Business Digest

NATION

Poll: Americans think they will live as long as parents

NEW YORK — Americans tend to think they are healthy and that they’ll live at least as long as their parents did, a recent survey by Royal Philips Electronics says.

Almost half (47 percent) of Americans said they expect to live longer than their parents did, while 36 percent expected to reach an age similar to that of their parents. One in 10 said they foresee a shorter life, however.

The biggest chunk (34 percent) expected to live until 81 to 90 years. Meanwhile, 22 percent thought they would live to be 71 to 80, and 17 percent expected to see an age of 91 to 100.

Author: Companies need to focus on customer service

NEW YORK — The customer is king.

If companies want to avoid being swallowed by the economic crisis, then that’s what they need to realize, says Gal Borenstein, customer-service strategist and author of “What Really Counts for CEOs: Connect the Dots Between Marketing & Sales.”

Customer service is making a comeback as a key marketing and brand-building strategy, Borenstein said. That may mean reaching out to customers for feedback through social networking sites, in person or making real-time incident management available for consumers who are savvy and have more resources than ever.

Associated Press