If you own a company or hold a leadership position in a service-oriented industry, you have certainly come across the concept of Customer Centricity. That concept has changed the way of doing business and relating to the customer in every industry.
This new way mainly affects what companies see as their operational focus. The product is thus no longer the main focus as companies prioritize the customer, determining the direction of the company and the product in order to fulfill customer needs and wants.
Consumer-centric companies seek to provide a unique experience to each of their customers throughout the purchase journey. From customer acquisition, to after sales service – every customer is seen as unique and special.
Customer Centricity also means that the company will define its next steps based on the customer. The launch of a new product, packaging changes, new advertising campaigns, changes in brand positioning – the entire strategy needs to be aligned with the expectations and feedback provided by customers.
Actions to Implement Customer Centricity
By now, you may be asking yourself: “But my company has always thought about the customer”. Customer Centricity is about placing the customer at the core of your strategy, and not just as the ultimate goal for the company’s success.
The quest to anticipate customer needs, in addition to the development of a culture that aims to provide the best experience to everyone who interacts with the company, are some of the main characteristics of consumer-centric companies.
There are some actions, highlighted in a study by Deloitte (please check out the full article in English here), that help companies in the pursuit of Customer Centricity.
Establish a customer-oriented culture starting from the leadership. In this way, inspired by the management, the team tends to accept the concept more naturally.
Understand customers’ profiles based on concrete data. Data-mine your CRM or conduct surveys with your customers. This profiling effort must be 100% led by data, with no room for using imagination or assumptions to build a persona.
Reduce or optimize service processes that cause customer dissatisfaction. Assigning more autonomy to solve problems can be a good alternative in these cases.
Measure the efficiency of the service provided with relevant data and implement continuous improvement plans.
Use customer feedback to implement or improve products and services.
Availability is a Keyword in Customer Centricity
Customers are not very interested in knowing what your service structure is and which channels they can use to reach your business. They just want to grab their favorite one and be able to start a conversation right away.
This is where Omnichannel Service comes in. The word is a little strange, but the meaning is quite simple: It’s about being present on any channel that might be relevant to your customers.
There will be those who seek help on Twitter, others will post their concerns among the comments of a YouTube video, and the more traditional ones will simply make a phone call. A customer-centric company will be prepared to respond anywhere and with the same efficiency, always demonstrating that the customer is a unique person, with very specific desires and needs to be met.
That is why being customer-centric is not just a concept, but rather the Mission of a Company. And everyone must pursue that Mission. Empathy becomes a key value that cannot be overlooked. Everything must be thought through and seen from the customer’s point of view, so that the best solutions can be developed.
Aktie Now specializes in helping your company make this change, using special tools designed to give your customers the best experience they could ever hope for. Find out more about what we have prepared for you by contacting us!
