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	<title>Malcolm Pitcher</title>
	
	<link>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk</link>
	<description>Managing Director of In-house Research and Training Ltd</description>
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		<title>Is Your Sales Process So Complicated That It’s Scaring Customers Away?</title>
		<link>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2011/02/is-your-sales-process-so-complicated-that-it%e2%80%99s-scaring-customers-away/</link>
		<comments>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2011/02/is-your-sales-process-so-complicated-that-it%e2%80%99s-scaring-customers-away/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 20 Feb 2011 10:39:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Malcolm</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Customer service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[customer experience]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/?p=81</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
			
				
			
		
You’re standing at a railway ticket machine in a strange, foreign country. The train is due in a few minutes and you need to figure out which buttons to press on the machine to buy a ticket.
Thankfully the ticket machine does have some English instructions&#8230; but they’re in that stilted English from translation machines rather [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2011/02/is-your-sales-process-so-complicated-that-it%e2%80%99s-scaring-customers-away/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Using Mystery Shopping To Ensure Consistent Customer Service</title>
		<link>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2011/02/using-mystery-shopping-to-ensure-consistent-customer-service/</link>
		<comments>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2011/02/using-mystery-shopping-to-ensure-consistent-customer-service/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 03 Feb 2011 18:47:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Malcolm</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Customer service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mystery Shopping]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/?p=75</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Mystery shopping helps to ensure that everyone in your team is delivering great customer service - and creating happy customers. ]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Does Your Marketing Appeal To Decisive Dan And Tentative Tom?</title>
		<link>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2011/01/does-your-marketing-appeal-to-decisive-dan-and-tentative-tom/</link>
		<comments>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2011/01/does-your-marketing-appeal-to-decisive-dan-and-tentative-tom/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 27 Jan 2011 10:10:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Malcolm</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Customer service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/?p=71</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
			
				
			
		
You&#8217;ve listened to your prospect&#8217;s needs; explained the benefits of your options; and generally gone out of your way to help them. So why do they still back out of buying?
Is it because they&#8217;re no longer interested? Or because they don&#8217;t like you? Or have they changed their mind about needing your product or service?
No, [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>What happened to the sticking record?</title>
		<link>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2010/12/what-happened-to-the-sticking-record/</link>
		<comments>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2010/12/what-happened-to-the-sticking-record/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 11 Dec 2010 18:26:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Malcolm</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[customer experience]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/?p=65</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
			
				
			
		
I tell delegates on my customer service training that if a customer complains about what you have told them, being a sticking record (i.e. repeating yourself) is much better than changing your tune; as long as you have shown appropriate levels of understanding and empathy.
If you change your tune too easily you lose the trust [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>How to change a tired retail formula into something that can wow!</title>
		<link>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2010/07/how-to-change-a-tired-retail-formula-into-something-that-can-wow/</link>
		<comments>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2010/07/how-to-change-a-tired-retail-formula-into-something-that-can-wow/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:12:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[brand]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[customer experience]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Customer service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[delivery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[service]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/?p=61</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
			
				
			
		
I hate buying jewellery. I don’t know much about it and the typical High Street experience is as turgid and uninspiring as it can be.
Bored assistants will tell to you ‘take a look around’ and ‘If you see anything you like I’ll get it out for you’.
Gerald Ratner once famously described some of his jewellery [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why trying to go green has made me see red</title>
		<link>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2010/07/why-trying-to-go-green-has-made-me-see-red/</link>
		<comments>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2010/07/why-trying-to-go-green-has-made-me-see-red/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Jul 2010 06:30:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[communications]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[consumer research]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[customer experience]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[training]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/?p=50</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
			
				
			
		
Last week construction marketing group CIMCIG called for greater customer research. I agree, but I think that suppliers have a part to play too.
Green is good, green is right, green is the choice that any rational person would make&#8230;isn&#8217;t it? You&#8217;d like to think so, wouldn&#8217;t you. I like technology, I embrace change. I feel that every [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Why targets and customer service don’t mix</title>
		<link>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2010/06/why-targets-and-customer-service-don%e2%80%99t-mix/</link>
		<comments>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2010/06/why-targets-and-customer-service-don%e2%80%99t-mix/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jun 2010 09:13:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Malcolm</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[customer experience]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Customer service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[market research]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[training]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/?p=45</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
			
				
			
		
According to the Daily Mail today, Norfolk Chief Constable Phil Gormley has told his officers to forget about targets and concentrate on their performance instead. He warned his 1,700 officers: &#8216;the danger is you can hit the target but miss the point. &#8216;We must improve performance, not chase targets.&#8217;
I couldn’t agree more.  Targets and customer [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2010/06/why-targets-and-customer-service-don%e2%80%99t-mix/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Passion can’t be claimed; it can only be delivered</title>
		<link>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2010/06/passion-can%e2%80%99t-be-claimed-it-can-only-be-delivered/</link>
		<comments>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2010/06/passion-can%e2%80%99t-be-claimed-it-can-only-be-delivered/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 Jun 2010 09:17:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Malcolm</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[In-house]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[delivery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[passion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[website]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/?p=32</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
			
				
			
		
My old web site suffered from &#8216;passionitis&#8217;.  It told the weary visitor that we were passionate about this and passionate about that&#8230;.
And we were so happy with it. We imagined visitors being so impressed&#8230;. but they weren’t.
They visited us to get information NOT sticky marketing speak.
So the new In-house Research and Training web site has had [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2010/06/passion-can%e2%80%99t-be-claimed-it-can-only-be-delivered/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Change and the customer experience</title>
		<link>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2010/06/not-every-change-improves-the-serving-experience/</link>
		<comments>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2010/06/not-every-change-improves-the-serving-experience/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jun 2010 10:09:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Malcolm</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[change]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[customer experience]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Customer service]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/?p=5</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
			
				
			
		

Sitting in a fancy restaurant the other day I couldn&#8217;t help  overhearing a rather noisy conversation on the next table about this  wine versus that wine; this vineyard versus that vineyard.
And then the moment to order the wine came&#8230;.. after much  deliberation with the waiter, a wine was chosen, and the waiter [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2010/06/not-every-change-improves-the-serving-experience/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Can a market researcher have an opinion?</title>
		<link>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2010/06/why-cant-a-market-researcher-have-an-opinion/</link>
		<comments>http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/2010/06/why-cant-a-market-researcher-have-an-opinion/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 08 Jun 2010 13:31:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Malcolm</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Opinion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[interview]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[market research]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[researcher]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.malcolmpitcher.co.uk/?p=9</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
			
				
			
		

A few days ago a colleague was being interviewed by a  market researcher.  After 5 minutes or so she was asked&#8230;  &#8217;what is  your profession?&#8217;
&#8216;Market Research&#8217;, came the reply.
&#8216;Oh, I&#8217;m sorry&#8217;, replied the interviewer, but I can&#8217;t continue with the  interview&#8217;.
Despite my colleague&#8217;s protestations the interviewer was adamant:   &#8216;we&#8217;re not supposed [...]]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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