Letter to the Editor: Why Some Marketers Turn Away Customers

Advertising Age, April 18, 2005, by Scott Davis

The notion of "firing" customers is, indeed, a devilish proposition that flies in the face of that basic marketing rule: "Your next best customer is the one you already have." But in a business climate marked by ultra-slim margins and mounting pressure by shareholders to improve them, a customer who causes a company to lose money is no bargain. Let's face it: Rules are made to be broken. It's the savvy marketer who understands that it's his or her job to cater to the changing interests of the underlying business rather than stick to a marketing standard that just isn't as relevant as it once was. Those marketers that are digging into their databanks to truly understand what appeals to their most profitable customers and finding creative ways to meet their needs beyond the traditional "marketing" touchpoints are adding new rules worth learning to the industry's playbook.