員半心半意的推廣會員招募，市場人員沒有定期檢視「客戶忠誠計劃」的成效，VIP流失了卻沒採取挽回行動，則「客戶忠誠系統」淪為裝飾品，資源是浪費了，客人得不到實質好處，倒不如實實在在的給客人來個割價大平賣好了。
作者簡介：徐少驊｜Jeff 畢業於澳洲悉尼科技大學。先達智能有限公司創辦人及行政總裁，多年從事VIP、會員、客戶管理方案及諮詢服務，經常主講有關全球「客戶關係管理」（Customer Relationship Management, CRM）趨勢，為多間報刊撰寫企管文章。jeff@chinetekintel.com
原文刊於《盛世》月刊2006年10月號
客人購買「關係」和「熟識度」
Griffin的說法是：「若你的員工經常流失，要建立一個很強的客戶忠誠度幾乎是不可能的。為甚麼？這是因為客戶購買的不單是你的產品或服務，還有的是「關係」和「熟識度」(relationships and familiarity)，客人希望從那些熟知他們喜好的人那裡購物。所以，有關客戶忠誠計劃的第一條黃金定律是：首先好好地「服侍」你的員工，以致他們能好好地服侍你的客人。」
這一點，對服務業尤為重要，因為服務人員與客人之間的關係十分密切。以美容業為例，客人十分倚重美容師的手藝和美容顧問的意見，隨著服務時日的增加，美容師和顧問熟知客人的要求、關注、喜好和習慣，客人亦與這些人員建立起「關係」和「熟識度」。一旦一間美容院的人員經常流失，客人就購買不到「關係」和「熟識度」。結果會如何？客人即使沒有跟隨美容師和顧問「過檔」至你的競爭對手那裡，也會逐漸減少來訪，直至絕跡於你的店舖。
星巴克使命宣言首重善待員工
是以Griffin提出「首先好好地「服侍」你的員工，以致他們能好好地服侍你的客人」。這使我想到星巴克咖啡的「使命宣言」，內容包含六則「天條」，指導著日常運作和發展。所謂「天條」者，就是不容輕易修改，最高管理層也必須遵從，若管理層的一些決定違反了其中任何一則，員工可拒絕執行。這六則「天條」的首條是「提供完善工作環境，對員工要保持敬意及尊嚴」，第四條才是「盡力培養極度滿意的客人」。
有關善待員工這一則竟然高踞「天條」榜首。從排列的次序看來，善待員工獲得的重視程度甚至比客人的滿意度更高。單是這一點，星巴克可說是開商界的先河。不是說客人才是「米飯班主」嗎？何解員工竟成了聚焦點？！這跟星巴克主席霍華蕭茲（Howard Schultz）如何理解零售業的本質有關。
服務員以服務為榮
蕭茲認為，零售企業的形象以及業績，全繫於最前線服務人員或銷售員每天的工作態度，一旦有任何閃失，客人可能一輩子不再回來，因此員工向心力的強弱，攸關公司成敗，輕忽不得。另外，善待員工，員工流失率就會降低，也就可省下新進人員的培訓費用。
蕭茲花了很多心力「討好」他的員工，首先他打破了零售業服務人員低薪無福利的格局，有了好的待遇，員工自我感覺良好，不以服務為恥，心情開朗，對客人也就能不亢不卑，服務質素自然提高。
蕭茲又引入員工的配股制度，他稱之為「豆股票」（Bean Stock），按員工年薪為基準，無償配股，人人有份，這又開創了商界的另一先河。自此，星巴克不再有「員工」，只有「股東」。此法使所有「股東」也緊張公司的業績，人人都替公司省錢和提供各種開源的創見。上述各項「德政」，使星巴克員工自願解散工會組織，由此可知，管理層與員工的關係是如何親蜜！
必須配以優質服務
事實上，不少零售業經營者只懂關注「米飯班主」，花了不少資源在「辨識客人」、「鼓勵重訪」、「獎賞VIP」和「個性化行銷」上，但效果總是差強人意。究其原因，是服務的介面出了問題。服務人員態度不友善、不主動為客人解決問題，又或經常在客人面前投訴公司種種不是、服務人員持續流失……，這些情況都使客人對該公司產生不良印象，更先進的「客 戶忠誠系統」也無濟於事。
上下一心推動「客戶忠誠計劃」
正如文首所言：員工對「客戶忠誠計劃」的影響可以從多個角度來審視。服務人員的流失只是其中一點。除此之外，公司心須讓上上下下包括前線、後勤支援和市場人員都清晰了解「客戶忠誠計劃」的政策和精神，貫徹始終。否則，前線人員半心半意的推廣會員招募，市場人員沒有定期檢視「客戶忠誠計劃」的成效，VIP流失了卻沒採取挽回行動，則「客戶忠誠系統」淪為裝飾品，資源是浪費了，客人得不到實質好處，倒不如實實在在的給客人來個割價大平賣好了。
作者簡介：徐少驊｜Jeff 畢業於澳洲悉尼科技大學。先達智能有限公司創辦人及行政總裁，多年從事VIP、會員、客戶管理方案及諮詢服務，經常主講有關全球「客戶關係管理」（Customer Relationship Management, CRM）趨勢，為多間報刊撰寫企管文章。jeff@chinetekintel.com
原文刊於《盛世》月刊2006年10月號
9/09/2006
Expanding Your Concept of Service
Your definition of service shapes every interaction you have with your customers. If you hold the common idea that service is only giving customers what they want, you may well paint yourself into a corner every time a customer asks for something that is impossible for you to provide. If, on the other hand, you expand your definition of service to include fulfilling the multitude of less obvious customer needs, you will never encounter a time when you can't provide your customers with some level of service.
By addressing less obvious customer needs such as listening with empathy to customers when they have a problem or providing options and alternatives when you can't give customers exactly what they want, you widen the gap between you and your competitors.
Six basic needs
Every time customers do business with you, they are, without fully realizing it, scoring you on how well you are doing, not only at giving them what they want, but at fulfilling six basic customer needs.
Following is a list of these needs:
Friendliness: The most basic of all customer needs, friendliness is usually associated with being greeted politely and courteously.
Understanding and empathy: The most basic of all customer needs, and it's usually associated with being greeted politely and courteously.
Fairness: The need to be treated fairly is high up on most customers' list of needs.
Control: Control represents the customers' need to feel as if they have an impact on the way things turn out.
Options and alternatives: Customers need to feel that other avenues are available to getting what they want accomplished.
Information: Customers need to be educated and informed about the products, policies, and procedures they encounter when dealing with your company.
A popular piece of customer service folklore states that if you give customers what they ask for (just say yes), then you end up with satisfied customers. This folklore is false. Customers do ask for what they want, but they usually don't ask for these six basic needs. When did you last go into a pizzeria and say, "I'd like one slice of pepperoni pizza, please," and then add, "Could you please be understanding, friendly, and fair?" Customers don't ask for these other needs, but they miss such gestures when they are not provided. To really provide top quality customer service, you need to move beyond the yes folklore to fulfill all your customers' needs.
Reconsider who your customers are
Who are your customers, really? Too often, the definition of customer is limited to someone who is outside of our company. Look up customer in your dictionary. The first definition of customer is a person who buys. The second definition is a person with whom one has dealings.
In fact, everyone who works in a company has customers regardless of whether they work with external, paying customers or internal co-workers. Customers fall into external and internal categories.
The external customer
These are the people you deal with, either face-to-face or over the phone, who buy products or services from you. They are customers in the traditional sense of the word. Without them there would be no sales, no business, no paycheck. If your definition of a customer stops here, you are only seeing half the picture.
The internal customer
The other half of the picture is the people who work inside your company and rely on you for the services, products, and information that they need to get their jobs done. They are not traditional customers, yet they need the same tender, loving care you give to your external customers.
By expanding your definition of a customer to include your co-workers, you are taking a vital step toward excellent service.
The internal customer chain works both ways. Sometimes you are the customer and other times you are the service provider. For example, a co-worker may come to you and ask for a printout of a report. In this case, you are the service provider because you are giving him what he needs. However, ten minutes later, you may turn around and go to that same co-worker and ask for help on a project; now you are the customer.
The customer chain
The relationship between internal customers and external customers is what forms the customer chain. If you have a back room kind of job where you rarely see the light of day, let alone a living, breathing customer, you can easily begin to feel that your work has little or no impact on external customers. But if you look at the bigger picture, you can see that everyone in a company plays some part in fulfilling the customers' needs. Barely an hour goes by during the day when you are not, in some form or another, providing something for somebody. Each interaction with an internal customer is an important link in a chain of events that always ends up at the external customers' feet.
About two years ago, The Wall Street Journal ran an article entitled, "Poorly treated employees treat the customer just as poorly." Boy, does that hit the nail on the head! A frightening percentage of managers do not realize that their staffs are their internal customers, and that the quality of service that a company provides to its customers is a direct reflection of how the staff of the company are treated by their managers. Make it a priority to view your staff as one of your most important customers and treat them accordingly. Doing so means focusing not on what your staff can do to make your job easier, but on what you can do to make their jobs easier.
Many companies seem to overlook another very important link in the service chain — their vendors. By using the techniques of customer service with your vendors, you will not only enhance your relationship with them but also receive better service.
By addressing less obvious customer needs such as listening with empathy to customers when they have a problem or providing options and alternatives when you can't give customers exactly what they want, you widen the gap between you and your competitors.
Six basic needs
Every time customers do business with you, they are, without fully realizing it, scoring you on how well you are doing, not only at giving them what they want, but at fulfilling six basic customer needs.
Following is a list of these needs:
Friendliness: The most basic of all customer needs, friendliness is usually associated with being greeted politely and courteously.
Understanding and empathy: The most basic of all customer needs, and it's usually associated with being greeted politely and courteously.
Fairness: The need to be treated fairly is high up on most customers' list of needs.
Control: Control represents the customers' need to feel as if they have an impact on the way things turn out.
Options and alternatives: Customers need to feel that other avenues are available to getting what they want accomplished.
Information: Customers need to be educated and informed about the products, policies, and procedures they encounter when dealing with your company.
A popular piece of customer service folklore states that if you give customers what they ask for (just say yes), then you end up with satisfied customers. This folklore is false. Customers do ask for what they want, but they usually don't ask for these six basic needs. When did you last go into a pizzeria and say, "I'd like one slice of pepperoni pizza, please," and then add, "Could you please be understanding, friendly, and fair?" Customers don't ask for these other needs, but they miss such gestures when they are not provided. To really provide top quality customer service, you need to move beyond the yes folklore to fulfill all your customers' needs.
Reconsider who your customers are
Who are your customers, really? Too often, the definition of customer is limited to someone who is outside of our company. Look up customer in your dictionary. The first definition of customer is a person who buys. The second definition is a person with whom one has dealings.
In fact, everyone who works in a company has customers regardless of whether they work with external, paying customers or internal co-workers. Customers fall into external and internal categories.
The external customer
These are the people you deal with, either face-to-face or over the phone, who buy products or services from you. They are customers in the traditional sense of the word. Without them there would be no sales, no business, no paycheck. If your definition of a customer stops here, you are only seeing half the picture.
The internal customer
The other half of the picture is the people who work inside your company and rely on you for the services, products, and information that they need to get their jobs done. They are not traditional customers, yet they need the same tender, loving care you give to your external customers.
By expanding your definition of a customer to include your co-workers, you are taking a vital step toward excellent service.
The internal customer chain works both ways. Sometimes you are the customer and other times you are the service provider. For example, a co-worker may come to you and ask for a printout of a report. In this case, you are the service provider because you are giving him what he needs. However, ten minutes later, you may turn around and go to that same co-worker and ask for help on a project; now you are the customer.
The customer chain
The relationship between internal customers and external customers is what forms the customer chain. If you have a back room kind of job where you rarely see the light of day, let alone a living, breathing customer, you can easily begin to feel that your work has little or no impact on external customers. But if you look at the bigger picture, you can see that everyone in a company plays some part in fulfilling the customers' needs. Barely an hour goes by during the day when you are not, in some form or another, providing something for somebody. Each interaction with an internal customer is an important link in a chain of events that always ends up at the external customers' feet.
About two years ago, The Wall Street Journal ran an article entitled, "Poorly treated employees treat the customer just as poorly." Boy, does that hit the nail on the head! A frightening percentage of managers do not realize that their staffs are their internal customers, and that the quality of service that a company provides to its customers is a direct reflection of how the staff of the company are treated by their managers. Make it a priority to view your staff as one of your most important customers and treat them accordingly. Doing so means focusing not on what your staff can do to make your job easier, but on what you can do to make their jobs easier.
Many companies seem to overlook another very important link in the service chain — their vendors. By using the techniques of customer service with your vendors, you will not only enhance your relationship with them but also receive better service.
9/04/2006
積分獎賞十種最流行玩法
前文提到，折扣咭無助增加客人重訪率，大勢所趨乃是「積分制度」，原因是積分有數個致勝特性：包括多消費多「著數」的累進式優惠制度；設定有效期的積分產生在期限前再消費「追分」的效果。「積分制度」已成為全球大小企業最經常使用的「客戶忠誠計劃」獎賞準則，除上述原因外，積分的好處是「玩法」眾多，不同的商戶可按著自己的需要和目的，制定一套積分獎賞制度，以達致「留客」、增加重訪率和消費率的果效。
市面上零售業的積分獎賞制度大致有如下「玩法」 ：
一、 消費積分（Spending Bonus）
這是最主流的一種「玩法」。顧名思義，消費積分就是將消費金額與積分建立一種比率的關係，譬如說，每消費十元就可取得一分。當然，這個比率由商戶自訂，視乎產品價格和商戶說定獲得積分的難易度。
二、 轉介積分 （Referral Bonus）
「客戶忠誠計劃」的主要目的固然是留住舊客，吸引他們重訪消費，但成功的「客戶忠誠計劃」還會帶來額外的果效，就是「舊客帶新客」。忠誠的客戶都有一種習慣，就是向親友推介「好東西」。若會員推介新會員能獲得積分獎賞，則這種果效就會更為顯著了。
三、 感謝祭積分 （Appreciation Bonus）
香港的零售商戶很多時都會用「大減價」來吸引客人，日本則稱之謂「大割引」。不過，在不少客人的心目中，「大減價」的貨品都是賣不出去的「倉底貨」，價值感覺不高。於是，日本的零售企業以另一名目，稱為「感謝祭」，這有點像香港的Pre-Sale，挑選一些特別日子，貨品絕不是「倉底貨」，以優惠的價格，優先讓尊貴的會員選購。會員除了可享受優惠價格外，還可得到額外的積分獎賞。這種「感謝祭」的優惠讓VIP感受到做會員的實質好處和特權感覺。
四、 特別時段積分 （Happy Hours Bonus）
很多零售業都面對一個頭痛問題，就是所謂的「尖峰時刻」（peak hour），不少來客得不到即時的接待而離開，商戶是有生意也接不到。但這個尖峰時刻很短，其餘時間都是門可羅雀。若能把來客分流到非繁忙時段，商戶既可做多點生意，客人亦可得到更佳接待。現時一些商戶用所謂的「Happy Hour優惠」，以優惠價格或「套餐」，來吸引客人從尖峰時刻延至非繁忙時段來訪。積分計劃對這方面亦有幫助，商戶可設定「特別時段積分」，會員在這個時段來訪，可享更高的消費積分比率。
五、 到訪積分（Visit Bonus）
不少零售業都會定期舉辦活動，如展覽、同樂日等，積分設定中有一項名為「到訪積分」，會員出席活動，就可得定額積分。當然，主辦單位除了給與積分外，也可贈送禮品，增加會員的喜悅感覺，從而使他們更忠誠於你。
六、 幸運積分 （Lucky Draw Bonus）
購物固然是為了滿足需求，也可以是一種樂趣。事實上，愈來愈多企管研究顯示，購物過程的樂趣在消費者的心目中愈益重要，企管學者為此起了一個新詞彙，叫做「體驗經濟學」。其中一種不錯的方法是在購物之後來一個幸運抽獎，抽出來的獎品要在下一次消費時才能兌換，此方法有助增加客人的重訪率。很多時幸運抽獎以幸運積分的方式出現，幸運積分可以是一個定額，也可以是「消費積分」的倍數。
七、 生日積分 （Birthday Bonus）
「體驗經濟學」的精意其實是想方設法讓客人在購物過程中感到愉悅，也就是盡量討客人歡心。要討客人歡心，其中一個辨法是在他們的特別日子送上祝福和優惠，譬如會員在生日當天或當月購物可享額外積分和禮品。
八、 積分 + 折扣 + 現金券
前文曾提及，根據一間國際顧問公司的研究結果，會員折扣咭在留住舊客這方面已失去效用。不過，這並不表示折扣制度完全不可行。不少「客戶忠誠計劃」結合「積分」和「折扣」產生極佳的留客效果。商戶可設定在限定的日子之內，會員累積積分至某個數額，就可獲得會籍升級，並享受一個極具吸引力的購物折扣率。這樣會員就有足夠的誘因在期限前消費「追分」。另外，積分亦可與傳統的「現金券」（cash coupon）共用，跟上述的的機制雷同，即會員在期限內累積足夠的積分，就可兌換購物現金券。當然，積分、折扣和現金券可以藉著不同的組合製造出很多不同「玩法」。
九、 月度、季度、年度積分
有一些零售商戶採用所謂的月度、季度、年度積分，即會員必須在每個月都累積到足夠的積分才可獲得優惠，譬如是現金回贈，如未能在「死線」前累積足夠的積分，則僅有的積分亦會報銷，不能使用。之後再有季度積分指標，達標的會員可得到更吸引的優惠。最後是年度積分，在這一年積分達標的「超級會員」，將獲得一個大獎，以作獎勵。這種制度的好處是令會員在整年都保持著「追分」的狀態，商戶亦可藉此辨識誰是真正的VIP，並好好地與以 維繫。
十、 積分貨幣
一些商戶開創了一個十分成功的「客戶忠誠計劃」，客人入會率和會員活躍度都極高，甚至禮品的需求比起貨品的還要大。這個時候，積分就會供不應求。一些商戶設定積分與現金比率，讓會員以現金購買積分。有商戶甚至容許會員之間交換、商借或購買積分，積分儼如成了貨幣。這種制度增加了會員儲分和追分的誘因。
一個成功的「客戶忠誠計劃」除了要有切合目的的積分制度和定立具吸引力的獎賞制度外，當然還需要其他配套措施，例如宣傳推廣包括海報、說明小冊子或單張、禮品換領展示、內部人員培訓……。當然，還必須有一套合適的管理系統，用作會員資料處理和分析，環環相扣，缺一不可。
作者簡介：徐少驊｜Jeff 畢業於澳洲悉尼科技大學。先達智能有限公司創辦人及行政總裁，多年從事VIP、會員、客戶管理方案及諮詢服務，經常主講有關全球「客戶關係管理」（Customer Relationship Management, CRM）趨勢，為多間報刊撰寫企管文章。jeff@chinetekintel.com
原文刊於《盛世》月刊2006年9月號
市面上零售業的積分獎賞制度大致有如下「玩法」 ：
一、 消費積分（Spending Bonus）
這是最主流的一種「玩法」。顧名思義，消費積分就是將消費金額與積分建立一種比率的關係，譬如說，每消費十元就可取得一分。當然，這個比率由商戶自訂，視乎產品價格和商戶說定獲得積分的難易度。
二、 轉介積分 （Referral Bonus）
「客戶忠誠計劃」的主要目的固然是留住舊客，吸引他們重訪消費，但成功的「客戶忠誠計劃」還會帶來額外的果效，就是「舊客帶新客」。忠誠的客戶都有一種習慣，就是向親友推介「好東西」。若會員推介新會員能獲得積分獎賞，則這種果效就會更為顯著了。
三、 感謝祭積分 （Appreciation Bonus）
香港的零售商戶很多時都會用「大減價」來吸引客人，日本則稱之謂「大割引」。不過，在不少客人的心目中，「大減價」的貨品都是賣不出去的「倉底貨」，價值感覺不高。於是，日本的零售企業以另一名目，稱為「感謝祭」，這有點像香港的Pre-Sale，挑選一些特別日子，貨品絕不是「倉底貨」，以優惠的價格，優先讓尊貴的會員選購。會員除了可享受優惠價格外，還可得到額外的積分獎賞。這種「感謝祭」的優惠讓VIP感受到做會員的實質好處和特權感覺。
四、 特別時段積分 （Happy Hours Bonus）
很多零售業都面對一個頭痛問題，就是所謂的「尖峰時刻」（peak hour），不少來客得不到即時的接待而離開，商戶是有生意也接不到。但這個尖峰時刻很短，其餘時間都是門可羅雀。若能把來客分流到非繁忙時段，商戶既可做多點生意，客人亦可得到更佳接待。現時一些商戶用所謂的「Happy Hour優惠」，以優惠價格或「套餐」，來吸引客人從尖峰時刻延至非繁忙時段來訪。積分計劃對這方面亦有幫助，商戶可設定「特別時段積分」，會員在這個時段來訪，可享更高的消費積分比率。
五、 到訪積分（Visit Bonus）
不少零售業都會定期舉辦活動，如展覽、同樂日等，積分設定中有一項名為「到訪積分」，會員出席活動，就可得定額積分。當然，主辦單位除了給與積分外，也可贈送禮品，增加會員的喜悅感覺，從而使他們更忠誠於你。
六、 幸運積分 （Lucky Draw Bonus）
購物固然是為了滿足需求，也可以是一種樂趣。事實上，愈來愈多企管研究顯示，購物過程的樂趣在消費者的心目中愈益重要，企管學者為此起了一個新詞彙，叫做「體驗經濟學」。其中一種不錯的方法是在購物之後來一個幸運抽獎，抽出來的獎品要在下一次消費時才能兌換，此方法有助增加客人的重訪率。很多時幸運抽獎以幸運積分的方式出現，幸運積分可以是一個定額，也可以是「消費積分」的倍數。
七、 生日積分 （Birthday Bonus）
「體驗經濟學」的精意其實是想方設法讓客人在購物過程中感到愉悅，也就是盡量討客人歡心。要討客人歡心，其中一個辨法是在他們的特別日子送上祝福和優惠，譬如會員在生日當天或當月購物可享額外積分和禮品。
八、 積分 + 折扣 + 現金券
前文曾提及，根據一間國際顧問公司的研究結果，會員折扣咭在留住舊客這方面已失去效用。不過，這並不表示折扣制度完全不可行。不少「客戶忠誠計劃」結合「積分」和「折扣」產生極佳的留客效果。商戶可設定在限定的日子之內，會員累積積分至某個數額，就可獲得會籍升級，並享受一個極具吸引力的購物折扣率。這樣會員就有足夠的誘因在期限前消費「追分」。另外，積分亦可與傳統的「現金券」（cash coupon）共用，跟上述的的機制雷同，即會員在期限內累積足夠的積分，就可兌換購物現金券。當然，積分、折扣和現金券可以藉著不同的組合製造出很多不同「玩法」。
九、 月度、季度、年度積分
有一些零售商戶採用所謂的月度、季度、年度積分，即會員必須在每個月都累積到足夠的積分才可獲得優惠，譬如是現金回贈，如未能在「死線」前累積足夠的積分，則僅有的積分亦會報銷，不能使用。之後再有季度積分指標，達標的會員可得到更吸引的優惠。最後是年度積分，在這一年積分達標的「超級會員」，將獲得一個大獎，以作獎勵。這種制度的好處是令會員在整年都保持著「追分」的狀態，商戶亦可藉此辨識誰是真正的VIP，並好好地與以 維繫。
十、 積分貨幣
一些商戶開創了一個十分成功的「客戶忠誠計劃」，客人入會率和會員活躍度都極高，甚至禮品的需求比起貨品的還要大。這個時候，積分就會供不應求。一些商戶設定積分與現金比率，讓會員以現金購買積分。有商戶甚至容許會員之間交換、商借或購買積分，積分儼如成了貨幣。這種制度增加了會員儲分和追分的誘因。
一個成功的「客戶忠誠計劃」除了要有切合目的的積分制度和定立具吸引力的獎賞制度外，當然還需要其他配套措施，例如宣傳推廣包括海報、說明小冊子或單張、禮品換領展示、內部人員培訓……。當然，還必須有一套合適的管理系統，用作會員資料處理和分析，環環相扣，缺一不可。
作者簡介：徐少驊｜Jeff 畢業於澳洲悉尼科技大學。先達智能有限公司創辦人及行政總裁，多年從事VIP、會員、客戶管理方案及諮詢服務，經常主講有關全球「客戶關係管理」（Customer Relationship Management, CRM）趨勢，為多間報刊撰寫企管文章。jeff@chinetekintel.com
原文刊於《盛世》月刊2006年9月號
8/25/2006
How to Build Customer Loyalty in an Internet World
by Edward Prewitt of CIO magazine
"ONE of the best things you can do with CRM technology is find out who your valuable customers are." —FRED REICHHELD, BAIN & CO.
If you really want customers to keep coming back, then toss out those glossy brochures from vendors looking to sell you the latest in CRM software. Customer loyalty does not stem from clever stratagems to collect every conceivable piece of data from customers and then cross-sell them something they don't want, says Fred Reichheld, Boston-based Bain & Co. director emeritus and Bain fellow who has studied the topic.
In fact, the very concept of customer relationship management is misguided, Reichheld argues. Companies shouldn't try to manage loyal customers, he says; long-standing relationships arise from trust gained over many transactions, and they are sustained by customers' belief that the company wishes to keep them around rather than drive them away.
"CRM is manipulation in too many cases. Companies are acting on information of customers against their interests—calling them at home at night, charging them at the highest price point [that CRM software shows they will pay]," says Reichheld, author of two books on loyalty, including Loyalty Rules (Harvard Business School Press, 2001). "Loyalty means listening to your partner, creating mutual satisfaction."
Customer loyalty seems like a quaint notion in the Internet age, when customers can search out lower prices and defect to competitors with a mouse-click. Yet Reichheld's research has found that in the faceless online market, customers yearn for trustworthiness more than ever. Give it to them and they're yours forever, he says. That kind of loyalty is immensely valuable: Reichheld's analysis shows that a 5 percent increase in customer retention rates results in a 25 percent to 95 percent increase in profits. Clearly, customer loyalty is too central to companies' fortunes to be left to the marketing departments alone. And with technology so important in determining retention—or customer disaffection, if technology is improperly used—CIOs have a role to play. "If I were a CIO, I would really want to start to influence customer data," Reichheld says. This influence can take two forms, he says: a redeployment of CRM software and the creation of entirely new metrics for customer loyalty.
Shooing Away Butterflies
CRM is not altogether awful, in Reichheld's view. It's just that, too often, the standard CRM practices lead to vexation or worse from customers, not loyalty. Not many people enjoy being inundated with telephone calls and mailings from a vendor and its marketing affiliates. There is a good and virtuous use of CRM, however. "One of the best things you can do with CRM technology is find out who the valuable customers are—those who are staying, not just any customer willing to accept your offer to switch [from a competitor]," says Reichheld.
CRM data can do more than tell your marketing department what to pitch to customers. CRM software can also be used to determine which customers are worthy of a sales pitch. This may sound counterintuitive to capitalists, but loyalty is a two-way street. "Companies should try to invest only in relationships where there's the potential for long-term value," Reichheld says.
What he calls butterflies—customers who jump from one promotional offer to another—do not create that potential. Such customers often don't even provide short-term value, in fact. Think of credit card customers who flit from bank to bank following a succession of introductory rates.
Instead, companies should invest their resources in courting "barnacles"—customers who are likely to stick around for many years, as long as they're treated right.
Once companies know who their best customers are, the real work begins—convincing them to stay forevermore. Dell Computer, for instance, uses CRM data to determine which customers have the greatest hardware needs and then provides extra value to that select group, in the form of free Web portals. Although Dell garners a great deal of valuable customer information from its sales transactions, which are largely conducted via the Web, the company abjures common practices such as selling customer lists to outside vendors. Instead, Dell has set up Premier Pages for thousands of its best customers. These customized, secure websites allow customers to check on order status, arrange delivery dates and troubleshoot problems through Dell's help desk. Many Dell customers, which tend to be large companies, use their Premier Pages to keep track of systemwide computer purchases for better asset management. "The Internet offers most businesses a rich set of possibilities for improving the customer lifetime experience, but few firms have matched Dell's initiative," Reichheld says in Loyalty Rules.
Gauging Customer Loyalty
IS groups are typically content to fulfill the data-gathering requests of other departments rather than create their own surveys. But if existing measures of customer loyalty are inadequate, perhaps it's time for CIOs to step up to the plate. Companies typically gauge how well they're serving customers by getting them to fill out satisfaction surveys. There's a far more effective way to measure satisfaction, Reichheld says: Rather than limit yourself to the fraction of customers willing to tell you what they think, track the percentage of customers who come back. Retention rates capture the real financial ramifications of whether or not a company is delivering high value to its customers.
Although less than 20 percent of companies track customer retention, a few use it to great effect, estimates Reichheld. USAA, a San Antonio-based insurance company, for example, has made customer retention the top metric for executive performance. USAA's budget submittals must address how they will maintain or improve customer retention. Not surprisingly, the company has one of the highest retention rates of any insurer in the world.
A second loyalty metric that CIOs should consider instituting for their companies is Reichheld's own Loyalty Acid Test, found at www.loyaltyeffect.com/loyaltyrules/index.html, which asks customers whether a company is worthy of their loyalty. The 25 survey questions capture how loyal customers are to a particular company and why. Reichheld benchmarked the acid test with several companies that his research has identified as "loyalty leaders," including Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Harley-Davidson, Intuit, L.L.Bean, Northwestern Mutual, USAA, The Vanguard Group and SAS Institute. Overall, 70 percent of their customers said these eight companies deserved their loyalty—compared with less than 50 percent of the customers of a representative sample of all U.S. companies.
While keeping customers happy makes sense on an intuitive level, Reichheld is at pains to stress that it is good business sense. "The question is, Is a company getting profits from employees and customers or at their expense?" he asks. If the answer is the latter, then CIOs do their company a painful but important service in revealing the extent of customer dissatisfaction.
"ONE of the best things you can do with CRM technology is find out who your valuable customers are." —FRED REICHHELD, BAIN & CO.
If you really want customers to keep coming back, then toss out those glossy brochures from vendors looking to sell you the latest in CRM software. Customer loyalty does not stem from clever stratagems to collect every conceivable piece of data from customers and then cross-sell them something they don't want, says Fred Reichheld, Boston-based Bain & Co. director emeritus and Bain fellow who has studied the topic.
In fact, the very concept of customer relationship management is misguided, Reichheld argues. Companies shouldn't try to manage loyal customers, he says; long-standing relationships arise from trust gained over many transactions, and they are sustained by customers' belief that the company wishes to keep them around rather than drive them away.
"CRM is manipulation in too many cases. Companies are acting on information of customers against their interests—calling them at home at night, charging them at the highest price point [that CRM software shows they will pay]," says Reichheld, author of two books on loyalty, including Loyalty Rules (Harvard Business School Press, 2001). "Loyalty means listening to your partner, creating mutual satisfaction."
Customer loyalty seems like a quaint notion in the Internet age, when customers can search out lower prices and defect to competitors with a mouse-click. Yet Reichheld's research has found that in the faceless online market, customers yearn for trustworthiness more than ever. Give it to them and they're yours forever, he says. That kind of loyalty is immensely valuable: Reichheld's analysis shows that a 5 percent increase in customer retention rates results in a 25 percent to 95 percent increase in profits. Clearly, customer loyalty is too central to companies' fortunes to be left to the marketing departments alone. And with technology so important in determining retention—or customer disaffection, if technology is improperly used—CIOs have a role to play. "If I were a CIO, I would really want to start to influence customer data," Reichheld says. This influence can take two forms, he says: a redeployment of CRM software and the creation of entirely new metrics for customer loyalty.
Shooing Away Butterflies
CRM is not altogether awful, in Reichheld's view. It's just that, too often, the standard CRM practices lead to vexation or worse from customers, not loyalty. Not many people enjoy being inundated with telephone calls and mailings from a vendor and its marketing affiliates. There is a good and virtuous use of CRM, however. "One of the best things you can do with CRM technology is find out who the valuable customers are—those who are staying, not just any customer willing to accept your offer to switch [from a competitor]," says Reichheld.
CRM data can do more than tell your marketing department what to pitch to customers. CRM software can also be used to determine which customers are worthy of a sales pitch. This may sound counterintuitive to capitalists, but loyalty is a two-way street. "Companies should try to invest only in relationships where there's the potential for long-term value," Reichheld says.
What he calls butterflies—customers who jump from one promotional offer to another—do not create that potential. Such customers often don't even provide short-term value, in fact. Think of credit card customers who flit from bank to bank following a succession of introductory rates.
Instead, companies should invest their resources in courting "barnacles"—customers who are likely to stick around for many years, as long as they're treated right.
Once companies know who their best customers are, the real work begins—convincing them to stay forevermore. Dell Computer, for instance, uses CRM data to determine which customers have the greatest hardware needs and then provides extra value to that select group, in the form of free Web portals. Although Dell garners a great deal of valuable customer information from its sales transactions, which are largely conducted via the Web, the company abjures common practices such as selling customer lists to outside vendors. Instead, Dell has set up Premier Pages for thousands of its best customers. These customized, secure websites allow customers to check on order status, arrange delivery dates and troubleshoot problems through Dell's help desk. Many Dell customers, which tend to be large companies, use their Premier Pages to keep track of systemwide computer purchases for better asset management. "The Internet offers most businesses a rich set of possibilities for improving the customer lifetime experience, but few firms have matched Dell's initiative," Reichheld says in Loyalty Rules.
Gauging Customer Loyalty
IS groups are typically content to fulfill the data-gathering requests of other departments rather than create their own surveys. But if existing measures of customer loyalty are inadequate, perhaps it's time for CIOs to step up to the plate. Companies typically gauge how well they're serving customers by getting them to fill out satisfaction surveys. There's a far more effective way to measure satisfaction, Reichheld says: Rather than limit yourself to the fraction of customers willing to tell you what they think, track the percentage of customers who come back. Retention rates capture the real financial ramifications of whether or not a company is delivering high value to its customers.
Although less than 20 percent of companies track customer retention, a few use it to great effect, estimates Reichheld. USAA, a San Antonio-based insurance company, for example, has made customer retention the top metric for executive performance. USAA's budget submittals must address how they will maintain or improve customer retention. Not surprisingly, the company has one of the highest retention rates of any insurer in the world.
A second loyalty metric that CIOs should consider instituting for their companies is Reichheld's own Loyalty Acid Test, found at www.loyaltyeffect.com/loyaltyrules/index.html, which asks customers whether a company is worthy of their loyalty. The 25 survey questions capture how loyal customers are to a particular company and why. Reichheld benchmarked the acid test with several companies that his research has identified as "loyalty leaders," including Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Harley-Davidson, Intuit, L.L.Bean, Northwestern Mutual, USAA, The Vanguard Group and SAS Institute. Overall, 70 percent of their customers said these eight companies deserved their loyalty—compared with less than 50 percent of the customers of a representative sample of all U.S. companies.
While keeping customers happy makes sense on an intuitive level, Reichheld is at pains to stress that it is good business sense. "The question is, Is a company getting profits from employees and customers or at their expense?" he asks. If the answer is the latter, then CIOs do their company a painful but important service in revealing the extent of customer dissatisfaction.
8/01/2006
會員制度的成敗關鍵
前文提到，任何「客戶忠誠計劃」都必須始於設立「會員制度」（Membership System）。事實上，目前不少零售業都有設立會員制度，不過就未必很有成效，花了大量金錢、時間和心血，會員還是很少重訪，生意額沒有顯著增加，甚至客人仍然蟬過別枝，一點兒「忠誠」的意識也培養不出來。於是，一些「受害者」就宣稱，會員制度根本沒用，還不如減價促銷來得便捷。
要令一個「客戶忠誠計劃」成功，確實不是設立一個會員制度這麼簡單，而是要有一套整全的「配套」措施和工具，才會見效。這一篇，我就是要跟大家分享這個主題。
折扣咭無助增加客人重訪率
國際知名的「蓋洛普市場諮詢公司」（Gallup Organization），做了一個有關「客戶忠誠計劃」的研究，報告裡有這樣的發現：折扣咭對吸引會員重訪並無功效。蓋洛普的發現似乎有點兒違反常識，我們都傾向相信，客戶都是貪小便宜的，所以，只要商戶願意給予折扣，客戶都必定會積極回應。
要揚開這個謎底，我們可以從自己的經驗出發：首先請自我檢視，你擁有多少張零售業的會員折扣咭？不少吧！你是否經常使用這些折扣咭購物？換句話說，你會否為了一個常存的折扣優惠而增加光顧這些店舖？
客人不信任折扣咭
蓋洛普說，一般的消費者都不會！原因是他們根本不相信這些常存的折扣是真正的優惠。在他們的腦海中，太容易獲得的折扣其實是零售商的詭計：他們認為，零售商先將價格調高，然後再用折扣的方式調下來，以製造優惠的假象。
另外，一張全年通用的折扣咭產生不到重訪的催迫力。會員知道，一年裡的任何時候，來到這家店舖消費，都會得到同等的待遇，他們就會傾向延遲消費。相反地，一家沒有設立會員折扣制度的店舖，突然來一次季度或周年大減價，客人就會在限定的時間之內趕往「執平貨」，因為他們知道，這種機會不是常有，不常有的優惠才顯珍貴。
「價值感覺」是命脈所在
折扣咭還有一個先天不足之處，就是將所有客戶獲得的優惠齊同化：陳小姐、李太太和張女士出示會員折扣咭，一律都是獲得九折。即使這間零售店舖的會員制度較為「先進」，分白金、金和普通三級制，但基本的優惠邏輯還是一樣：同一級別的會員獲得的折扣都是一樣的。這種一體化的優惠政策很難在客戶的心目中產生「價值感覺」。
事實上，「價值感覺」是所有「客戶忠誠計劃」的命脈所在，是客人會否積極地參與的主要因素。若客人認為你所給予的優惠不夠吸引，又或他們質疑你給予的優惠是名過其實，就會打擊他們的參與意欲，整個「客戶忠誠計劃」就會淪為裝飾品，這正是目前不少會員制度問題的濫觴。
積分制度獲大企垂青
折扣咭對吸引會員重訪是無效的！這是蓋洛普的研究結果，那麼，什麼才有效呢？蓋洛普說，是「積分制度」（Bonus Point System）！
事實上，積分制度是全球大勢所趨。無論是信用咭、航空公司的飛行里數或是八達通付款系統，都是採用積分作為「客戶忠誠計劃」的計算和獎賞制度，說明了積分確實有效，才得到這些超級企業的垂青。
客人增加消費的「誘因」
我們可以說，積分制度跟折扣制度在本質上剛好相反，以致它給予客人一個很高的「價值感覺」。首先，積分制度奉行的是經濟學最基本的道理，即「誘因」（incentive）是人類行為的動力。如何才能使客人增加消費？就是當他們愈多消費可獲得愈多的「獎賞」（Reward）或「優待」（Privilege）的時候。換言之，每一名客人得到的優惠都不同，端視乎他們在店舖內的消費水平和頻率。這種「多消費多著數」跟資本主義的「多勞多得」背後的理念是同出一脈的。
積分制度創造「追分」效果
另外，一般來說，積分制度都會設定積分的有效期（Expiry Date），這驅使客人在指定的時限內累積足數的積分以換取心儀的優惠，這種格局形成了「追分」的效果，也就達到增加重訪消費的目標。
正如文首所言，一個成功的「客戶忠誠計劃」，必須有一套整全的「配套」措施和工具，我會於下一篇跟大家繼續分享這一個課題，並介紹市面目前有那幾種的主流積分計劃。
作者簡介：徐少驊｜Jeff 畢業於澳洲悉尼科技大學。先達智能有限公司創辦人及行政總裁，多年從事VIP、會員、客戶管理方案及諮詢服務，經常主講有關全球「客戶關係管理」（Customer Relationship Management, CRM）趨勢，為多間報刊撰寫企管文章。jeff@chinetekintel.com
原文刊於《盛世》月刊2006年8月號
7/24/2006
12 Laws of Customer Loyalty
1. Build staff loyalty
It's a fact: firms with high levels of customer loyalty have also earned high levels of staff loyalty. It's darn near impossible to build strong customer loyalty with a staff that is in constant turnover.
Why? Because customers buy relationships and familiarity. They want to buy from people who know them and their preferences. Key rule of loyalty: serve your employees first so that they, in turn, can serve your customer.
2. Practice the 80/20 rule
In building customer loyalty, the 80/20 rule is alive and well. Roughly speaking, 80% of your revenue is being generated by 20% of your customers.
All customers are not created equal. Some represent more long-term value to your firm than others. A smart company segments customers by value and monitors activities closely to ensure high-value customers get their fair share of special offers and promotions. Unlike many firms that simply measure overall redemption, these savvy loyalty builders pay close attention to who redeems.
3. Know your loyalty stages and ensure that your customers are moving through them
Customers become loyal to a company and its products and service one step at a time. By understanding the customer's current loyalty stage, you can better determine what's necessary to move that customer to the next level of loyalty. There are six stages of customer loyalty: suspect, prospect, first-time customer, repeat customer, client and advocate.
If your customer relationship processes and programs aren't moving customers forward, rethink them.
4. Serve first, sell second
Today's customers are smarter, better informed and more intolerant of “being sold” than ever before. They expect doing business with you to be as hassle-free and gratifying for them as possible.
When they experience good service elsewhere, they bring a if-they-can-do-it-why-can't–you attitude to their next transaction with you. They believe that you earn their business with service that is pleasant, productive and personalized; and if you don't deliver, they'll leave.
5. Aggressively seek out customer complaints
For most companies, only 10% of complaints get articulated by customers. The other 90% are unarticulated and manifest themselves in many negative ways: unpaid invoices, lack of courtesy to your frontline service reps and, above all, negative word of mouth.
With the Internet, an unhappy customer can now reach thousands of your would-be customers in a few keystrokes. Head off bad press before it happens. Make it easy for customers to complain, and treat complaints seriously. Establish firm guidelines regarding customer response time, reporting and trend analysis. Make employee complaint monitoring a key tool for executive decision making.
6. Stay responsive
Research shows that responsiveness is closely tied to a customer's perception of good service. The advent of the Internet has changed the customer's perception of responsiveness. More and more, customers are coming to expect round-the-clock customer service.
Moreover, customers now arrive at Web sites time-starved and eager to locate answers. Technology tools such as customer self-service, email management and live chat/Web callback are proving increasingly critical for companies as they address the demanding customer's responsiveness needs.
7. Know your customer's definition of value
The loyalty password is “value.” Knowing how your customers experience value and then delivering on those terms is critical to building strong customer loyalty.
But knowing your customer's true definition of value is not easy, because your customers' value definitions are constantly changing. Invest in customer loyalty research that enables you to understand, through the eyes of the customer, how well you deliver value.
8. Win back lost customers
Research shows that a business is twice as likely to successfully sell to a lost customer as to a new prospect. Yet, winning back lost customers is frequently the most overlooked source for incremental revenue in many firms.
Why? Because most firms consider a lost customer a lost cause. With the average company losing 20-40% of its customers every year, it's imperative that firms create hard-working strategies not only for acquisition and retention but also for win-back. Since no customer retention program can be 100% foolproof, it follows that every company needs a process for recapturing those high-value customers who depart. Think of it as loyalty insurance.
9. Use multiple channels to serve the same customers well
Research suggests that customers who engage with a firm through multiple channels exhibit deeper loyalty than single-channel customers. But take note: this finding assumes that customers get the same consistent service whether coming into the store, logging on the Web site or calling the service center.
To achieve consistency, your firm must internally coordinate sales and service across multiple channels so that customer preferences are accessible no matter how the customer chooses to interact. Today's customers expect to hop from channel to channel, and they expect good service to follow.
10. Give your frontline the skills to perform
Increasingly, for many companies, the employee “frontline” is a call center where agents interact with customers. These agents will be the “loyalty warriors” of the future. Converged call centers that bring together multi-channel access points (phone, fax, email, Web) are on the rise.
Gartner Group estimates that 70% of North America's call centers will migrate to multi-channel contact centers by 2005. This means that those agents need to be as equipped to write a well-written email reply and navigate the company Web site as they are in being helpful and friendly on a phone call.
11. Collaborate with your channel partners
In today's complex marketplace, a firm is often dependent on many suppliers to help serve its customers. Embracing these supply chain relationships for the greater good of the ultimate customer creates customer value that is hard for competitors to match.
For example, a European auto manufacturer converted its customer data base program into a system that could be shared by all channel partners. By refusing to hoard the information, the manufacturer helped create a blended channel strategy that built greater customer loyalty throughout the distribution chain.
12. Store your data in a centralized database
Most firms lack a 360-degree view of their customer because they have no centralized database. Billing departments, sales divisions and customer service centers might all have their own databases, with no effective means for creating a complete customer-information composite.
To effectively implement a sound customer loyalty strategy, data from all customer touchpoints must be combined into a centralized customer database. Without it, the firm is greatly handicapped in its efforts to serve the customer.
by Jill Griffin
It's a fact: firms with high levels of customer loyalty have also earned high levels of staff loyalty. It's darn near impossible to build strong customer loyalty with a staff that is in constant turnover.
Why? Because customers buy relationships and familiarity. They want to buy from people who know them and their preferences. Key rule of loyalty: serve your employees first so that they, in turn, can serve your customer.
2. Practice the 80/20 rule
In building customer loyalty, the 80/20 rule is alive and well. Roughly speaking, 80% of your revenue is being generated by 20% of your customers.
All customers are not created equal. Some represent more long-term value to your firm than others. A smart company segments customers by value and monitors activities closely to ensure high-value customers get their fair share of special offers and promotions. Unlike many firms that simply measure overall redemption, these savvy loyalty builders pay close attention to who redeems.
3. Know your loyalty stages and ensure that your customers are moving through them
Customers become loyal to a company and its products and service one step at a time. By understanding the customer's current loyalty stage, you can better determine what's necessary to move that customer to the next level of loyalty. There are six stages of customer loyalty: suspect, prospect, first-time customer, repeat customer, client and advocate.
If your customer relationship processes and programs aren't moving customers forward, rethink them.
4. Serve first, sell second
Today's customers are smarter, better informed and more intolerant of “being sold” than ever before. They expect doing business with you to be as hassle-free and gratifying for them as possible.
When they experience good service elsewhere, they bring a if-they-can-do-it-why-can't–you attitude to their next transaction with you. They believe that you earn their business with service that is pleasant, productive and personalized; and if you don't deliver, they'll leave.
5. Aggressively seek out customer complaints
For most companies, only 10% of complaints get articulated by customers. The other 90% are unarticulated and manifest themselves in many negative ways: unpaid invoices, lack of courtesy to your frontline service reps and, above all, negative word of mouth.
With the Internet, an unhappy customer can now reach thousands of your would-be customers in a few keystrokes. Head off bad press before it happens. Make it easy for customers to complain, and treat complaints seriously. Establish firm guidelines regarding customer response time, reporting and trend analysis. Make employee complaint monitoring a key tool for executive decision making.
6. Stay responsive
Research shows that responsiveness is closely tied to a customer's perception of good service. The advent of the Internet has changed the customer's perception of responsiveness. More and more, customers are coming to expect round-the-clock customer service.
Moreover, customers now arrive at Web sites time-starved and eager to locate answers. Technology tools such as customer self-service, email management and live chat/Web callback are proving increasingly critical for companies as they address the demanding customer's responsiveness needs.
7. Know your customer's definition of value
The loyalty password is “value.” Knowing how your customers experience value and then delivering on those terms is critical to building strong customer loyalty.
But knowing your customer's true definition of value is not easy, because your customers' value definitions are constantly changing. Invest in customer loyalty research that enables you to understand, through the eyes of the customer, how well you deliver value.
8. Win back lost customers
Research shows that a business is twice as likely to successfully sell to a lost customer as to a new prospect. Yet, winning back lost customers is frequently the most overlooked source for incremental revenue in many firms.
Why? Because most firms consider a lost customer a lost cause. With the average company losing 20-40% of its customers every year, it's imperative that firms create hard-working strategies not only for acquisition and retention but also for win-back. Since no customer retention program can be 100% foolproof, it follows that every company needs a process for recapturing those high-value customers who depart. Think of it as loyalty insurance.
9. Use multiple channels to serve the same customers well
Research suggests that customers who engage with a firm through multiple channels exhibit deeper loyalty than single-channel customers. But take note: this finding assumes that customers get the same consistent service whether coming into the store, logging on the Web site or calling the service center.
To achieve consistency, your firm must internally coordinate sales and service across multiple channels so that customer preferences are accessible no matter how the customer chooses to interact. Today's customers expect to hop from channel to channel, and they expect good service to follow.
10. Give your frontline the skills to perform
Increasingly, for many companies, the employee “frontline” is a call center where agents interact with customers. These agents will be the “loyalty warriors” of the future. Converged call centers that bring together multi-channel access points (phone, fax, email, Web) are on the rise.
Gartner Group estimates that 70% of North America's call centers will migrate to multi-channel contact centers by 2005. This means that those agents need to be as equipped to write a well-written email reply and navigate the company Web site as they are in being helpful and friendly on a phone call.
11. Collaborate with your channel partners
In today's complex marketplace, a firm is often dependent on many suppliers to help serve its customers. Embracing these supply chain relationships for the greater good of the ultimate customer creates customer value that is hard for competitors to match.
For example, a European auto manufacturer converted its customer data base program into a system that could be shared by all channel partners. By refusing to hoard the information, the manufacturer helped create a blended channel strategy that built greater customer loyalty throughout the distribution chain.
12. Store your data in a centralized database
Most firms lack a 360-degree view of their customer because they have no centralized database. Billing departments, sales divisions and customer service centers might all have their own databases, with no effective means for creating a complete customer-information composite.
To effectively implement a sound customer loyalty strategy, data from all customer touchpoints must be combined into a centralized customer database. Without it, the firm is greatly handicapped in its efforts to serve the customer.
by Jill Griffin
Strategize And Plan For Loyalty
"It takes a lot less money to increase your retention of current customers than to find new ones-but I know I don't give it as much effort as I should because it does take a lot of energy and effort!"
Do you even have a specific plan for building customer loyalty?
I bet you haven't given it as much thought as you should- because to tell the truth I need to give it more effort also.
If you currently retain 70 percent of your customers and you start a program to improve that to 80 percent, you'll add an additional 10 percent to your growth rate.
Particularly because of the high cost of landing new customers versus the high profitability of a loyal customer base, you might want to reflect upon your current business strategy.
These four factors will greatly affect your ability to build a loyal customer base:
1/ Products that are highly differentiated from those of the competition.
2/ Higher-end products where price is not the primary buying factor.
3/ Products with a high service component.
4/ Multiple products for the same customer.
Market To Your Own Customers!
Giving a lot of thought to your marketing programs aimed at current customers is one aspect of building customer loyalty.
When you buy a new car, many dealers will within minutes try to sell you an extended warranty, an alarm system, and maybe rustproofing. It's often a very easy sale and costs the dealer almost nothing to make. Are there additional products or services you can sell your customers?
Three years ago my house was painted, and it's now due for another coat. Why hasn't the painter called or at least sent a card? It would be a lot less expensive than getting new customers through his newspaper ad, and since I was happy with his work I won't get four competing bids this time. Keep all the information you can on your customers and don't hesitate to ask for the next sale.
Use Complaints To Build Business!
When customers aren't happy with your business they usually won't complain to you - instead, they'll probably complain to just about everyone else they know - and take their business to your competition next time. That's why an increasing number of businesses are making follow-up calls or mailing satisfaction questionnaires after the sale is made. They find that if they promptly follow up and resolve a customer's complaint, the customer might be even more likely to do business than the average customer who didn't have a complaint.
In many business situations, the customer will have many more interactions after the sale with technical, service, or customer support people than they did with the sales people. So if you're serious about retaining customers or getting referrals, these interactions are the ones that are really going to matter. They really should be handled with the same attention and focus that sales calls get because in a way they are sales calls for repeat business.
Reach Out To Your Customers!
Contact . . . contact . . . contact with current customers is a good way to build their loyalty. The more the customer sees someone from your firm, the more likely you'll get the next order. Send Christmas cards, see them at trade shows, stop by to make sure everything's okay.
Send a simple newsletter to your customers-tell them about the great things that are happening at your firm and include some useful information for them. Send them copies of any media clippings about your firm. Invite them to free seminars. The more they know about you, the more they see you as someone out to help them, the more they know about your accomplishments-the more loyal a customer they will be.
Loyal Customers and Loyal WorkforcesBuilding customer loyalty will be a lot easier if you have a loyal workforce-not at all a given these days. It is especially important for you to retain those employees who interact with customers such as sales people, technical support, and customer-service people. Many companies give a lot of attention to retaining sales people but little to support people. I've been fortunate to have the same great people in customer service for years-and the compliments from customers make it clear that they really appreciate specific people in our service function.
The increasing trend today is to send customer-service and technical-support calls into queue for the next available person. This builds no personal loyalty and probably less loyalty for the firm. Before you go this route, be sure this is what your customers prefer. Otherwise I'd assign a specific support person to every significant customer.
One last thing-don't tell your customers your 800 line phone number is for orders only!
Source : Streetwise Business Tips
Do you even have a specific plan for building customer loyalty?
I bet you haven't given it as much thought as you should- because to tell the truth I need to give it more effort also.
If you currently retain 70 percent of your customers and you start a program to improve that to 80 percent, you'll add an additional 10 percent to your growth rate.
Particularly because of the high cost of landing new customers versus the high profitability of a loyal customer base, you might want to reflect upon your current business strategy.
These four factors will greatly affect your ability to build a loyal customer base:
1/ Products that are highly differentiated from those of the competition.
2/ Higher-end products where price is not the primary buying factor.
3/ Products with a high service component.
4/ Multiple products for the same customer.
Market To Your Own Customers!
Giving a lot of thought to your marketing programs aimed at current customers is one aspect of building customer loyalty.
When you buy a new car, many dealers will within minutes try to sell you an extended warranty, an alarm system, and maybe rustproofing. It's often a very easy sale and costs the dealer almost nothing to make. Are there additional products or services you can sell your customers?
Three years ago my house was painted, and it's now due for another coat. Why hasn't the painter called or at least sent a card? It would be a lot less expensive than getting new customers through his newspaper ad, and since I was happy with his work I won't get four competing bids this time. Keep all the information you can on your customers and don't hesitate to ask for the next sale.
Use Complaints To Build Business!
When customers aren't happy with your business they usually won't complain to you - instead, they'll probably complain to just about everyone else they know - and take their business to your competition next time. That's why an increasing number of businesses are making follow-up calls or mailing satisfaction questionnaires after the sale is made. They find that if they promptly follow up and resolve a customer's complaint, the customer might be even more likely to do business than the average customer who didn't have a complaint.
In many business situations, the customer will have many more interactions after the sale with technical, service, or customer support people than they did with the sales people. So if you're serious about retaining customers or getting referrals, these interactions are the ones that are really going to matter. They really should be handled with the same attention and focus that sales calls get because in a way they are sales calls for repeat business.
Reach Out To Your Customers!
Contact . . . contact . . . contact with current customers is a good way to build their loyalty. The more the customer sees someone from your firm, the more likely you'll get the next order. Send Christmas cards, see them at trade shows, stop by to make sure everything's okay.
Send a simple newsletter to your customers-tell them about the great things that are happening at your firm and include some useful information for them. Send them copies of any media clippings about your firm. Invite them to free seminars. The more they know about you, the more they see you as someone out to help them, the more they know about your accomplishments-the more loyal a customer they will be.
Loyal Customers and Loyal WorkforcesBuilding customer loyalty will be a lot easier if you have a loyal workforce-not at all a given these days. It is especially important for you to retain those employees who interact with customers such as sales people, technical support, and customer-service people. Many companies give a lot of attention to retaining sales people but little to support people. I've been fortunate to have the same great people in customer service for years-and the compliments from customers make it clear that they really appreciate specific people in our service function.
The increasing trend today is to send customer-service and technical-support calls into queue for the next available person. This builds no personal loyalty and probably less loyalty for the firm. Before you go this route, be sure this is what your customers prefer. Otherwise I'd assign a specific support person to every significant customer.
One last thing-don't tell your customers your 800 line phone number is for orders only!
Source : Streetwise Business Tips
7/21/2006
如何留住你的VIP 「客戶忠誠計劃」的元素
請現在就檢查一下你的口袋和銀包，看看內裡有多少張優惠劵、印花咭、現金劵、免費試做單張……。一定有很多吧！是的！很多零售業都用這種工具來吸引客人「重訪」。若你問這些零售業老闆：你有否在搞「客戶忠誠計劃」(Customer Loyalty Program)？他必定這樣回答：有啊！你看！我們派出了很多優惠劵、印花咭、現金劵和免費試做單張！不過，讓我斗膽在此宣告：這些「乜券物劵」就連「客戶忠誠計劃」的入門也不能作算！上面那一段文字或許會讓部分讀者感到不好受，對不起！我也只是有話直說。老實講，今時今日，不少零售集團仍然沿用這種過時的方法，還以為自己在搞「客戶忠誠計劃」，這確實是一種普遍的誤解！就讓我們首先在此給「客戶忠誠計劃」一個清晰的定義：
「客戶忠誠計劃」的必備「組件」
「客戶忠誠計劃」必須能讓商戶更認識每一位客人的購買習性，從而讓商戶可以對客人進行「個性化行銷」(Personalized Selling)。
基於上述的定義，一個全面的「客戶忠誠計劃」必須具備下述的「組件」(Module)：
– 辨識你的客人(Identify Your Customer)
– 捕捉客人每次的交易資訊 (Data Capture)
– 分析客人的購買喜好、習慣 (Data Analysis)
– 獎賞你的「貴客」，激勵他們重複消費(Reward Your VIP)
一切始於「會員制度」
從這個全面的定義檢視之下，那些「乜券物券」就連第一步，即辨識你的客人，也辦不到。究竟是誰在使用這些優惠券？客人走進店子，拿出Coupon，取去貨品，走出大門，銷售人員也不知道客人的芳名，更遑論如何再次聯絡他們或進行所謂的「個性化行銷」了。
所以任何「客戶忠誠計劃」都必須始於設立「會員制度」(Membership System)，換言之，你必須賦予每一位客人一個獨特(unique)的身份，稱之謂會員號碼。以後，他進入你的店子進行交易時，你都會記錄下他的活動，包括他來訪的日期、購買的貨品或使用的服務、曾否使用積分換領禮品、曾否換領什麼禮品……。
數據「推拿」得出「報表」
有了這些「數據」(Data)之後，就可以進到下一步，也就是資料分析了。對此，資訊科技界創造了一個很形象化的詞彙，叫Data Massage，直譯就是「數據推拿」。經過推拿之後，就可以得出一些具參考價值的「資料」(Information)，通常這些資料是以「報表」(Report)的形式出現，而這些「報表」正是所有的「客戶忠誠計劃」的精粹所在。
由VIP到VIC
這些「報表」會告訴我們：誰才是真正的「貴客」(Very Important Person VIP)！什麼是「貴客」呢？簡言之，就是那些利潤率最高的客人。這些「報表」包括：最高來訪頻率、最高消費金額、介紹最多新客的會員。知道了這些VIP之後，你就可以好好地「維繫」(Retain)他們，最佳的方法是「獎賞」(Reward)他們。「獎賞」的方法可以是給予折扣、禮品、現金回贈等，甚至是一些「特權」(Privilege)，讓這一批Very Important Customers(VIC)感到獲得尊重，因而跟你建立一種「忠誠」(Loyal)的關係。
正如前文曾提及「80/20法則」，即任何生意都有20%的VIC提供着80%的利潤，辨識這班VIC變得十分重要。我們可用更好的人才、花更多時間於他們身上，這樣做不但可以確保80%的利潤，甚至可以從他們那裡得到更多生意，增加利潤。
積分制度乃大勢所趨
說到獎賞你的「貴客」，你必須設定一個客觀的準則，客人要怎樣才可獲得「獎賞」？而你的員工亦必須按照同樣的規則辦事，否則就會出現「親疏有別」或「大細超」的狀況，最危險的狀況是真正的「貴客」反而受到疏忽。
目前，全球最流行的獎賞準則是「積分制度」(Bonus Point System)，消費金額與積分構成一個正比例的關係，商戶按着客人的積分狀態來給予相應的獎賞。我稱積分是目前最流行的獎賞制度並非隨便說說，請看各大航空公司、銀行的信用咭服務、八達通和超市都在大搞「積分回贈計劃」。積分制度之所以獲得重用並非偶然，它確實具備致勝的優點，我將在下篇詳細解說。
各式報表提升競爭力
再來回說報表吧！正如前述，報表主要是辨識誰才是真正的「貴客」。不過，報表的作用還不止於此。各種各樣的報表讓老闆或管理者知道，那一間店舖招來最多會員、那一個店員曾被投訴、那一個套票最受歡迎、未付帳款的情況……；營業部的同事則可從報表知道，個別客戶的套票狀態、購買記錄，好作進一步的行銷；市場部的同事則可知道，那一個獎賞計劃受歡迎、那一個宣傳計劃的回應率最高……。
有了這些報表，公司裡各個部門的人員就可以更清楚自己的工作效果，並作出相應的改進，公司的競爭力就可獲大大提升。
主動出擊 免客戶流失
要獲得上述的果效和好處，必須引用一些工具，市面上有各種所謂的「客戶忠誠系統」(Customer Loyalty System)或是「客戶關係管理系統」(CRM System)，主要的功能就是收集客戶每次消費的數據(Data Capture)，和整理、運算(Data Analysis)有關的數據。
零售業市場愈來愈激烈，大部份的零售企業面對的一大頭痛問題就是客戶流失，「客戶忠誠系統」就是要將每一個客戶的資料都好好地記錄下來，在客戶流失之前，你就可以主動地多做些工作去討好他們、留住他們。
沒有「客戶忠誠系統」的商戶，待客人逐漸流到競爭對手那裡，才急謀對策，已然太遲了！何況究竟誰流失了？何時流失？都不知道！更遑論要把客人挽回過來了。
作者簡介：徐少驊｜Jeff 畢業於澳洲悉尼科技大學。先達智能有限公司創辦人及行政總裁，多年從事VIP、會員、客戶管理方案及諮詢服務，經常主講有關全球「客戶關係管理」（Customer Relationship Management, CRM）趨勢，為多間報刊撰寫企管文章。jeff@chinetekintel.com
此文原刊於Beauty & Hair 2006年7月號內
先 達 智 能 新 軟 件 助 商 戶 留 客
數 據 顯 示 ， 90 年香 港 的 服 務 業 佔 整 體 生 產 總 值 75% ； 到 了 04 年 ， 所 佔 比 率 上 升 至 90% ， 尤 以 零 售 業 的 增 長 最 迅 速 。 踏入 06 年 ， 第 一 季 零 售 總 銷 貨 價 值 比 去 年 同 期 上 升 6% ， 當 中 3 月 份 零 售 業 總 銷 貨 價 值 高 達 179 億 港 元 。 徐 少 驊 及 馬 家 瑜 早 在 2003 年， 看 準 零 售 業 的 發 展 潛 力 ， 遂 針 對 商 戶 常 用 的 會 員 制 、 儲 分 及 套 票 等 留 客 招 數 ， 開 發 並 推 廣「 客 戶 忠 誠 計 劃 」 （ Customer Loyalty Programme ） 。
二 人 在 母 公 司 先 達 集 團 的 全 力 支 援 下 ， 成 立 先 達 智能 ， 以 零 售 及 服 務 業 為 對 象 推 廣 客 戶 忠 誠 計 劃 。 他 們 透 過 最 先 進 的 Mifare 智 能 及 熱 敏 感 重 寫 技 術 作 為 開 發 平 台 ， 提 供 「 客 戶 忠 誠 系 統 」 （ LMS Plus ） 及 熱 敏 感 卡 打 印 機 ， 商 戶 可 用 來 製 作 不 同 功 能 的 卡 ， 如 會籍 、 套 票 、 積 分 、 預 約 或 預 付 卡 等 ， 以 及 印 上 最 新 優 惠 資 訊 的 「 Show 誠卡 」 （ 即 熱 敏 感 卡 ） ， 從 而 建 立 有 效 的 客 戶 忠 誠 計 劃 管 理 系 統 ， 從 中 了 解 個 別 客 戶 的 消 費 模式 ， 以 便 進 行 個 人 化 行 銷 ， 務 求 留 住 舊 客 的 心 和 金 。
先 達 智 能 行 政 總 裁 徐 少 驊 指 出 ： 「 做 生 意 首 重 成 本 效 益 ， 而 推 行客 戶 忠 誠 計 劃 是 最 具 成 本 效 益 的 市 場 策 略 。 著 名 市 場 調 查 企 業 Gallop Organization 發 現 ， 相 對 於 做 宣 傳 吸 引 新 客 ， 向 舊 客 行 銷 僅 需 五 分 之 一 的 成 本 。 」
他 續 說 ： 「 事 實 上 ， 一 個 成 功 的 客 戶 忠 誠 計 劃 系 統 ， 有 助 商 戶 把 資 源 花 在 最 有 利 潤 潛 力的 客 戶 身 上 ， 減 少 浪 費 資 源 於 無 效 的 行 銷 工 作 上 。 商 戶 引 入 了 有 關 計 劃 ， 就 不 需 再 經 常 藉 着減 價 促 銷 ， 產 品 或 服 務 的 定 價 便 可 企 硬 ， 進 一 步 保 障 利 潤 。 」
客 戶 忠 誠 系 統 加 上 熱 敏 感 卡 打 印 機 ， 為 商 戶 維 繫 現 有 顧 客 。
Show 誠 卡 可 重 寫 500 次 ， 方 便 印 上 會 籍 、 積 分 、 預 約 資 料 及 最 新 優 惠 資 訊 。
因 此 ， 他 們 在 進 行 產 品 研 發 時 ， 同 樣 從 個 人 化方 案 的 角 度 出 發 。 營 運 總 裁 馬 家 瑜 說 ： 「 猶 太 人 的 智 慧 認 為 ： 『 女 人 和 口 是 最 容 易 賺 錢 的 途徑 』 。 所 以 我 們 特 別 因 應 美 容 及 保 健 業 研 發 另 一 套 『 美 麗 中 心 系 統 』 （ BMS ） ； 日 後 更 會 針 對 餐 飲 業 及 品 味 消 費 ， 如 紅 酒 、 巧 克 力 店 等 ， 推 出 度 身 設 計 的 專用 管 理 系 統 。 」
開 業 3 年 ， 先 達 智 能 已 累 積 了 逾 120 名 客 戶 ， 其 間 從 未 流 失 任 何 客 戶 ， 全 因 這 兩 位 「 留 客 」 專 家 待 客 有 道 。 徐 少 驊 明 言 ：「 我 們 希 望 能 與 客 戶 建 立 互 信 關 係 ， 並 不 計 較 眼 前 利 益 。 」
舊 客 可 獲 免 費 升 級
馬 家 瑜 補 充 ： 「 雖 則 我 們 只 是 售 賣 電腦 軟 件 及 配 套 硬 件 ， 但 每 次 向 客 戶 推 介 產 品 之 前 ， 必 定 先 到 商 戶 的 店 面 進 行 觀 察 ， 了 解 對 方的 運 作 模 式 及 不 足 之 處 ， 以 便 在 商 談 過 程 中 作 出 實 際 建 議 。 我 們 也 非 常 樂 意 為 客 戶 提 供 免 費
的 專 業 意 見 ， 甚 至 曾 經 協 助 客 戶
建 立 本 身 的 電 腦 系 統 。 」
以 一 敵 七 贏 信 任
去 年 5 月， 先 達 智 能 與 另 一 家 科 技 服 務 公 司 同 時 爭 取 某 連 鎖 零 售 店 的 合 約 ， 結 果 落 選 。 過 了 幾 個 月 ，「 就 在 我 結 婚 當 天 ， 竟 然 收 到 這 家 連 鎖 零 售 店 打 來 的 電 話 ， 要 求 與 我 們 緊 急 洽 談 ， 原 來 是 對家 公 司 出 了 問 題 … … 」 徐 少 驊 笑 說 ： 「 這 可 說 是 最 好 的 結 婚 禮 物。 」 於 是 ， 他 在 新 婚 翌 日 即 與 客 戶 開 會 ， 得 悉 競 爭 對 手 提 供 的 熱 敏 感 卡 打 印 機 出 現 過 熱 問題 ， 單 次 操 作 已 令 卡 身 變 曲 。 為 了 得 到 對 方 的 信 任 ， 徐 少 驊 決 定 來 一 招 「 貨 比 貨 」 ─ ─ 在 客 戶 面 前 放 7 台 其 他 品 牌 的 打 印 機 ，與 他 們 代 理 的 打 印 機 同 步 進 行 測 試 ， 以 一 敵 七 。 結 果 ， 經 過 300 次 「 打 印 及 刪 除 」 的 操 作 後 ， 熱 敏 感 卡 依然 平 直 如 新 ， 成 功 贏 得 客 戶 信 任 ， 生 意 失 而 復 得 。
此文刊於香港《蘋果日報》2006年5月18日 財經版B6 「一盤生意」 撰文：靈思 攝影：程志遠
二 人 在 母 公 司 先 達 集 團 的 全 力 支 援 下 ， 成 立 先 達 智能 ， 以 零 售 及 服 務 業 為 對 象 推 廣 客 戶 忠 誠 計 劃 。 他 們 透 過 最 先 進 的 Mifare 智 能 及 熱 敏 感 重 寫 技 術 作 為 開 發 平 台 ， 提 供 「 客 戶 忠 誠 系 統 」 （ LMS Plus ） 及 熱 敏 感 卡 打 印 機 ， 商 戶 可 用 來 製 作 不 同 功 能 的 卡 ， 如 會籍 、 套 票 、 積 分 、 預 約 或 預 付 卡 等 ， 以 及 印 上 最 新 優 惠 資 訊 的 「 Show 誠卡 」 （ 即 熱 敏 感 卡 ） ， 從 而 建 立 有 效 的 客 戶 忠 誠 計 劃 管 理 系 統 ， 從 中 了 解 個 別 客 戶 的 消 費 模式 ， 以 便 進 行 個 人 化 行 銷 ， 務 求 留 住 舊 客 的 心 和 金 。
先 達 智 能 行 政 總 裁 徐 少 驊 指 出 ： 「 做 生 意 首 重 成 本 效 益 ， 而 推 行客 戶 忠 誠 計 劃 是 最 具 成 本 效 益 的 市 場 策 略 。 著 名 市 場 調 查 企 業 Gallop Organization 發 現 ， 相 對 於 做 宣 傳 吸 引 新 客 ， 向 舊 客 行 銷 僅 需 五 分 之 一 的 成 本 。 」
徐 少 驊 （ 左 ） 主 力 市 場 推 廣 ， 馬 家 瑜 （ 右 ） 專 責 營 運 事 宜， 二 人 有 如 前 鋒 與 龍 門 ， 一 攻 一 守
他 續 說 ： 「 事 實 上 ， 一 個 成 功 的 客 戶 忠 誠 計 劃 系 統 ， 有 助 商 戶 把 資 源 花 在 最 有 利 潤 潛 力的 客 戶 身 上 ， 減 少 浪 費 資 源 於 無 效 的 行 銷 工 作 上 。 商 戶 引 入 了 有 關 計 劃 ， 就 不 需 再 經 常 藉 着減 價 促 銷 ， 產 品 或 服 務 的 定 價 便 可 企 硬 ， 進 一 步 保 障 利 潤 。 」
客 戶 忠 誠 系 統 加 上 熱 敏 感 卡 打 印 機 ， 為 商 戶 維 繫 現 有 顧 客 。
Show 誠 卡 可 重 寫 500 次 ， 方 便 印 上 會 籍 、 積 分 、 預 約 資 料 及 最 新 優 惠 資 訊 。
因 此 ， 他 們 在 進 行 產 品 研 發 時 ， 同 樣 從 個 人 化方 案 的 角 度 出 發 。 營 運 總 裁 馬 家 瑜 說 ： 「 猶 太 人 的 智 慧 認 為 ： 『 女 人 和 口 是 最 容 易 賺 錢 的 途徑 』 。 所 以 我 們 特 別 因 應 美 容 及 保 健 業 研 發 另 一 套 『 美 麗 中 心 系 統 』 （ BMS ） ； 日 後 更 會 針 對 餐 飲 業 及 品 味 消 費 ， 如 紅 酒 、 巧 克 力 店 等 ， 推 出 度 身 設 計 的 專用 管 理 系 統 。 」
開 業 3 年 ， 先 達 智 能 已 累 積 了 逾 120 名 客 戶 ， 其 間 從 未 流 失 任 何 客 戶 ， 全 因 這 兩 位 「 留 客 」 專 家 待 客 有 道 。 徐 少 驊 明 言 ：「 我 們 希 望 能 與 客 戶 建 立 互 信 關 係 ， 並 不 計 較 眼 前 利 益 。 」
舊 客 可 獲 免 費 升 級
馬 家 瑜 補 充 ： 「 雖 則 我 們 只 是 售 賣 電腦 軟 件 及 配 套 硬 件 ， 但 每 次 向 客 戶 推 介 產 品 之 前 ， 必 定 先 到 商 戶 的 店 面 進 行 觀 察 ， 了 解 對 方的 運 作 模 式 及 不 足 之 處 ， 以 便 在 商 談 過 程 中 作 出 實 際 建 議 。 我 們 也 非 常 樂 意 為 客 戶 提 供 免 費
的 專 業 意 見 ， 甚 至 曾 經 協 助 客 戶
建 立 本 身 的 電 腦 系 統 。 」
以 一 敵 七 贏 信 任
去 年 5 月， 先 達 智 能 與 另 一 家 科 技 服 務 公 司 同 時 爭 取 某 連 鎖 零 售 店 的 合 約 ， 結 果 落 選 。 過 了 幾 個 月 ，「 就 在 我 結 婚 當 天 ， 竟 然 收 到 這 家 連 鎖 零 售 店 打 來 的 電 話 ， 要 求 與 我 們 緊 急 洽 談 ， 原 來 是 對家 公 司 出 了 問 題 … … 」 徐 少 驊 笑 說 ： 「 這 可 說 是 最 好 的 結 婚 禮 物。 」 於 是 ， 他 在 新 婚 翌 日 即 與 客 戶 開 會 ， 得 悉 競 爭 對 手 提 供 的 熱 敏 感 卡 打 印 機 出 現 過 熱 問題 ， 單 次 操 作 已 令 卡 身 變 曲 。 為 了 得 到 對 方 的 信 任 ， 徐 少 驊 決 定 來 一 招 「 貨 比 貨 」 ─ ─ 在 客 戶 面 前 放 7 台 其 他 品 牌 的 打 印 機 ，與 他 們 代 理 的 打 印 機 同 步 進 行 測 試 ， 以 一 敵 七 。 結 果 ， 經 過 300 次 「 打 印 及 刪 除 」 的 操 作 後 ， 熱 敏 感 卡 依然 平 直 如 新 ， 成 功 贏 得 客 戶 信 任 ， 生 意 失 而 復 得 。此文刊於香港《蘋果日報》2006年5月18日 財經版B6 「一盤生意」 撰文：靈思 攝影：程志遠
利潤密碼： 四個你必須知道的數字
若你欲賺取一百元，大致可以有兩個途徑：一、做宣傳，吸引人們的注意，招來新客；二、向舊客戶推銷，鼓勵他們繼續「幫趁」。前者的成本是五十元，後者的成本則只須十元。這是著名的國際市場調查企業Gallup Organization的發現：向舊客戶行銷的成本是新客戶的五分之一。換言之，向舊客戶的「荷包」拿錢要比新客戶更容易，利潤亦更高。Gallop的發現還不止於此，但歸結的重點都是：花多些精力維繫舊客戶是利潤的癥結所在。
今時今日，絕大部分零售業的市場推廣費用仍然是花在傳統的廣告上，扭開電視機、揭開報刊，大量的廣告撲面而來。這些廣告是給誰看的呢？當然是那些潛在客戶吧！有新客戶也有舊客戶啦！但應該是針對新客戶多一點！
重新客輕舊客失龐大利益
我曾多次苦口婆心的向那些行銷經理游說，何不抽調一些廣告費用，用於專門向舊客戶行銷的工具上呢？我所得到的答案是：上頭沒給這個預算(Budget)喎！一些有搞會員制度的公司，也不一定投放足夠的資源去推廣，以致會員的活躍度極低，會員資料庫成了虛有其表裝飾品。究其原因，是不少行銷人員仍然不了解向舊客行銷的龐大利益。
全球趨勢 CRM投資大幅上升
讓我們從另一個統計數字來看這個課題：根據META Group的調查，2001年全球企業花在CRM的使費上是20 Billion，到2003年則升至46 Billion，到2005年更躍升至146 Billion。
所謂的CRM，全名是Customer Relationship Management，亦即客戶維繫的專有名詞。我沒有將Billion譯寫成中文，是因為Billion在美國和法國是十億的意思，在英國和德國則解作萬億。無論如何，事實是，全球企業花在維繫客戶的費用每年以倍數上升，反映出「留住舊客戶」並激勵他們多些消費是全球企業的策略重點。
從這個數字，我們看到投資於CRM已不是一時風尚，而是大勢所趨。為什麼全球企業忽然如此豪氣，一擲千金於CRM上？這叫做食髓知味！他們曾經投放丁點資源在CRM上，誰知獲得了超乎想像的回報，自然就「加碼」投資了！除了這個原因還可以有別的解釋嗎？
5%留客率帶來40%利潤上漲
好了，若果上述數字還不夠說服力，讓我再跟你分享另一個更有趣的數字。根據Janice Reynolds撰寫的 ”A Practical Guide to CRM” ，一間公司若能在其維繫舊客的工作上有5%的成績，也就是說能增加5%的「留客率」，它的利潤可大幅增加40%。驟眼看來，這個數字高得有點驚人，你或許會懷疑其真確性。不過，Reynolds的數字確實經過仔細統計的。
利潤五面而來
據Reynolds的計算方法，利潤來自五方面：一、基本利潤(Base Profit)，即扣除成本的差價，這個不用多說了；二、增加購買數量的利潤(Profit from increased Purchases)，這個也是不說自明了，當客人因為你的「客戶忠誠計劃」(Customer Loyalty Program)而增加來訪和購物，這方面的利潤自然增加了；三、來自價格「企硬」的利潤(Profit from Price Premium)，公司引入了有效的「客戶忠誠計劃」之後，就不用經常藉着減價來促銷。有效的「客戶忠誠計劃」讓產品或服務的訂價能夠「企硬」，因此而獲得的利潤就叫做Price Premium。
讓我繼續數算下去：四、來自客戶推介的利潤(Profit from Referral)，忠誠的客人有一種傾向，就是向親友推介自己正在使用的產品或服務。這種傾向有部份是出於「公諸同好」的無私，也有些是因為欲賺取「推介積分」的自利動機；五、來自營運成本下降的利潤(Profit from Reduce Operation Costs)，成功的「客戶忠誠計劃」和系統，有助公司將公司的資源花於最有利潤潛力的客戶身上，減少浪費資源於無效的行銷工作上。這一點與文首提及的第一個數字是互相呼應的，即向舊客戶行銷的成本是新客戶的五分之一。
事實上，Reynolds提出5%的「留客率」能增加40%利潤率的這個統計數字確曾有市場學專家提出異議，他們說Reynolds算少了。
20%「貴客」是80%利潤的創造者
另一個更著名的行銷學理論叫做「80/20法則」：若我們為業務進行利潤分析，就會發現某些顧客是利潤的主要「貢獻者」，根據這個法則，我們可期望見到20%的顧客提供着80%的利潤。這樣的資訊給我們什麼意義？若80/20法則果真在作用的話，當我們用更好的人才、花更多時間於這班「貴客」身上，這樣做不但可以確保80%的利潤，甚至可以從他們那裡得到更多生意，增加利潤。如何找出這群關鍵的20%客戶變得非常重要！
小結：維繫舊客 = 豐厚利潤
這一篇告訴你的多個統計數字，其實歸納起來都是指向同一訊息：就是若你好好地維繫/維護你的「舊客」，他們就會為你帶來豐厚的利潤。當然要使理論化成現實的果效，你必須有一些方法和工具來協助你去辨識誰是「貴客」，並確保他們不會中途「過檔」到你的對手那裡，同時用一些獎勵計劃去激勵他們多些在你的店子裡消費，這就是所謂的「客戶忠誠計劃」，亦是此欄的主題，我會陸續在此與各位分享這方面的最新資訊。
作者簡介
徐少驊｜Jeff 畢業於澳洲悉尼科技大學。先達智能有限公司創辦人及行政總裁，多年從事VIP、會員、客戶管理方案及諮詢服務，經常主講有關全球「客戶關係管理」（Customer Relationship Management, CRM）趨勢，為多間報刊撰寫企管文章。jeff@chinetekintel.com
此文發表於"Beauty & Hair" 2006年6月號
Jeff talks about CRM trend in the TV program "Money Talks"
Jeff Tsui our CEO in the TV program "Money Talks of ATV Hong Kong talked about the trend of CRM and Bonus Card.
香港亞洲電視《金錢世界》(Money Talks)訪問我們的CEO Jeff Tsui，談論全球CRM和會員積分咭趨勢 。
About US 關於我們
您好，歡迎來到我們的博客。首先讓我們自我介紹，我們是一家 專門服務零售業的科技公司。您將會獲得最優質和最貼心的服務。因為，客戶的滿意度從來都是我們最看重的，亦是一直我們最引以為傲的地方。
我們開發了兩套產品，包括 客戶忠誠系統 (Customer Loyalty System) 和專門針對美容業和保健業的「美麗中心系統」 (Beauty Management System) 。 除此之外，我們亦提供智能積分計劃，智能會員系統，智能會所 , 智能門禁系統。
我們選擇了最先進的 Mifare 智能和熱敏感重寫科技作為開發平台，提供最具彈性的產品， 好使我們能隨著貴公司業服的拓展而提升應用的範圍。
自從我們推出「 客戶忠誠系統」 Loyalty Management System (LMS) 和「 美麗中心系統」 Beauty Management System(BMS) ，我們很快 就成為零售業及美容業管理系統顯要的服務供應商，這是因為我們的產品 都圍繞著協肋使用者「辨識」(Identify)及「維繫」(Retain) 他們的客人，這項特色是其他零售業管理系統所欠缺的。當然，我們營業人員認真和專業的服務態度，加上迅速而穩妥的售後服務，亦是我們獲得客人認同的關鍵。
我們是先達集團旗下公司，集團公司成立於 1987 年，總部設於香港。在中國大陸設有 23 個辦事處，分佈於北京、上海、武漢、瀋陽、深圳等主要城市。專業提供熱敏式條碼標籤印表機、卡片印表機系統、驗卡掃描器、掌上型終端及各種附件產品。為 Zebra , Eltron, RJS, PSC, Microscan, Sony, Casio, Privilege, DNP 等品牌在香港及中國的代理商。
最後，再一次歡迎您的來訪，請隨便瀏覽，如有需要，請隨時來電查詢(Tel :+852 34212922)，或瀏覽我們的公司網站www.chinetekintel.com。
Hello. Welcome to our Blog!!
WE ARE :
Market Leader in serving the Retail and Beauty Chains
Developer of Two Complete Solutions : Loyalty Management System & Beauty Management System
Mifare (Contactless Smart Card) Manufacturer : Hardware and Solutions Oriented ProviderSolution Provider: Members/VIP System, Bonus and e-Cash, Smart Estate, Smart Clubhouse, Smart Access Control Systems
Headquartered in Hong Kong, our company is supported by a 18-years history and 23 officesspread out in China including the strategic portals in Beijing, Shanghai, ShenZhen, Wuhan,Shengyang, ChengChun, Dailan ...... As the exclusive distributor and the mega-distributor forZebra, Natec, DNP, RJS, PSC, Microscan, Sony, Casio, Privilege and others in Hong Kong and Mainland China, we positioned well to serve the professional community in the ID Technology with barcode, thermal, card printer, Mifare device and the latest Thermal Rewritable platforms.
Developer of Two Complete Solutions : Loyalty Management System & Beauty Management System
Mifare (Contactless Smart Card) Manufacturer : Hardware and Solutions Oriented ProviderSolution Provider: Members/VIP System, Bonus and e-Cash, Smart Estate, Smart Clubhouse, Smart Access Control Systems
Headquartered in Hong Kong, our company is supported by a 18-years history and 23 officesspread out in China including the strategic portals in Beijing, Shanghai, ShenZhen, Wuhan,Shengyang, ChengChun, Dailan ...... As the exclusive distributor and the mega-distributor forZebra, Natec, DNP, RJS, PSC, Microscan, Sony, Casio, Privilege and others in Hong Kong and Mainland China, we positioned well to serve the professional community in the ID Technology with barcode, thermal, card printer, Mifare device and the latest Thermal Rewritable platforms.
We love to communicate with you. The best way to know us is to talk.
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