"Octane is a web design, development and internet marketing consultancy started in June 1999."
My name's Wayne Smallman and I sell ideas that change the way companies do business, usually in the form of novel web applications.
I'm also a writer for business publications (both web and print), as well as a consultant, adviser and trusted ally to my clients.
Recent research has consistently concluded that building an effective relationship with your customers is the foundation on which every other component of your business is built.
Customer relationship management (CRM) platforms are now very sophisticated. However, businesses often make the mistake of using these applications to replace their existing customer service function, instead of using these systems to supplement and improve them.
“It’s not so much the technology that’s helping per se, it’s the willingness of sales and marketing staff to populate and use their CRM software that helps most, not the technology itself.” says Wayne Smallman, director of internet marketing company Octane Interactive. “CRM is just a crutch for our sieve-like memories, really. In a similar fashion, the best tools in the world are nothing without the knowledge to use them correctly.”
“If possible, get to know your customer on a personal level,” says Wayne Smallman. “That’s key. People buy into people long before they buy anything from them. Essentially, what we’re talking about here is trust. If you say you’re going to do something, do it. Don’t fail to do it, or do it late. Do it when and how you said you were going to. Of course, you can’t always stick rigidly to a plan, but demonstrate that you are at least working towards accomplishing that. Be transparent about your services, what you do and how you do it. The very moment a client has any serious doubts, there’s probably no doubt at all in their mind that they ought to be looking somewhere else.”
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