Countering Doc

The thing about Doc Searls at times is that he doesn’t make sense. Re-read this:

“…customers don’t like being “consumers” or “targets.” Being “reduced” doesn’t stir their hearts, either. Least of all do they wish to be “acquired”

How can one possibly be wont of ‘un-acquiredness’ and yet be termed a ‘customer’? Correct is he when he asserts the desire of un-tamingness on behalf of Consumers. But that’s that! A consumer today wants the choicest of attention, best of services & products minus the strings of loyalty and obligations attached. And begets it.

He then shall swerve at the slightest discontent and shall expend heartily if content. Therefore today’s consumer is a perennial consumer and not a customer.

Point: Strike ‘customer’ from the trite-list if you may. But Consumer is the word of today and the future. Customer-holding days are bygone. Strategy resting on customer-loyalty  is hee-haw.

Oft the difference between 'consumer-acquisition' and 'customer-retention' is the banality of promises that are rendered during prospecting that one doesn't keep.

The shift from customerization to consumerization shall keep the companies on their toes as: one, they need to make promises they can keep and two,they shall cease to have "customers" whose loyalty they can take for granted.