Everyone in business has been told that success is all about attracting and retaining (留住) customers. It sounds simple and achievable. But, 50 , words of wisdom are soon forgotten. Once companies have attracted customers they often 51 the second half of the story. In the excitement of beating off the competition, negotiating prices, securing orders, and delivering the product, managers tend to become carried away. They forget what they regard as the boring side of business— 52 that the customer remains a customer.
53 to concentrate on retaining as well as attracting customers costs business huge amounts of money annually. It has been estimated that the average company loses between 10 and 30 per cent of its customers every years. In constantly changing 54 , this is not surprising. What is surprising is the fact that few companies have any idea how many customers they have lost.
Only now are organizations beginning to wake up to those lost opportunities and calculate the 55
implications. Cutting down the number of customers a company loses can make a big 56 in its performance. Research in the US found that a five per cent decrease in the number of defecting (流失的) customers led to 57 increases of between 25 and 85 per cent.
In the US, Domino’s Pizza estimates that a regular customer is worth more than $5,000 over ten years. A customer who receives a poor quality product or service on their first visit and 58 never returns, is losing the company thousands of dollars in 59 profits (more if you consider how many people they are likely to tell about their bad experience).
The logic behind cultivating customer 60 is impossible to deny. “In practice most companies’ marketing effort is focused on getting customers, with little attention paid to 61 them”, says Adrian Payne of Cornfield University’ School of Management. “Research suggests that there is a close relationship between retaining customers and making profits. 62 customers tend to buy more, are predictable and usually cost less to service than new customers. Furthermore, they tend to be less price 63 , and may provide free word-of-mouth advertising. Retaining customers also makes it 64 for competitors to enter a market or increase their share of a market.
1.A. in particular B. in reality C. at least D. first of all
2.A. emphasize B. doubt C. overlook D. believe
3.A. denying B. ensuring C. arguing D. proving
4.A. Moving B. Hoping C. Starting D. Failing
5.A. markets B. tastes C. prices D. expenses
6.A. culture B. social C. financial D. economical
7.A. promise B. plan C. mistake D. difference
8.A. cost B. opportunity C. profit D. budget
9.A. as a result B. on the whole C. in conclusion D. on the contrary
10.A. huge B. potential C. extra D. reasonable
11.A. beliefs B. loyalty C. habits D. interest
12.A. altering B. understanding C. keeping D. attracting
13.A. Assumed B. Respected C. Established D. Unexpected
14.A. agreeable B. flexible C. friendly D. sensitive
15.A. unfair B. difficult C. essential D. convenient
How would you like to wear the same underwear (内衣裤) for weeks? Owing to the work that has gone into developing intelligent materials, this may not be as 41 as it sounds. Self-cleaning clothes have now been created, and these new materials provide 42 resistance to dirt as well as water. As a result, they require much less cleaning than traditional materials.
The creation of self-cleaning clothes provides an example of how nature helps scientists develop better products. This self-cleaning nature is known as the “lotus effect”. The name comes, of course, from the lotus leaves, which are famous for growing in muddy lakes and rivers while remaining almost 43
clean. By observing nature, scientists are 44 the qualities of the lotus leaves to the materials they have engineered. Because of this, some remarkable new products have been 45 . Among them are special windows that are resistant to dirt and water. A special 46 on these windows not only prevents dirt from sticking to their surfaces, but also allows dust to be easily washed off by the rain. In fact, these new windows have already been 47 to some cars. Even when traveling at high speed through rain, these cars never have to use their windshield wipers (雨刮器).
Although we have already seen some practical applications, even more dramatic 48 will be made in the future, and they will, perhaps, change our world completely. Undoubtedly, technology is an important development, and it will have an even bigger 49 on our lives.
Today we have chat rooms, text messaging, emailing… but we seem ______ the art of communicating face-to-face.
A. losing B. to be losing C. to be lost D. having lost
You’ll find taxis waiting at the bus station ______ you can hire to reach your host family.
A. which B. where C. when D. as
The message you intend to convey through words may be the exact opposite of ______ others actually understand.
A. why B. that C. which D. what
The police officers in our city work hard ______ the rest of us can live a safe life.
A. in case B. as if C. in order that D. only if
