Customer Relationships In A Web 2.0 World

The Whetstone Edge, LLC announces the publication of a new white paper entitled "Customer Relationships in a Web 2.0 World." Companies are losing influence with their customers. As customers face and increasingly complex and fast-changing world, they want help. However, trust levels in companies and their agenda are low. Customers are using Web 2.0's social media to get insight and information from customer generated content.

Managing partner, John I. Todor, Ph.D. make the point that, "Changing business dynamics are contributing to a growing disconnection between what business practices are serving up and what today's customers value." And, this is negatively affecting businesses role in purchase decisions. "The net result--businesses are losing influence over customer decision making and their products are more rapidly becoming perceived as commodities."

Senior partner, William D. Todor, Ph.D. points out, "Customers are increasingly relying on social networking and social media to establish interactive and trusting relationship with other customers." He goes on to say, "These relationships help customers make purchase decisions and, more importantly, they help them learn how to extract the greatest amount of value from products."

This white paper lays out the challenges and the rewards that accrue to companies who overcome these challenges. It spells out a clear framework for shifting the focus of the relationship and building trust essential to relationships that customers' value.

John Todor emphasizes that "if companies want to regain influence they need to work at shifting the focus of the relationship they have with customers." This shift, he points out, "needs to be from selling and servicing "things" to building trust and credibility with customers so customers will turn to them for what the relationship can deliver."

This white paper, Customer Relationships in a Web 2.0 World, discusses how companies can embrace the networked nature of a Web 2.0 world and regain influence with customers both online and in their physical world interactions. This white paper can be downloaded free by going to www.thewhetstoneedge.com//web2.php.

The paper is based, in part, on Addicted Customers: How to Get Them Hooked on Your Company, a new book by John I. Todor, Ph.D. (www.AddictedCustomers.com)

John I. Todor, Ph.D. and William D. Todor, Ph.D. are partners in The Whetstone Edge, LLC a consulting and training firm that applies research on human behavior to buyer-seller dynamics including customer loyalty, trust, retention, customer service, CRM, customer relationship management, customer experience management and marketing strategy. Customer care, acquisition, and client relationships are profoundly affected by the underlying psychological principles that lead to customer satisfaction, trust, loyalty, and long term, high lifetime value. They offer clients insights in how to use Web 2.0 technologies, social media and consumer generated content to strengthen customer relationships. They offer workshops and consult on these topics. More information is available at www.TheWhetstoneEdge.com.

SOURCE: The Whetstone Edge, LLC