Flash Dissatisfied customers; influencing customers

Retailers, beware: A recent study by Harte-Hanks Market Research found that 69 percent of consumers are dissatisfied with the service they receive and, therefore, don't feel a need to be loyal to the stores in which they shop.

Skin deep: Motivating your customers takes more than just another pretty face, according to a study by The Andrew Jergens Company, and Americans are more impressed by people who have a talent or message than they are by "supermodels." Even the corporate giants are acknowledging this trend.

Gwen Moran is president of Moran Marketing Associates, a public relations and marketing communications agency in Ocean, New Jersey. She is currently completing a marketing workbook titled Promote Your Business. E-mail her at moranmarketing@erols.com.