Creative ways to solve customer experience challenges.

• Author: Motley, L. Biff
• Position: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

IN TODAY'S HYPERACTIVE MARKETPLACE, you have to go beyond just satisfying your customers. You have to elevate their experience in unique, memorable and personal ways. We live in an increasingly commoditized world, where contemporary marketing methods often result in a lack of differentiation in our customers' minds. This is especially true in product categories like financial services, where levels of interest or knowledge may be low. Stepping out of this world of grey indistinctiveness requires creativity. But how and where does this creativity come from? And, can you call it up on demand?

Several recent studies suggest that for most people the best route to a truly creative solution requires stepping away from the day-to-day humdrum of job activities--to get away...