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Finding, attracting and retaining business

“The only people in the world who can change things are those who can sell ideas.” (Lois Wyse)

A customer-focused organization is one that is close to each customer, understanding specific types or groups and then using this knowledge when making decisions. Being customer-focused means gathering facts, data and knowledge about customers – current and potential – to develop an awareness of what they want and how they perceive the business’s products and services. This awareness enables you to continuously strive to meet your customers’ requirements and secure your organization’s long-term survival, growth and profitability.

However, realising these benefits is a challenge requiring a keen understanding of where a market is heading and how opportunities can be exploited. It is easy to dismiss the need for customer-focus as self-evident, whereas in reality it is often difficult to incorporate customer issues accurately into decisions. Techniques that help managers use to achieve this include: market sensing, segmentation, data mining, using the internet and product development.

This toolkit explains how to build customer focus in your organization.

Length: 10 pages

Contents:

The Benefits

Action Checklist: Leading a Customer-focused Organization
• Use market research objectively
• Use research insights to identify unique qualities
• Stay in touch with customers at a senior level
• Anticipate the future (use scenario planning)
• Involve all employees
• Align information systems
• Lead by example
• Develop awareness of competitors
• Build and exploit sources of competitive advantage

Avoiding Problems – this section includes techniques to avoid potential pitfalls by understanding customers’ priorities, finding ways to improve and innovate, hiring and retaining customer-focused people, and streamlining business processes.

Dos and Don’ts

Key Questions

Things You Can Do
• Strengthen customer relationships
• Use expertise from other businesses to benefit customers
• Encourage others to value customers
• Seek customer feedback
• Identify your most profitable customers
• Segment the market
• Benchmark your performance

Further Action