A Dozen Problems with Applied Customer Measurement

Abstract

Most organizations today understand the importance of satisfying customers. Many have formal processes in place for survey-based customer satisfaction measurement. While right in intent, a large number of these programs have not kept pace with evolving ways of viewing, measuring, and managing customer relationships. Twelve common problems are described, characterizing specific ways in which applied customer measurement approaches fall short. Discussion of each problem helps to raise improvement possibilities for applied corporate researchers, and, offers fertile topical areas for academically-oriented researchers. Addressing the set of twelve issues in total also can be viewed as prescriptive for a progressive, up-to-date program of applied customer measurement.