Make sure that your organization is prepared for change by putting some customer-centered monitors in place that will condition everyone to look for new ways by questioning the old ways. Set up a process to evaluate change on customers’ terms, not yours. It will be a great platform to start discussions of ways to strengthen your organization by consistently looking for ways to outperform.
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Our success in generating innovative customer-centered thinking becomes stronger when our “ability to make new combinations is heightened by our ability to see relationships.” As in a kaleidoscope. new patterns develop and create exciting combinations when the variety of experiences that our teams bring to the search lead to fresher ideas within our organizations.
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Be very reluctant to toss the word “engagement” out casually. Eventually, the word will lose its impact. The better metaphor for connecting with customers is dance—cooperation with a partner for a single purpose. In this customer-centered view, you would not “win” and “keep” customers and they would not be opponents, but rather, partners, moving in the same direction, enjoying the moment together, interested in each other.
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Value equates to how the individual customer feels about doing business with you. It is your “fit” with their needs and it is embodied in an emotional connection. Execution involves deep understanding and a high degree of flexibility because “fit” is judged by your delivery in its broadest, most proactive, sense.
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No organization can afford to stand still. The best way to avoid inertia is to think like a customer. Because innovation is on a continuum, companies must constantly evaluate where they are.
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Treat customers and non-customers with a spirit of generosity.
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High-performing companies use customer closeness in order to become “great innovators” and “ferocious defenders” of their position in the markets they serve. Customer-centered hidden champions describe their greatest strength as the “long-term relationship with their customers.”
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The status quo is a funny concept. It is comforting and familiar, of course. In many cases, unfortunately, we are lulled into accepting what exists today and not realizing how much better it could be. We don’t need to change the status quo every time. However, we need to challenge the status quo every time.
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Avoid complexity for your customers. The best way to prove yourself to them is to make their lives simpler.
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Why are there organizations with customers that are “off the charts” in their loyalty? Customer-centricity creates a symbiotic relationship with customers. Hyper-loyal customers have a passion for converting others to become members of their “club” so that others can have the same great experiences.
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