Terry Vavra’s Blog

Using Industry Norms to Interpret Satisfaction Survey Results

Posted on 06. Jun, 2010 by Terry Vavra.

Satisfaction Benchmarks: Goaling for Mediocrity
Why are we and our clients always looking to benchmarks to help us interpret our customer feedback?  It’s so often the case that upon receiving customer satisfaction scores, a corporate executive will ask, “Well, how do these scores compare with the scores our competitors receive?”  This question seems to precede or [...]

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Michael Dell Doesn’t Care About Customers!

Posted on 05. May, 2010 by Terry Vavra.

The Soul of an Organization
I believe the “heart and soul” of an organization is defined by the CEO’s personal core values – especially companies created by a visionary individual.  The ethics and behaviors that the CEO embraces permeate an organization through both formal procedures and indirectly through the culture.  If you accept this premise, then [...]

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Wawa rules!

Posted on 14. Apr, 2010 by Terry Vavra.

Wawa gas stations and convenience stores offer a really good value in convenience food!  Scattered throughout the northeast corridor from their headquarters in Wawa, Pennsylvania, Wawa convenience stores offer a wide variety of prepared-to-order foods.  And that’s what stimulated this blog entry.
I happen to be a big fan of their “built to order” breakfast sandwiches [...]

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Detailers: Personal Calls Morph into Electronic Exchanges

Posted on 15. Mar, 2010 by Terry Vavra.

Who’s the Rep?
I was in my doctor’s office this morning waiting the perfunctory hour.  To pass the time I always try to spot the pharma reps who are seated among us patients in the doctor’s reception.  But, unlike us patients, the pharma detailers are at least getting paid for waiting – though their frustration is [...]

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Misguided Loyalty Programs

Posted on 10. Mar, 2010 by Terry Vavra.

In most developed countries these days there is a basic cultural value which recognizes the unquestioned equality of all people - requiring they all be treated with equal respect.  But, as appropriate as this perspective is for cultures, it isn’t a good basic premise for the conduct of business.  If a business manages its customers [...]

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Buying Back Customers

Posted on 03. Mar, 2010 by Terry Vavra.

I’ve often said that businesspeople regularly fail to appreciate customers until they lose them.  Suggest spending money on a customer retention program and businesspeople will find every reason not to.  Yet, when a customer defects, they’ll eagerly throw money at the defecting customer in an attempt to win them back - even when they may [...]

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The Truth about Truth in Survey Research

Posted on 14. Jun, 2009 by Terry Vavra.

We Can’t Trust Survey Respondents?  You’re Kidding Me! 
A journal that I (used to) respect, the Journal of Consumer Research is printing an article in its August issue, that ‘reveals’ a truth that most of us who can remember black and white television were taught in marketing research 101.  This astounding fact, (hold on to your [...]

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Hyundai Must Believe in Word-of-Mouth, They’re Paying for It!

Posted on 30. May, 2009 by Terry Vavra.

Buy a Hyundai, Become a Spokesperson
The newest roll-out of the Hyundai Assurance Program features a “marketing fee” offered to customers during their first six months of owning a new Hyundai.  One commercial says, “You’ll probably talk to your friends about your new Hyundai, and that’s marketing.  Why shouldn’t you get paid for it? [my interpretation].  [...]

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When Fund-Raising Jeopardizes Donor Relationships

Posted on 27. May, 2009 by Terry Vavra.

NYC’s Channel 13’s conduct of a “special fundraising event” suggests that 13’s fundraising is ruled by RFM. This technique disregards a donor’s relationship with an organization in favor of maximizing immediate revenue generation. It exploits a small segment of a donorbase until they are either dried up or have been chased away.

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Pricing to Preserve Customer Relationships

Posted on 05. May, 2009 by Terry Vavra.

I just returned from NASCAR at the Richmond International Raceway.  What a blast!
 

Most entertainment and sports events industries appear oblivious to the current recession, having continued to raise admission prices to stratospheric levels.  Not so NASCAR.  The Association has adopted a more realistic pricing strategy.  President of RIR, Doug Fritz explains it this way, “We have [...]

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