The customer is always right - and the customer has changed

On the blog SocialCustomer.com you'll find the following manifesto:

The Social Customer Manifesto
I want to have a say.
I don't want to do business with idiots.
I want to know when something is wrong, and what you're going to do to fix it.
I want to help shape things that I'll find useful.
I want to connect with others who are working on similar problems.
I don't want to be called by another salesperson. Ever. (Unless they have something useful. Then I want it yesterday.)
I want to buy things on my schedule, not yours. I don't care if it's the end of your quarter.
I want to know your selling process.
I want to tell you when you're screwing up. Conversely, I'm happy to tell you the things that you are doing well. I may even tell you what your competitors are doing.
I want to do business with companies that act in a transparent and ethical manner.
I want to know what's next. We're in partnership…where should we go?

It's not a bad starting point. I suspect if you can tick all the boxes you'll be a long way towards engaging your customers in meaningful conversations to the benefit of all parties.