Push Vs Pull
This is such a good paper that even though I have blogged about it before I have to bring it up again, especially as I found another one on the same topic which I totally agree with. Here's a quote:
The New Economy has changed all of this. With the evolution of computer and communications technologies, particularly the Internet and database software, the customer can now initiate the business transaction, not simply respond to the salesperson's overture. Instead of being on the end of the value chain ("product push"), the customer is now at the beginning ("customer pull"). Organizations must therefore establish a "relationship" that allows them to maintain contact with their customers over the long term. Recognizing this new reality and dealing with it proactively is the single most important dimension of enterprise strategy.
Yup, I'll agree with that. Customer Lifecycle Management is the way to go.