Author: Greg Girard, Program Director, Merchandise Strategies, IDC

Excerpt: “Companies that focus on their customers and their needs reap the rewards. McDonald’s, with its “plan to win,” maniacally focuses on a consistent customer experience; GameStop challenges itself to meet the needs of highly informed and savvy gamers every day; and Walmart built its brand on providing consumers the lowest prices. Their financial results over the past decade and even during the current financial downturn tell the story. Each has managed its brand with actionable strategies to deliver the brand promise and create the customer delight that keeps people coming back. In each case, customer intelligence has been the backbone for making the right decisions.”