What is the best way for companies to use customer service to help meet their revenue goals?
JW: The best way to tie customer service (and customer satisfaction) to revenue goals is to start way back at the product and service strategy. When products and services are designed with customer adoption, use and growth in mind, the ability to up-sell and cross-sell is a natural part of the customer experience. On the flip side, if products are developed in isolation from one to the next, chances are the customer will never be a candidate for up-selling simply because there is nothing to naturally up-sell. Its kind of like being forced to sell airplane parts to people who have just bought a car — unnatural. CC: Why is service so important? What about Sales and Marketing? JW: Again, it depends on what you are selling. Do I really care how helpful the customer service people are who work for the company which makes my paper towels? Probably not. However, if you are in a business which has a lot of direct interaction with the ultimate user, customer service is part of the Product itse
