The bottom line is that customer-centric companies stand out. They are more desirable for consumers to do business with and more enjoyable places for employees to work. The top-rated customer service companies are often the best companies to work for as well. The reason is that the culture within the company offers a similar experience to what the customer experiences on the outside. Some things to consider about customer-centric companies:
Customer-centric companies empower employees to make decisions that are for the benefit of the customer. They have guidelines versus rules and policies, and the mindset that if what the customer is asking for isn’t illegal or immoral, won’t cost the company money (although sometimes that’s still OK), and won’t harm the company’s reputation, then it should be considered.
Customer-centric companies hire people who fit the culture and have personalities that align with the company’s core values, mission and vision. Skills and experience are important, of course, but these high-performing companies are looking for other qualities as well. It takes the right combination of skill, personality, and attitude.
Customer-centric companies invest a lot of time and money into soft skills training such as customer service and relationship building. Technical and product training are important, but constant reinforcement of the “people side” of the business is equally important, if not even more so. Customer-centric companies know the importance of their employees, and take a “people first” approach. They develop their people at a level that keeps them engaged and enthusiastic about taking care of the company’s customers.
Steven Hodgkiss
Free Inbound Marketing Tools from MarketHive
See MarketHive for more information and to register
Alan Zibluk – Markethive Founding Member