So, perhaps there is economic incentive, especially if you can factor in customer relationship, up-selling and cross-selling benefits.

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Direct relationships with customers means the ability to bundle, offer personalised promotions to readers, exclusives, up-selling and cross-promotions, behavioural targeting, and more.

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Third, as far as consumers are concerned, Microsoft can bring product integration and create lots of cross-selling and up-selling opportunities for Windows Live users and Skype users.

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In one company, propensity modelling delivered a 170% increase in conversion rates across cross- and up-selling campaigns.

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Doing more to attract deposits may have other benefits, such as opening up cross-selling opportunities, tightening underwriting controls and retaining customers for longer.

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Its former chairman, Dick Kovacevich, was a zealot about cross-selling products to existing customers and building up multiple relationships with each individual and household.

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