Around 20 years back before I retired from an Indo German Material handling co., we had built a system under CRM. It was "Customer complaint cell" which included persons from sales/service, quality control,design and production dept.

All customer complaints and feed backs were fed in computer. Nature of complaints were codified, every month summary was made indicating model wise and component wise complaints. This statement was sent to Mg.Director. Ever month "Customer Complaints Meeting" was held under Quality Circle and repeatetive complaints were discussed.

Various options were discussed, even change in design of the components or change of supplier was discussed.Finally decisions were arrived after various trials and customers were informed accordingly. This helped us in enhancing quality of our products and retention of our customers.

Your description of a "Customer Complaint Cell" is an excellent effort to achieve customer satisfaction and to benefit from customer input. However, it was too narrowly focused and was also unidirectional. By that I mean it was all about your products and driven from the customer to your company. While this will produce good results it will not produce loyal customers. The next step is to go beyond such a good system, to getting in the business heads of your top customers by visiting them to tour their facilities and to learn more about their products, needs, drivers, problems, etc. You need to see what else you may be able to do to help them, that goes beyond the current products or services you provide. Take the time to get into their shoes and you will be more effective and appreciated than you could with the good system you described. Be proud of what you have done, but we can stop there. Best of luck and happiness in your retirement and thank you for your comment.

Thanks for your comments Sir. After my retirement I am now living and watching scenario like a "Night Owl".

One thing to remember is that we don't operate business in a static environment and that we need to be continually evaluating how we operate. What worked great six months ago may no longer be relevant to today.

The Plan, Do, Check, Adjust process (Launching A Leadership Revolution, Orrin Woodward, Chris Brady) needs to be ever present in order to meet the needs, wants and desires of the customer.

In order for a customer to "feel" their needs are being met is critical. I use the word "feel" because perception is reality. One of the ways you help customers "feel" they are cared about and their needs being met is through relationships; with sales, installers/delivery, service and accounting. I know of a large national elevator company who "didn't think that relationships were all that important" and let some people go who had a good amount of tenure with the company. They birthed new competition businesses that do see the value of relationship, and are subsequently losing a lot of business.

When people feel like they are being heard, cared about, needs met, for high value, etc. they will be "sticky/loyal". People want to feel like they are also part of something significant. There are some companies like Harley Davidson, John Deere, Apple, etc. that have accomplished that. There are other products that can provide equal/similar results for less money, but people are loyal to these companies and others like them. Those "sticky" customers also buy related items that aren't really necessary to their original purchase. Branding is hugely important. Customers who will return regularly are cheaper to retain than getting new customers.

Michael Dell spoke at a Detroit Business Seminar a few years ago and he said that between Content (products, website, advertising), Commerce (pricing, distribution) and Community (customers), the Community is the most critical aspect of business. If we can figure out how to attract, serve and keep the customer on a repeated basis over a long period of time the business will have a much better chance of thriving.

I certainly agree with your comments. It takes acceptance from the top of the organization to invest in developing "sticky/loyal" customers. In all cases, the upfront cost to create the value needed is more than offset by increased business, problems avoided, customer retention and even happier employees. There needs to be a process that can be implemented and duplicated that facilitates such "sticky/loyal" relationships. The "Customer Development Process" needs to be integrated in all areas of a company to be effective and supported by a good and well utilized CRM system. It can and does work!