CRM News: Customers

Wednesday - June 24, 2009

The parent company of retailers T.J. Maxx and Marshall's will pay $9.75 million in a settlement with multiple states related to a massive data theft that exposed tens of millions of payment card numbers. Framingham, Mass.-based TJX said Tuesday it will pay $2.5 million to create a data security fund for states as well as a settlement amount of $5.5 million and $1.75 million to cover expenses related to the states' investigations. However, TJX stressed that it "firmly believes" that it did not violate any consumer protection or data security laws. [More...]

Cross-Selling's Time Has Come

Tuesday - June 23, 2009

"You got your peanut butter in my chocolate!" -- "You got your chocolate in my peanut butter!" What the initially skeptical characters in Reese's famous candy commercials learned through a somewhat painful cross-sell process -- usually by bumping into each other -- was that these complementary ingredients together made each one better. [More...]

Will PCI Ever Make the Grade?

Friday - June 19, 2009

Every time you swipe your credit card and wait for the transaction to be approved, sensitive data including your name and account number are ferried from store to bank through computer networks, each step a potential opening for hackers. While you may take steps to protect yourself against identity theft, an Associated Press investigation has found the banks are not being nearly as cautious as they could. [More...]

The Multichannel E-Commerce Path Out of the Recession

Tuesday - June 16, 2009

In the midst of the U.S. economic crisis, cautious spending and downsizing have left the retail industry in dire straits. Even as retail numbers drop, however, online shopping and total online sales continue to show steady growth in the face of adverse economic conditions. [More...]

Adios, Arrivederci, Au Revoir, Auf Wiedersehen and Goodbye, Analog TV

Friday - June 12, 2009

TV stations across the U.S. started cutting their analog signals Friday morning, ending a 60-year run for the technology and likely stranding more than 1 million unprepared homes without TV service. The Federal Communications Commission put 4,000 operators on standby for calls from confused viewers and set up demonstration centers in several cities. [More...]

Chrysler Customers' Shrinking Service Options

Friday - June 12, 2009

There are 789 fewer Chrysler dealers this week -- and by the end of next year, there will be 1,100 fewer General Motors dealers. As the automakers terminate contracts with dealers across the nation as part of their bankruptcy reorganization, many owners of Chrysler and GM vehicles will have to find new sources for oil changes, tuneups and major repairs. What's a loyal owner to do? [More...]

Safeguarding the Crown Jewels With Online Brand Monitoring

Thursday - June 11, 2009

The most valuable asset of a company is its good name. Yet the rapid growth of the Internet and the explosion of social media, in particular, have made it infinitely more challenging for a company to protect its good name. Recent examples abound of how, owing to the viral effect of social media, ordinary people now wield the power to do untold harm to a brand. [More...]

Keeping Credit Card Numbers Well-Cloaked: Q&A With Fingerhut's Mark Lieberg

Thursday - June 11, 2009

It's a fact that might not bring a lot of comfort to consumers and businesses, but it's true: The methods for protecting e-commerce transactions haven't changed a great deal since online shopping became a viable option in the early '90s. SSL and TSL encryption are the protocols that slap on that little padlock you see at the bottom of a Web site once you've begun the purchase process. [More...]

GM's Demise and the Rise of CRM Culture

Wednesday - June 10, 2009

Business schools have been discussing General Motor's loss of market shar for decades already, and the added denouement of the company's bankruptcy filing will no doubt drive many academic papers for decades to come. The roots of GM's fall from grace are numerous, and it would be incorrect to attribute the fall to any single factor. [More...]

Toiling Away in 'White-Collar Sweatshops' - aka Call Centers

Tuesday - June 9, 2009

Sarah Betesh's career in customer service began in box office call centers at venues such as the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia. She moved on to Tickets.com and Vertical Alliance, at one point becoming a call center manager. However, in spite of her success, Betesh left her call center career behind in 2003. [More...]

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