Memorable customer experiences are hinged on great customer-facing professionals (CFPs). People buy from people. Thus, the CFPs that bring true empathy and personality to interactions win. Research shows that seventy percent (70%) of customers left because of a lack of attention from front-line employees. The number one trait for CFPs is empathy. True empathy happens when CFPs are empowered with knowledge.
Posts Tagged ‘customer-centric culture’
People Skills in Customer Experience
Tuesday, April 10th, 2012Five Questions Every CEO Needs to Ask About Their Customer Experience
Monday, March 26th, 2012According to a 2011 Temkin report, “Only 3% of companies have reached the highest level of customer experience maturity, which Temkin calls a Customer-Centric Organization.” Despite this, many CEO’s across the globe are claiming that there companies are indeed customer-centric. This reminds me of the warning posted on my rearview mirror: “Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer than They Are.” Perhaps as CEO’s we’re looking at the wrong metrics and the blind spot that’s apparent to our customers, eludes us.
Customer Experience Motto for 2012
Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012Recently, I came across a great quote by Kerry Bodine of Forrester Research, Inc. where she said, “Companies need to start treating customer experience as a business discipline—not a bumper sticker.” It made me wonder if companies, as they start planning their strategy for 2012, are truly embracing what it means to build a customer-centric culture.
Working in the customer experience industry, weekly I meet with numerous Fortune 500 organizations. I am always surprised to hear comments like, “this year we are focusing on our customers first and foremost” or “we have just hired a new senior director to really lead our customer experience initiative.” For many of these companies, they are just starting to embark on the customer experience improvement journey. A 2011 study from the Temkin Group shows only 7% of companies think they are customer experience leaders while 61% of them want to be at the top in their industry in three years. The question I ask then is, “Why now?” Haven’t you always been concerned about your customers?
Who Comes First in Shaping Customer Experience: Customers or Employees?
Tuesday, December 6th, 2011[Excerpt from Vineet Nayar, vice chairman and CEO of India-based HCL Technologies] “The conventional wisdom, of course, says that companies must always put the customer first. In any services business, however, the true value is created in the interface between the employee and the customer. So, by putting employees first, you can bring about fundamental change in the way a company creates and delivers unique value for its customers and differentiates itself from its competitors.”
Design, Deliver and Display a Customer-Centric Culture
Wednesday, September 7th, 2011In today’s economy it’s important that organizations, regardless of size or industry, create customer-centric cultures. Research indicates that “71% of business leaders believe that customer experience is the next corporate battleground.” This means that the entire organization must align with the customer experience vision, strategy and standards. Companies need to empower all employees to ensure they deliver memorable customer experiences. “Eighty percent (80%) of CEOs believe their brand delivers a superior consumer experience yet only 8% of consumers agree.” How then do we create a customer-centric organization that our customers agree is superior?
