Lisa Bell

Aggregate. In other words, cross-sell other products and services. It's easy since you already have a relationship with your customers. Offer one-stop shopping, consolidated billing, free shipping and other benefits for giving you more of their business. Everyone's busy, and consumers are looking for service providers who can make their lives easier. It's what they want, so why not give it to them? Case in point: Amazon.com. What started as the "Earth's Biggest Bookstore" in 1995 is now an online powerhouse, offering everything from toys to travel and Target merchandise. Amazon.com took a winning formula and added new product categories and partners. And

Focus groups are ideal for generating new ideas and getting feedback on your current products and services. Participants usually are paid or given gift certificates in return for their honest opinions. Although you're talking to just a handful of people, focus groups can bring to light key concerns, trends and points of customer satisfaction. [And] you can always validate your findings with a quantitative survey.  —Lisa Bell, president and chief creative officer, Tivoli Partners

It seems like everyone has a loyalty program these days. Customers are getting weary of "me too" programs that don't offer substantial value. Instead of always giving customers what they expect, give them the unexpected. For example, a major credit card company awarded some of its best customers a box of Godiva chocolates for reaching a milestone in usage. It was an unexpected tasty little perk that came out of the blue. Results? These customers had above average retention rates the following year. Sometimes the little things can mean a lot.  —Lisa Bell, president and chief creative officer, Tivoli Partners