Putting the customer back to the front: Reclaiming customer loyalty through holistic business management

Abstract

Purpose

Reviews the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting‐edge research and case studies.

Design/methodology/approach

This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.

Findings

As companies try to find ever more ways to sharpen their competitive edge through various strategic and management tools, their relationship with the customer can become muddled and impersonal. In their quest for diversification and efficiency, many companies often take on several of the latest fads in training and structuring, only to discard them later down the line when they prove not to have been beneficial. One answer to this problem is a “holistic” approach to corporate structure, beginning with the front‐end of the organization and its relationship with the consumer.

Practical implications

Provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world's leading organizations.

Originality/value

The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy‐to‐digest format.

Citation

(2006), "Putting the customer back to the front: Reclaiming customer loyalty through holistic business management", Strategic Direction, Vol. 22 No. 5, pp. 26-28. https://doi.org/10.1108/02580540610662267