Satisfied customers are returning customers, which is why it's so important to place the customer at the heart of everything. In other words, to be customer-centric. While 80% of organisations believe they are customer-centric, only 8% of their customers agree.
Many organisations still tend to think in terms of turnover, costs, and KPIs, making them more self-centric. It's high time to critically assess how this is handled in your organisation. But what exactly is customer centricity, and how do you become more customer-centric? You'll find the answer in this article, along with four tips to become more customer-centric.
What is customer centricity?
A truly customer-centric company views its customers and their needs as paramount. In such an organisation, customers come first: without them, the company holds no value. This means recognising your customer's needs and focusing on what brings them the most value. What problem are you looking to solve for them? What needs do you fulfil, and how do you communicate this to your customers?
Example: You sell drills. Anna wants to hang a picture in her living room and needs a hole in the wall for it. And for the hole, she needs a drill. Where does Anna's real need lie? When you think about it, it's not the drill, but a beautiful picture on the wall. A drill doesn't fulfil a need; it's merely a tool. By incorporating this into your sales and marketing, the customer will immediately see that you can truly help her. What problem are you solving for her, and how is this reflected on your website, for instance? Do you just push drills, or do you assist Anna in hanging her picture?
Tip 1: Regularly engage with your customer
Stop thinking about your customer without speaking to them. Your perception of their needs might stem from an illusion. By talking to your customers, you learn about what concerns them and what they think of your product or service. Simply pondering about your customer may not always provide realistic information. Have you started creating a customer journey or personas perhaps? That's a good start, but it bears no fruit if you don't involve your customers. In that case, you're not truly customer-oriented. Step out of your bubble if you want to become genuinely customer-centric!
So how do you engage with your customers? This can be done through interviews, surveys, focus groups, or simple tools to gather customer feedback. You can also observe your customer: what behaviour do they exhibit in your store? Or where do they click first on your website? Put yourself in your customer's shoes to better understand what shape your message or service should take.
Tip 2: Choose the right channels to communicate with your customer
Once you know what your customers care about and what's important to them, you likely have an idea of the channels they occupy and when they're active there. This could be a social media platform like Instagram or YouTube. Select the right channels to reach your customers at the perfect moment. This way, you address the right audience and expand your reach.
Tip 3: Aim for happy customers
Don't tarnish your hands with dishonest sales tactics. Be genuine. Your customer doesn't want to feel coerced into buying something. That approach backfires. Satisfied customers offer free advertising for your brand. They are the best ambassadors for your organisation. Happy customers become loyal customers, often spending more with you. Therefore, pay attention to customer satisfaction. Requesting feedback is an essential part of this. It provides insights into your strengths and areas for improvement. This way, you can (literally) start speaking the language of your customers. Why do they buy from your organisation? What makes them happy? What holds them back? What can be improved? Answers to these questions help enhance your offering and marketing for your customers. Additionally, it aids in incorporating your customers' words more literally in, for example, texts on your website or advertisements. By using the same language, you make your company recognisable to them, making it easier to win their hearts.
Tip 4: Ensure the customer is central throughout the organisation
Customer centricity should be woven into your company's culture. To achieve this, it's important to formulate a motto reflecting that culture. As a drill seller, this could be: the customer can rely on us. It's short but powerful, clearly emphasising to everyone that the customer is central. This is what everyone in the company should expect from each other. Therefore, it's crucial that new employees immediately understand what is important in the company culture. During the recruitment process, ensure candidates fit into this culture where customers and good service are prioritised over just education or experience. Make your company culture clear from day one and integrate it into the onboarding process for every new employee.
Getting everyone in a company aligned is not always easy. Therefore, praise employees for their pro-customer behaviour and regularly ask for input on how to strengthen your customer-oriented culture. Building and maintaining a service-oriented culture is an ongoing endeavour, but if you succeed, you will reap the benefits soon.
Invest now to make your company customer-centric
Today, customer centricity is an essential approach for your organisation. It's no longer just 'nice to have'. Continue to centre your customers, meet or even exceed expectations, and you'll see your company grow!
