Five ways to survive thrive in a tough economy.(Voice of the Customer)(customer relationship management methods)(Viewpoint essay)

"Things'll go your way, if you hold on for one more day."--Wilson Phillips "Hold On"

WHEN I THINK about business challenges in today's economy, I sometimes think back to "Hold On," a song sung in the early 1990s by the band Wilson Phillips. The basic theme is this--if you can just hang in there for a little while longer, things will be okay. It seems like that's what many businesses are doing--just trying to hold on, to survive. You labor over spreadsheets. Consider how to cut costs. Think about how you can avoid mistakes and keep things going in the hope that everything will magically turn in your favor.

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I certainly get that. I …