September 2006/Being Satisfied with Having Satisfied Customers (Patrons)

…is NOT Good Enough!

Most managers rejoice if the majority of customers that respond to customer-satisfaction surveys say they are satisfied. But some of those managers may have a big problem. When most customers are saying they are satisfied but not completely satisfied, they are saying that they are unhappy with some aspect of the product or service. And, if they have the opportunity, they will defect.

Organizations that excel in satisfying customers excel both in listening to customers and in interpreting what customers with different levels of satisfaction are telling them. This 1995 Jones and Sasser effort as published in the Harvard Business Review (HBR) continues to be one of the most seminal efforts on this vital subject.

The entire article can be downloaded from HBR (a download fee applies). http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/b01/en/common/item_detail.jhtml?id=95606