Brace for More of the Same in 2009, Experts Warn

• be obsessive about your customers, he said, citing an example of Staples Canada implementing videoconferencing with its customer service reps into its in-store experience;
• constantly think about acquiring high-quality talent, he noted, recognizing the current job-sharing program that Proctor & Gamble and Google have formed; and
• optimize your capital base while focusing on your customer base, including looking for solid investment opportunities such as acquisitions during this depressed period.

While hopeful for a positive change with the new administration in Washington, D.C., the panelists said they aren't expecting any miracles. “It's more than dollars and cents; it's confidence,” Zandi said. To help marketers restore this confidence, he listed three factors: