Road Runner Sports drills deep into its customer files to provide rewarding direct marketing

By Melissa Sepos

RRS stays in touch with its customers by talking to them personally. Managers must listen in at the call center at least 90 minutes a month. The company sponsors and attends road races, conducts focus groups, reads letters and e-mails from consumers and talks to customers at its retail store. RRS also produces Fitness Runner, a 400,000 circulation, general running magazine, and Peak Running Performance, a newsletter for competitive runners.