42 • 100 GREAT BUSINESS IDEAS
The importance of providing information to the client should not
be underestimated. Information encourages customers to buy and
to get the maximum out of the service being provided. Conversely,
businesses should be eager to accept information from the consumer
in the form of customer satisfaction and feedback surveys.
The idea
From 1989 to 1991, Ryder—the largest truck-leasing business in
the world—suffered a steady decline in its business and slipped to
second place in its core American market. To address this problem,
Ryder recognized the need to use information more effectively to
serve customers. Its approach highlighted three key infl uences
affecting current and potential customers:
- The need to help customers buy: for example, by producing a
brochure explicitly explaining why they should buy Ryder’s
insurance, as well as providing another brochure offering other
supplies and accessories. Ryder recognized that customers
would want to compare products with those of competitors,
so it produced a truck comparison chart, highlighting its
competitiveness and reassuring potential customers. - The need to help customers use the service: Ryder provided a free
guide to moving to every customer and potential customer,
published in Spanish and English. - The need to help customers to continuously adapt their usage: as
well as ensuring that each outlet was well ordered, displaying a