The concept of the "customer" has permeated every aspect of twenty-first century life. At a macro level, the UK government has become more concerned about its "customers" too, setting up focus groups, carrying out research and passing an increasing amount of legislation aimed at making customers more informed and companies more accountable. At the company level, we have the internal customer, our employees, and as managers we need to market to them as carefully as we market to our external customers. The bottom line is, to the outside world the staff are the brand.
THE CONCEPT OF THE CUSTOMER
There's been an explosion in customer-focused television programmes - surely the ultimate recourse of any disgruntled UK customer is to write to BBC's ff,aididog programme, and succeed in naming and shaming their least favourite company during Britain's prime-time viewing. And, of course, most recently, we have had the advent of the World Wide Web, and the implications for remote customer service: without any voice or face-to-face interaction at all. Customer care these days is demanded and expected. The consumer wants it instantly, via the method they choose and at the time they want. At the same time, customer care has become more automated, and, when not performed properly, more annoying and frustrating.