Creating a customer-centric organization

As a marketer, I’m naturally paying close attention to buzz words like customer-centricity and consumer experience. People are increasingly less loyal, more discerning in who they do business with,and less than enchanted with their experiences.

So in this market, how does a business communicate to their audience with meaning and relevance?

Customer centricity is not a new trend, nor does it require advanced technology to solve. It has been been here all long. To start to really communicate with authenticity, organizations (and ultimately brands,) must first look within (or customers will spot a phony from a mile away.)

We know we spend at least 50% percent of our day in meetings. Each department naturally has its own agenda, and therefore tends to behave like an assembly line of process and information. If we spend most of our time listening to our own talk tracks, then who’s listening to the customer?

Its strange to think about how a corporate culture may lead to this disconnection with customers. However, since we know that employees perform best when they are in an environment of trust, where they can take pride in their work, then we can also deduce that inspired employees naturally aim to please the customer more. Your employees are part of your brand. And rather then solely focused on selling more, they will shift their gaze on building long lasting relationships.

It’s time to take the next critical step, towards customer centricity, the need to understand the needs of the market and deliver against them. The innovative company will tune in, listen, and co-create.

Customer empowerment will create a culture of change for employees and customers alike. Invest in a movement of engagement, and it will become the driving force for internal and external transformation.

The bright and shiny “customer-centric” way of marketing may seem like a new trend, however good old fashioned “building relationships” will never go out of style.

Tags | building relationships, consumer experience, corporate culture, customer centricity, engagement, internal, organization