Sprint-Nextel fires 1,000 clients

I heard on the news today that Sprint-Nextel, America’s third largest mobile phone service provider this week terminated the accounts of its 1,000 most annoying customers. It said in the notification to these clients that they were being terminated because they phoned the customer care centers too often – on average about once a day – often the same issues, and mainly with dumb ones (this isn’t what they actually said, but it’s what they meant). They have waived the termination fees, and given the people a month to change service provider. Read the press release here.
Can a company choose its clients? We believe absolutely it should!! We talk often of talented staff. But what about talented clients? What about ROC – not return on capital, but rather a return on client? The mindless pursuit of any customer by any means at any price is ludicrous. We predict that more companies will become selective about the customer base, and maybe put in place “customer performance contracts”…
Watch this space.