Psst! It's almost Valentine's Day! So, how's your relationship...with your customers?

Kurt Ling, president of Customer Kinetics (and former Simmons exec), says the relationship between bedding manufacturers, retailers and consumers could use some serious work. Trouble is, most manufacturers and retailers don't know just how bad it's gotten, says Kurt. He'll be doing a seminar on the subject at EXPO, on March 13.

So, just how bad is it?
Think 'he said, she said.'
Kurt says that when he and his partner in Atlanta-based Customer Kinetics take on a new client, they ask a couple of opening questions: "What do you do better than any other company? What is your greatest strength? What do you do that no other company in your industry does?"
Then they ask the company's customers to see if they agree.
Not only do they agree--which is no great surprise, says Kurt--but they are usually total opposites.
"What the company sees as its greatest strength is what the customer sees as its greatest weakness. It's really fascinating," he says.

Kurt's inviting everybody out there to give him some feedback for his seminar via BedPost. What do you think? Is the relationship between manufacturers, retailers and consumers in our industry really broken? We'll let you count the ways...

Don't hold back--have at it! (We'll be happy to withhold your name so your comments are strictly anonymous.) Then mark your calendar to be on hand for Kurt's EXPO session: "Repairing the Relationship Between Manufacturers, Retailers and Consumers," March 13, from 7:30 - 9:00 a.m.

Blog on.
                                  -Nancy Butler
                                   Sleep Savvy

Comments

[Erny Nak]

Ways to improve customer.. Manfacturer relationships.
Its really quite easy.
1. Tell the truth to your customers. About everything.

2.Hold your manfacturer accountable. In point do not let them lie to you or not tell you the whole truth.

3.Misinformation is the killer of relationships. If your manfacturer is in Denial about the quality of their product or, the competitors product your relationship will suffer with your customer and them.

4.Einstein's theory.
On Insanity...
Doing the same thing over and over again.. and expecting different results..

Change your approach, new products,
new customers.