- Conference Speakers
Topics:
- Sales/Customer Service
"The only true competitive advantage a business can have today is to understand what the future will look like sooner and more clearly than the competition - and to get there first", states Larry Hochman.
Larry, ten years a senior manager and director with British Airways and Air Miles both in New York and London, is one of Europe's best known speakers. He has spent the last seven years speaking all over the world, helping companies develop a competitive advantage by focusing on the future needs of both customers and employees.
He is not just a theorist, but has turned his thoughts into tangible business triumphs on both sides of the Atlantic. During his ten year career with BA and Air Miles Larry first managed the British Airways terminal at JFK Airport in New York for 3 years. In 1991, he was asked to moved to London to put together a team and lead their efforts in developing, designing, managing and implementing a company-wide customer service training programme called 'Winning for Customers'. This programme was attended by 48,000 BA staff between 1992-1994 and Larry reported directly to Sir Colin Marshall and Robert Ayling.
At Air Miles, Larry has helped create what is recognised as one of the UK's most progressive cultures and remarkable commercial successes, first as Director of Customer Service, then as Director of People and Culture, the only person in Britain to hold this title. Air Miles is an excellent example of a company that saw the future with regard to database marketing and set about building relationships accordingly. The relevant issue today and in the future is not the gathering of information (which anyone can do), but the effective use of the information to build relationships that matter. Mass marketing could become obsolete in high-tech cultures, with customised responses to individual needs becoming the dominant requirement. Customer retention and lifetime loyalty are the universal imperatives for every company. These issues are directly linked to building the right relationships with the right customers based on relevant data. Air Miles has done this as well as if not better than any company in Europe.
Larry's passion on the subjects of customer and employee needs is legendary as is his ability to inspire audience after audience. Add to this his track record in spotting trends and helping companies take advantage of them, and you will understand how and why Larry can uniquely add value.
"What made you successful in the past will not in the future" Larry predicts "the prime responsibility of leaders today is to create the business of tomorrow - as fast as possible"
Beacon Graphics