The new competitive edge

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for granted
That is what Don Peppers and Martha Rogers say in the book Extreme trust . They predict that the above abuses will no longer occur in the future. The attitude of companies that customers should pay attention themselves, can then no longer be maintained. Customers no longer accept that they are punished for their so-called inattention with companies. Times are changing. As a company, you will have to ensure that your customers cannot make mistakes with your product or service. You as a company are responsible for that. Not the customer.

To trust
Amazon in the US shows a pop-up as a warning if you are ordering a book twice. AllSecur actively calls its customers when they actually have to change their Allrisk insurance to a cheaper version, because the car is getting too old for their policy. A construction company in the US proactively contacts customers, two weeks before their warranty expires, to check if everything is still working. They have the highest word-of-mouth in their industry.

extreme trust

This is still exceptional behavior. A company that acts in your interest and not in their own. After all, at that particular moment they are losing turnover or making costs. Why do they do this? What happens to you when a company warns you that you are paying too much to them? You really start to trust this company. What happens when you really trust a company? You come back more often and you recommend them without hesitation.


According to Peppers and Rogers, trust is the new competitive edge . Customers want to do business with companies that have good intentions and that do the right things for their customers and their employees. This is what separates excellent companies from the 'short-term revenue-hungry parties'. Customers feel this difference. And the customer's feelings and their experiences are now online 24/7, read by many other customers who also believe these messages more than your belgium phone data marketing message.

More transparency ultimately leads to more honesty. Being trustworthy as a company is no longer a nice side issue, it has become an absolute must for survival.

Social proof
The reputation of companies is now based on the marketing message and what others say about it, mostly online. Twitter, Facebook, online reviews and the 'normal' media, together they determine the final image with customers. If that image is negative, then you are doubly unlucky. Because then that image also becomes negative with people who are not your customers at all. This is due to the power of social proof - Cialdini wrote about it in 1984. People follow the prevailing opinion. Ensuring a positive image is therefore more important than ever today. But you have to earn trust first. Promise what you deliver and deliver what you promise. Plus a little extra.