Some interesting new research out this week detailed in our weekly alert on how organisations who try to force customers down channels of their (that is the organisation's) choosing,  often in an attempt to cut costs, are finding this tactic, let's face it it hardly warrants the moniker strategy, is backfiring on them. That should not come as too big a surprise because we are all customers and we all like to deal with our product and service providers on our terms and through the medium we want to use. What is significant is the detrimental bottom line impact that such a stance is having on those organisations who try to dictate channel choice to their customers, and perhaps more importantly the positive impact on the bottom line of  those who are taking a more enlightened view.

We are constantly hearing  - and talking - about how the dynamic of the relationship between organisations and their customers has changed, and here is a living, breathing example of just how fundamental that change is. Historically organisations have been used to dictating the channel(s) of service and finding enough compliant customers to make it a viable business model. But that's not the case any more and savvy organisations have not only woken up to the fact, they are leveraging their customers' behaviour for mutual benefit by faciitating their ability to choose a channel that is good  for the customer and also good for the business.  Without going all Brave New Worldy about it, I believe  the future for successful customer relationships is  through meaningful two-way dialogue and collaboration between provider and customers when and where that is relevant - with the channels for that collaboration being on the customers' terms. More organisations are now taking their customer engagement measurement capabilities more seriously and that is going to be one of the areas we look at in our upcoming Customer Engagement Measurement Directors Forum in November (details of all our forums can be found at www.customerengagementclub.com and in our Customer Engagement digital magazine on the home page of the website)

We are not called the Customer Engagement Club for nothing - and here 'engagement' is indeed the pivotal word. If we can engage our customers through dialogue and collaboration, and they feel they are helping shape the way we do business with them and the products and services we provide, then the emotional triggers that control buying decisions will be satisfied - an engaged customer is a loyal customer and in these dark days of economic gloom and doom, retaining what we have is core to survival and success.  A customer 'retention' strategy should be a customer 'engagement 'strategy and if customers are comfortable with the channel they are using with us, and have the ability to choose the channel that is best for them in any given circumstance, then we are well on our way to gaining the engagement that is the key to competitive advantage. That's the bottom line!