As the customer leverages the ability to be able to shape, mold and model the entire customer buying experience you'll see a more personal approach to serving. Most of this will be due to the internet's "on demand" technologies that are retooling how the customer see's the buying experience.
I love the benefits of interacting with the customer in a way that really show's the kind of integrity and respect customers should be getting anyway. A year ago I had a customer of mine who bought one of my BABUSHKA "HAPPY Thinking Caps" in South America. For some reason after a few weeks the customer still did not get the BABUSHKA and the postal system determined that somehow it got held up in customs. I eventually explained this to my customer who checked into it on her end and customs denied having it. Instead of forcing the customer to order a new one I just sent her another one anyway with a tracer on it. The customer really appreciated knowing I was more concerned about her buying experience than I was in being right about the product making it to her country. This is what I call showing the customer some love. It paid huge dividends when she posted her picture with the New BABUSHKA on and that brought more sales because she was very, very happy.
In 2011 I'm predicting that making the buying experience work in the Customers favor is going to become a huge plus for companies. KEEP SMILING and remember to show your customer's the LOVE.
Lovingly loving you Deremiah *CPE