I am a left-brain person. I enjoy processes, metrics, and troubleshooting exciting problems. And I was never very focused on the “touchy-feely” side of the business. Then my customer experience (CX) consulting led me to right-brain concepts like customer centricity, culture, organizational alignment, cross-functional teams, and empowering employees. Now I am still left-brained but with a strong minor in my right brain. And it feels natural.
CX is all about customer centricity.
The goal of many organizations is to become customer-centric. They know that the business will retain and grow the existing customer base by ensuring customers are at the center of the decision-making process. Additionally, being customer-centric will create customer advocates who will proactively recommend the business, so selling is less risky and more likely to provide a steady stream of new customers.
Read this post to see how Amazon approaches customer centricity: Being a Customer-Centric Business is the Key to Growth and Retention At Amazon
Think about goals and objectives.
Imagine you are working in the trenches and have no idea why you inherited your annual Goals and Objectives (the so-called MBOs). All you know is that your customers are not being treated very well, you have no idea what you can do to fix the problem, and you and your co-workers are being pulled in many directions. Everyone in the organization has a different idea about what is essential. [And you don’t even work inside the Beltway.] That is precisely what happens in all-size businesses (except for a few like Amazon, Zappos, Southwest Airlines, and USAA.)
What has to be done to start migrating the business to customer-centricity?
While there are several places to begin, I believe that aligning the goals and objectives throughout the organization is the right place to start because changing organizational culture can only happen if everyone follows the leader as she changes. Everyone gets to see executives, managers, and individuals’ progress as the planning period unfolds. This means that the MBOs cascade down the organization levels, with everyone understanding what the organization is committed to accomplishing, how each organizational level will contribute, and how each person is part of the solution.
How to begin
It all starts with the CEO. She negotiates overall business MBOs with the Board or the top headquarters executives in a diverse business. The process then follows as shown:
When this process is complete, all goals should be linked and should look something like this:
This process sounds easy, but remember that I am left-brained.
Along the way, there will be many obstacles to overcome
- Getting CEO buy-in – may be a non-issue or a dead end
- Getting Executive team buy-in – make sure to include the senior HR executive since this falls within their sweet spot
- As the process gets deeper into the organization, the emotions around jumping on board or digging their heels in will get stronger -education and communication are mandatory, not optional
- Developing a common language is critical – confusion can set the process back quickly
- In many businesses, the culture is win-lose – people now will have to cooperate and be open about their capabilities, challenges, and limitations
- There are always strong individualists who resist working with a team – this may be OK at the individual contributor levels but can be deadly for managers and above
- Procrastination and creative needs can waylay the initiative – people may complain about the awkward process and spend lots of time searching for an easy way. Don’t let this happen.
How long does this process take?
The first time the organization tries this, it can take months to quarters to get meaningful MBOs for most people. Don’t be discouraged; the results are worth the effort and frustration. No matter how long it takes, Don’tit up. The first attempt may be 50 to 80 percent appropriate, but everyone will have gone through the process. Along the way, the detractors will be identified and coached or moved, and the proponents will feel satisfied that their vision of the right way forward finally saw the light of day.
It may take 2 to 3 years before the organization has a smooth goal-setting process and the survivors all embrace the interactions and outcomes. While this is happening, your customers will be becoming more loyal!
To read about how using cross-functional teams improves customer centricity click here.
About Middlesex Consulting
Middlesex Consulting is an experienced team of professionals with the primary goal of helping capital equipment companies create more value for their clients and stakeholders. Middlesex Consulting continues to provide superior solutions to meet the needs of its clients by focusing on our strengths in Services, Manufacturing, Customer Experience, and Engineering. If you want to learn more about how we can help your organization align your goals with the rest of your business, please contact us or check out some of our free articles and white papers here.