Public Image And Customer Management Strategies - 1365 Words

Companies of all types and sizes depend on their customer base for revenues and continuously work toward earning the largest market share percentage attainable. The foundations of businesses are its customers, and unless that company is a monopoly, competition between businesses will drive customers and revenues to one business or another. Unless it is properly managed, maintaining customer relationships can be expensive. While some companies invest heavily in their public image and customer management strategies, other companies succeed despite poor customer relationships. The wishes of the customers are also continuously evolving with new generations and social environments. Moving on from the â€Å"boomers†, to the â€Å"gen x†, and now the†¦show more content†¦In his Ted talk â€Å"Millennials: Who They are Why We Hate Them†, Scott Hess discusses a number of companies, including Abercrombie and Fitch as a company that endorsed the typically â€Å" cliquish† and judgmental characteristics associated with the â€Å"gen x†. That is not surprising considering that the company restructured in 1979 as a modern sportswear outlet (Lepore, 2011). Meanwhile, American Eagle is seen as marketing â€Å"for everyone†, looking to attract the inclusive and tolerant characteristics of the Millennials (Hess, 2011). Perhaps even more importantly is the increasing demand for value for the customer in a meaningful way. In its customer priority list, in addition to personal customer values, Inc includes â€Å"value that’s superior to other options† (James, 2013). Another way of looking at this particular value is in terms of global influence and impact, as well as connectedness; people want to have a positive influence on the world. As Hess remarks, one of Starbucks’ campaigns was to invest in their coffee farmers and suppliers (Hess, 2011). The impact on the consumer is the feeling that purchasing coffee a t Starbucks is beneficial to other communities. Similarly, the so-called â€Å"fast-casual† bakery style restaurant Pret a Manger is known not only for its fresh sandwiches and soups but also for its initiative to donate any leftover edibles to charity on a