A thoughtful message can make the difference between a lost customer and a loyal one ..read more

Let me begin with a heretical statement: those of us touting the greenness of products in myriad ways are currently shooting ourselves in the feet. Consumer-facing companies, industry associations, environmental groups, and government agencies are all culpable. Why? Consumer-facing companies have generated consumer skepticism and confusion by insisting on developing proprietary standards (e.g. Starbucks’s C.A.F.E ..read more

LiveNation began treating data as an integral part of its live entertainment business ..read more

"If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses." We've all been in conversations on the topics of creativity and innovation ..read more

Josh Bernoff is vice president and principal analyst at Forrester Research and the coauthor of Groundswell. Most companies aren’t taking advantage of social media applications as a way to connect with customers. But you can. Here’s how ..read more

All in all, it just doesn't make sense ..read more

Examples from MassMutual, Starwood Hotels, and Marriott ..read more

In May, Nintendo will seek to expand its successful strategy of expanding the video game market by launching the U.S. version of “Wii Fit.” All signs suggest that Nintendo’s strategy of “competing against nonconsumption” will continue to thrive. Nintendo’s strategy has long been one of our favorites. While Microsoft (who makes the Xbox 360) and ..read more

David Kester, chief executive of the Design Council. To foster a culture of innovation, managers must look outward to identify consumers’ problems and spark ideas for solving those problems. They must also ease employees’ fear of change ..read more

A refresher on customer churn rate ..read more