Creating a Customer-Centric Organization in the 21st Century

Creating a Customer-Centric Organization in the 21st Century

Bill Kowalski sketches

A Management Road Map to Create a Customer-Centric Organization

Here's a bullet proof list of strategies and actions that management can take to become a more customer-centric organization, to lead to increased customer value, loyalty and profitable growth:

• Create a vision, mission, and set of values (or guiding principles) that focus on creating value for customers. This serves a more inspiring purpose than increasing shareholder value (but ultimately will increase shareholder value!).
• "Walk the talk" of your organizational values and guiding principles.
• Operationally define "customer-centric": Establish metrics that define success and delineate the right behaviors to reinforce.
• Hire the best talent available and pay them better than the competition; link some aspect of everyone's compensation to organizational performance.
• Put your people first - help them fulfill their personal values and goals and develop their talents. Involve them in creating the implementation plans needed to drive your customer-focus strategy; Invest in them by providing training that's aligned with organizational strategy and empower them with the authority and responsibility to make decisions that will produce desired results.
• Align all human resource and management practices necessary to implement your customer-focus strategy and communicate the necessary behaviors and competencies required for successful implementation.
• Emphasize the importance of communication and building trust between employees and managers; Share information extensively regarding the company's financial performance and operational strategies.