Customer Satisfaction and Competitive Advantage

Customer Satisfaction and Competitive Advantage
lenworth grandison, Other, Jamaica
Customer satisfaction is what every organization aspires to achieve, it keeps the customer coming back, this in itself usually transcends to a loyal customer, when the customer needs a product from that particular product class your product readily comes to mind, so the customer goes out and makes the purchase, hence success for the organization.

Importance of Not-Satisfying the Customer
Cengiz Pak, Strategy Consultant, Turkey
The importance of customer satisfaction may become very clear when not performed. Most probably another firm will satisfy the customers and your firm will be out of the game soon. But the reverse is not true.

Customer Satisfaction and Competitive Advantage
Eugene, Manager, South Africa
Customer satisfaction is very important. It is letting the customer walking away with the effect of coming back to you whenever they will be needing or buying something from you. This customer will notify others of your sevice which will give you word of mouth advertising without paying. The more satisfied the customer is the more they will come back which could give you the competive advantage. The customer must always feel that you go out of your way for them.

Be Careful with Assuming Competitive Advantage Because of Customer Satisfaction...
John Gbadebo, Accountant, Nigeria
The concept of customer satisfaction is a function of customer loyalty and it is also expected to result in a positive competitive positioning for the firm.
But this may turn out to be a pyrrhic victory in that, competitors' research and development efforts may likely overtake and negate such advantage while this firm is still basking in the euphoria of its market leadership.

Understanding the Escalator
Clive Turner, Manager, United Kingdom
The rule is 'first to market wins'. Anyone else in the same market can only be a 'me too' player.
Understanding the expectations of a customer in your market, and how competitors are meeting/missing those expectations in comparison with your own business performance can identify the opportunity to stay ahead.
Any idea is only 'new' for a short time, and then everyone else starts to join in. Soon, if you don't do it, you are disadvantaged. This is the escalator, always moving down (Ron Kaufman) which is why businesses must always step up - but where?
Customer Satisfaction allows understanding of opportunity, and hence delivers the POTENTIAL for competitive advantage if the business listens to it's customers.
Sometimes, it might be necessary to 'listen between the lines' to surprise the customer and gain the 'first to market' leadership position.