It's no secret that the global economy experienced a downturn in 2008. Even with the recent passage of a massive government stimulus package, analysts are predicting a wait of several quarters before we can expect to see renewed growth.

In such uncertain economic conditions, it's more important than ever to make sure that your customers are 100-percent satisfied with the services you deliver. And that's what this issue's cover story, "The Art of Customer Retention", is all about.

In addition to industry experts Kendra Lee and Christine McMahon, we've gone to four solution providers just like you -- Duke Burge, founder and president of Computer Solutions Inc., Nick Bock, CEO of Five Nines Technology Group, Tommy Wald, CEO of RIATA Technologies and Ben Rife, CEO of Integrity Networks -- to find out how they're ensuring satisfaction by reaching out to customers and looking inward at their own processes. Plus, we've included tips to help you start improving your own customersatisfaction levels by creating customer surveys and taking advantage of Ingram Micro's business resources.

For ideas on hot technologies to pitch to those satisfied customers, be sure to check out our other articles, including "Mobile Security: A Market Set to Soar", "Collaboration Solutions Come Together", "Beyond Greenwash: Selling Sustainable IT" and "Bringing Digital Signage to Market". And don't forget to submit your technology questions to Ingram Micro's Solution Center engineers for expert advice and a chance to win a free Channel Advisor T-shirt.

Challenging times still lie ahead of us all, but by keeping our focus sharp and our partnerships strong, we will not only survive, but thrive together. If you're an Ingram Micro customer, please don't hesitate to contact your sales representative at (800) 456-8000 for help and support.