A penny for your thoughts: When customers don't complain

When it comes to consumer contentment, managers and executives should not mistake silence for satisfaction. Most unhappy customers never say a word; they just take their business elsewhere.

Keeping the customer dissatisfied? How businesses can recover from service failure

Strategies for recovering from service failures can have a dramatic impact on profitability, according to research conducted at the W. P. Carey School of Business. That's because most business profit comes from keeping current customers satisfied, not from developing new accounts.

The evolving science of services

The W. P. Carey School, through its pioneering Center for Services Leadership, has been at the leading edge of research concerning the services sector, which now accounts for 75 to 80 percent of the U.S. economy.

Group buy-in: How the urge to fit in sways purchase satisfaction

Corporations utilize multi-person buying committees to be sure that high-ticket decisions are based on broad input and merit.

What's in a name: Cardinals Stadium seeks a partner

Arizona Cardinals Stadium, a $355 million, multi-purpose, high tech athletic entertainment facility, is considered among the top ten in the world. When it officially opened on September 10 it sported all the bells and whistles, except one: a corporate name and a lucrative naming rights contract.

Changing channels: It's all about what clicks with customers

When Dell Computer Corp. announced in May that it is opening two retail stores, retail industry observers took note. Dell, with $56 billion in revenue this year, was a pioneer in developing the online model of retailing. Brick-and-mortar retailers have followed, creating their own online stores.

Clashing cultures contribute to racial disparities in medical care

Clashing cultural cues – rather than discriminatory doctors – could cause at least part of the medical care gap between black and white Americans, according to a recent study of patient adherence by Jonathan D.

Is your company ready to blog?

A well-executed business blog is a 24-hour opportunity to interact with customers, impress Wall Street, spark business-to-business opportunities, track industry trends, spot brand deterioration and spook competitors, all maintained at a low-rent cyber address. Does your company have one?

The gentle science of persuasion, part one: Liking

The ability to persuade others is critical to success, whether you are selling cars or a new corporate strategy. Psychology and marketing Professor Robert Cialdini has examined the component parts of influence, in the lab and on the street.

The gentle science of persuasion, part six: Scarcity

In the digital age, more information is available to more people than ever before. But not all the information. Truly unique and rare information — a hot stock tip, for instance, or a warning of an impending market shift — remains a near-priceless commodity.