Humanetrics LLC

Customer Conversations

By Jay Forte, Humanetrics, LLC

We know that the customer rules. We know that competition is far more intense then ever before. Consolidations have made fewer, larger players. Information accessibility and speed has increased the ability for customers to find better pricing, better quality, faster delivery. Ideas move to market quicker than ever before and are readily copied and modified. All of this has created a more dynamic, competitive and uncertain business environment; this has changed the playing field for many companies.

Since we know that products, ideas, approaches and processes can now be reasonably copied and imitated, we run the risk of starting to blend with our competition in the minds of our customers. In the age of extreme advertising and marketing, it is important to stand out, to be distinct – so that we are remembered. And even though others may copy our products, marketing approaches or pricing – they cannot copy our level of care, commitment and customer attention – they cannot copy our personality and personal approach to dealing with our customer. Companies that place the customer at the center of their business survive and grow. Companies that encourage and support continual dialogues and open conversations about customers, service, value creation, responsiveness through all levels of the organization create customer “centricity” - a continual and strong focus on the customer in the minds of every employee.

Picture your organization as the solar system– the sun is the customer and all of the other planets are the positions in the organization. Each position circles the sun (the customer); everything they do has a direct result on and is affected by the customer. All job functions, regardless of department and contact with external third party customers, affect customers. This is what separates a great business from a good one. This is what makes a business distinct or remarkable – it keeps itself in the mind of the customer by doing things that continually show that the customer is the center.

We have seen a change in management styles over the past two decades from a more autocratic style (command and control) to a more team-based (shared leadership) organization. This had to happen with the dramatic availability of information brought on by technology; organizations are now exposed to significantly more information than ever before. In the past, a strong centralized manager could process and distribute all of the information he/she received. Now, it takes many eyes and ears to decipher meaningful from meaningless information and to manage the significant flow of information – to stay competitive… to survive. This requires all employees to be watching and sharing. Companies with team cultures encourage each employee to be part of this process – they encourage open and honest communication, an easy exchange of ideas and an open discussion forum. They encourage open and actively solicit employee ideas; they create an environment of inclusion.

This inclusive environment does two critical things:
• It draws the employee into the organization and encourages the employee to bring his brain to work and use it.
• It encourages diversity of opinion and the freedom to offer many suggestions to find the best options and solutions to a constantly changing environment.

Having this culture allows customer centricity – it creates the permission for all employees to review and comment on how the company focuses on its customers. It actively encourages employees to talk about their role in keeping the customer at the center – even if their job does not have specific outside customer contact.

Once the culture allows for active employee involvement, the next step is to raise the importance of the customer in the minds of all employees in the organization. Many times, employees who do not deal with external customers daily, feel that they have no role in establishing, providing or maintaining customer satisfaction. Creating a customer centric organization reminds all employees that a dialogue about service to the customer is part of every employee’s job. This is where it is important to know the difference between the value of a customer and the value for a customer. Only by showing all employees the value of (the personal importance of) a customer, will we be able to persuade and encourage them to focus on them and provide value for them. Employee buy-in is critical. They must see the personal value in order to commit to a change in attitude, behavior and therefore performance.

Customer centric organizations create ways to continually surprise customers with exceptional responses – they actively involve everyone in the organization in brainstorming and idea generation. They include a component of customer satisfaction in every employee’s bonus plan, MBO’s, goals or job description. Managers openly and regularly have dialogues about the response to customers; it becomes a daily ongoing conversation. Only by continually focusing on the customer, can we change the culture and modify all behaviors to one of customer centricity.

Where is the focus on the customer in your company? Is the customer the center of your business universe? Do you boldly go with customers where no one else has dared to go? When you create employee objectives for the year, do they involve a focus on the customer, regardless of whether their position deals directly with external customers? Do you have open conversations about providing customer value, about ways to make yourself distinct and about ways to provide a response that keeps only your company in the minds of your customers?

Requiring regular input about customers from all employees works to create a culture of customer centricity – of the customer at the center of your business universe. Have the customer conversation – with all employees on a regular basis. They see and know much about customers; their ideas will make a difference. And when your customers see that they are always at the center, you will stand out. You have started to boldly go where no other company has dared to go… In this, your business begins to look different from (better than) your competition and gets remembered. Get everyone talking about customers.

Humanetrics LLC. All rights reserved 2007.