THE AGENDA

Innovation in customer service is the main reason for the current wave of corporate prosperity, according to the author who wrote the bestseller REENGINEERING THE CORPORATION. He says that companies used to be difficult to do business with because of the bad habits of "old economy" organizational models. Today, it's all focused on customers and what they perceive will improve their lives. This requires putting more emphasis on fitting products to their needs and integrating company functions better to see and service those needs. It's an intuitive answer to the challenge of demanding and fickle customers who are obsessed with squeezing the last ounce of value out of their business transactions. T.W. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 02]