bling ▁of ▁the ▁average ▁life ▁of ▁a ▁customer ▁relationship ▁from ▁ 5 ▁to ▁ 1 0 ▁years . ▁This ▁ratio ▁can ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁make ▁compar isons ▁between ▁products , ▁between ▁market ▁segments , ▁and ▁over ▁time . ▁ ▁Det erm ining ▁reasons ▁for ▁defe ction ▁– ▁It ▁compr ises ▁investig ating ▁root ▁causes , ▁not ▁mere ▁sympt oms . ▁This ▁involves ▁prob ing ▁for ▁details ▁when ▁contact ing ▁former ▁customers . ▁Other ▁techniques ▁include ▁the ▁analysis ▁of ▁customers ' ▁compla ints ▁and ▁compet itive ▁benchmark ing ▁( see ▁compet itor ▁analysis ). ▁ ▁Develop ing ▁and ▁implementing ▁a ▁correct ive ▁plan ▁– ▁This ▁could ▁involve ▁actions ▁to ▁improve ▁employee ▁practices , ▁using ▁benchmark ing ▁to ▁determine ▁best ▁correct ive ▁practices , ▁visible ▁end ors ement ▁of ▁top ▁management , ▁adjust ments ▁to ▁the ▁company ' s ▁reward ▁and ▁recognition ▁systems , ▁and ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁recovery ▁teams ▁to ▁eliminate ▁the ▁causes ▁of ▁defe ctions . ▁ ▁A ▁technique ▁to ▁calculate ▁the ▁value ▁to ▁a ▁firm ▁of ▁a ▁sust ained ▁customer ▁relationship ▁has ▁been ▁developed . ▁This ▁calculation ▁is ▁typically ▁called ▁customer ▁lifetime ▁value , ▁a ▁prediction ▁of ▁the ▁net ▁profit ▁of ▁a ▁customer ' s ▁relationship ▁with ▁a ▁company . ▁ ▁Ret ention ▁strateg ies ▁may ▁also ▁include ▁building ▁bar riers ▁to ▁customer ▁switching ▁by ▁product ▁bund ling ▁( com bin ing ▁several ▁products ▁or ▁services ▁into ▁one ▁package ▁and ▁offering ▁them ▁at ▁a ▁single ▁price ), ▁cross - s elling ▁( s elling ▁related ▁products ▁to ▁current ▁customers ), ▁cross -