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Customer centric processes are essential, but on their own, do not achieve the desired customer experience sought. What organisational leadership requires, is a combination of customer centric processes and behaviour (culture), throughout all levels of the organisation, in order to drive an authentic customer focused ethos and culture that aims to exceed every customers expectations. Getting this right and having employees aligned to the company's customer focussed values and vision, leads to the display of customer obsessive behaviour.
The question is, how do you get your organisation to become obsessed about customers?
Today is the 'Age of the Customer'. Having come out of a history which focused on manufacturing (early to mid 1900's) and information technology (the end of the 1900's), a new business cycle has emerged, where the power has shifted to the people, and engagement with the customer and your staff, will mean everything.
While many brands pay lip service to customer-centricity, it's those who develop an internal culture of being "customer-obsessed" that enjoy positive results. Analysis of the Forrester's Customer Experience Index shows that the brands at the top of their Index have far better revenue performance and stock market results than laggards in the customer experience space.
eXcentris spells out its 7 Pillars of Customer Obsessive Organisations:-
2. Retention beats acquisition
3. Voice of customer trumps adspend
4. You don't know if you don't measure
Copyright (c) © 2019 EXCENTRIS All Rights Reserved
1. Culture trashes strategy
Companies that excel have winning cultures. Leaders who realise that 'Customer Obsession Starts With Culture', are better able to build customer centric organisations. Therefore, customer obsession has more to do with an organization's people and their mindset than its strategy and technology. The company's strategies, which involve processes and technology, come to naught, if the people behind them aren't fully committed to and bought into the concept of the customer obsessed company.
2. Retention beats acquisition
Customer obsessed companies have a 'customer for life' mentality. They spend more time focusing on their customers than on their competitors. They focus on customer satisfaction and retention rather than customer acquisition. They don't obsess over wanting more. They appreciate and take care of what they've got, letting the brand advocates and marketing initiatives drive new customer acquisition.
3. Voice of customer trumps adspend
Customer obsessed organisations understand the meaning of the age old marketing mantra, 'word of mouth' from customers experiences far outweighs any other channel of marketing spend. They invest a portion of their marketing spend in customer intelligence, to gain insight that leads to better service and output over time. Customer centric companies don't just listen to and solicit feedback. They act upon it to develop products, services and solutions accordingly.
4. You don't know if you don't measure
There is a stark dichotomy between organizations that seem to "get it" and those that frustrate customers to no end. The organisations that seem to "get it" are brands that are consistently positive and exceed their customers expectations. How would you know if your company has "got it" if you don't invest time and energy into measuring what matters and analysis of the voice of the customer?
5. Time spent on talent
Customer centric companies consistently spend a great deal of time and energy on their hiring practices. They hire people that relate to principles (vision and values) instead of rules. They understand the profiles required of positions and the people they seek to fill these roles. The hiring process becomes scientific and is not haphazard.
6. Make it easy for customers to complain
Customer obsessed people within organisations do not make excuses when things go wrong. Instead, they take ownership of the problem and resolve. This creates a learning organisation that's grows from customer experiences and builds a relationship of trust in the brand.
7. Leadership driven
Customer centric companies realise that customer service is not a 'one-size-fits all' experience. Their customer experience journeys are driven by aligned leadership and engaged staff, to ensure that each customer interaction is awesome. The CEO and Executive team needs to be passionately behind the program.