QUESTION 1: Why do so many organizations struggle to become truly customer-centric?
ANSWER: They are using an out-of-date mindset. The thinking is borrowed from the industrial age when optimizing production and throughput was the thing. That way of thinking is about production management, efficiency, effectiveness, and waste elimination. Does that sound familiar? The mindset is not exactly customer focussed.
Next
QUESTION 2: What is (probably) the biggest hurdle to becoming Outside-In and customer-focused?
ANSWER: It is getting passed this industrial age mindset and all the things that come with it. For instance, it is our reward structure. It’s the approach to employee empowerment. Another one is rigid out of date linear processes and systems. I think you get the picture.
Alright, one more concern.
QUESTION 3: If listening to the customer is so important, then what is ‘best practice’ and the emerging next practice?
ANSWER: Often times many companies try to drive forward by only looking in the rear-view mirror. That is by listening to subjective perceptual historic feedback rather than paying attention to every interaction 100% of the time.
The GOOD news is…
In the ACX Masters program, we show you step-by-step how to handle these challenges so you don’t have to Fall into the Bear Pit.
You can get the full scoop and preview here at the BP Group site.
Cheers for now!
There are always more questions than answers 😉 However, in the ACX Masters program, we cover all the bases and provide a set of tools and approaches that enable you to WIN THE TRIPLE CROWN in every CX initiative Join us soon!
SEEING THE WORLD AS IT IS CAN BE A CHALLENGE FOR SO MANY PEOPLE
The other day I was rewatching The Matrix – can you believe that was released in 1999?… but I digress.
One of the most interesting scenes is where Morpheus presents Neo with a choice of the red pill or the blue pill. What was Neo’s response to the offer?
As described by Morpheus: “You take the blue pill…the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill…you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.” Neo chooses the red pill and joins the rebellion.
What will your choice be – Red or Blue?
Yes, he chose to see the world as it really is, not as it appeared to be….
That’s a lot like the choice companies face now. Do they carry on living in the blissful ignorance of a collective hallucination from the industrial age, or do they see the world as it really is now.
Maybe I’m geeking out on this a bit…
But when you’re as immersed as I am into Outside-In and Customer Centricity you just start seeing these little lessons everywhere… even in popular films.
We do a lot more about moving beyond the hallucination during the ACX Masters 4 day program.
[PRESSRELEASE] DENVER, COLORADO – August 31st, 2022
BP Group, the leader and creator of the CEMMethod® in 2006, announced that Multichoice Group Executive Head of Customer Experience and Operations, Roland D. Naidoo, successfully completed all the requirements to qualify as an Accredited OKR Coach fully.
For the full Press Release, go here OR click the button below.
When Steve Jobs kicked off the Customer Experience (CX) movement in 1997 (video here), he crystallized the idea of understanding customer NEEDS before doing anything else.
At the same time, another CX genius, Jeff Bezos, was three years into creating the most profitable company on the planet and precisely understood the working backwards imperative.
A young fresh-faced Jeff Bezos
There is this Need (even though customers don’t know it yet), and I can create the desire and meet that Need now. The rest is history. Watch the 2-minute video here.
Jeff Bezos
Do you want to embrace advanced Customer-Centric thinking and become Outside-In?
Corporate communication is a broad field that deals with the different public and internal facing aspects of a company. It involves various methods and approaches to share information about a company’s brand, products, services, employees, and so on with a broad internal and external audience.
Communication as a whole is complex as it involves many stakeholders and audiences. Moreover, effective communication requires strong connections between people at all levels of the organization.
To be able to communicate effectively within your organization and with the outside world, you need to understand what corporate communication is, its benefits, and how you can implement it in your organization.
That is why in this article we will discuss everything you need to know about corporate communication so you can get your message across!
What Is Corporate Communication?
When we talk about communication in business, we are primarily referring to two things – one is the process, and the other is the outcome of the process. The process consists of the steps involved in communication, for example – sending the message, the channel through which it is sent, the time frame, and so on.
The outcome of the process refers to the impact that the communication has had on the person who received it.
That is why communication is often described as a process through which we create an understanding between people who are not in the same place at the same time. In this sense, corporate communication is the process and activities through which organizations create a strong connection via employees with the outside world for the purpose of brand building, increasing reputation, and the acquisition and retention of customers.
Why is Effective Communication Important?
Communication is the process of exchanging information and ideas between two or more people. For this process to be effective, certain factors need to be in place. To start with, there should be an understanding between the sender and receiver of the message.
Communication is all about sharing information, and if the information is not understood, it won’t be useful to anyone. We have a saying that ‘a message without meaning is like a bird without wings’. It is because of this that communication is an important aspect of any business venture.
The right words, carefully selected and strategically placed with the correct tone, can be a very powerful tool. They can make for an excellent culture, your brand more recognizable, and encourage customers to buy your products and services.
Benefits of Effective corporate communication
Stronger relationships – The biggest benefit of effective communication is that it strengthens relationships. Whether you communicate with the members of your team, customers, or anyone in between, a strong connection will lead to better results.
Greater productivity – When people understand each other and have a clear idea of what their role is within the organization, productivity increases. This is especially true for organizations where employees have a say in shaping the communication process – for example, when they have the opportunity to voice feedback and suggestions, and when they have the power to participate in the decision-making process.
Better decision-making – When communication is effective, decision-making becomes much easier. This is because the information you share will be well-understood.
Better brand recognition – A strong connection with your audience will not only bring them closer to your brand, but it will also make them more loyal to it. Moreover, the brand of your business will become more recognizable as you take part in various communication activities.
Types of Corporate Communication
Internal communication – This is the communication that happens between employees. It can happen in a number of ways, including one-on-one meetings, group meetings, emails, and so on. Internal communication is important because it helps people work together more effectively and efficiently.
External communication – This is the communication that happens between your organization and the outside world. This could be in the form of marketing campaigns, public relations, social media posts, and more.
Customer communication – This is communication between your customers and your organization. It can happen in a number of ways, including through a company’s customer support or customer service department, through social media posts, and more.
Summing up
Communication is an essential part of any business venture, and it can make or break an organization. The success of your business relies not only on the quality of your products or services but also on how well you communicate that quality to your customers.
When you have strong relationships with your audience, when you can make better decisions, and when you can recognize your brand better – you have stronger communication.
To achieve this, it is important to implement effective goal-driven communication in your organization. This can be achieved by focusing on the type of communication you engage in and by making sure that your communications are all aligned to Successful Customer and Business Outcomes.
First question… QUESTION: Why do so many organizations struggle to become truly customer centric?
Production line thinking passed its sell-by date?
ANSWER: They are using an out of date mindset. The thinking is borrowed from the industrial age when optimising production and throughput was the thing. That way of thinking is about production management, efficiency, effectiveness and elimination of waste. Does that feel familiar? Next question…
QUESTION: What is (probably) the biggest hurdle to overcome on the way to becoming Outside-In?
Hurdles to Outside-In thinking
ANSWER: It is getting passed this industrial age mindset and all the things that come with it… our reward structures… our approach to employee engagement… the processes and systems… Alright, one more…
QUESTION: If listening to the customer is so important what is ‘best practice’?
Do you really understand customer needs?
ANSWER: Often times many companies are trying to drive forward by only looking in the rear view mirror. That is listening to subjective perceptual feedback, rather than at every interaction 100% of the time.
The GOOD news is… In the ACX Masters program, we show you step-by-step how to handle these challenges so you don’t have to Fall into the Bear Pit. You can get the full scoop and preview here: https://bit.ly/GCCACXP
Cheers for now! Steve
PS. We have got to get more scientific about the customer experience! I have just done a 3-minute explainer video for Outside-In – see it here: https://bit.ly/OIDifference
Step #1 – Get The Book: Outside-In The Secret *FREE* https://bit.ly/OI2021now
When Steve Jobs kicked off the Customer Experience (CX) movement in 1997 (video here), he crystallized the idea of understanding customer NEEDS before doing anything else.
At the same time, another CX genius, Jeff Bezos, was three years into creating the most profitable company on the planet and precisely understood the working backwards imperative.
A young fresh-faced Jeff Bezos
There is this Need (even though customers don’t know it yet), and I can create the desire and meet that Need now. The rest is history. Watch the 2-minute video here.
Do you want to embrace advanced Customer-Centric thinking and become Outside-In?
Successful CX outcomes are akin to preparing for a major sporting event. Operating without a playbook or preparation dooms your efforts to be perceived as “wishful thinking.”
Accelerating CX adoption relies on your ability to connect strategy, organizational design, process management, people concerns, and digital/technology.
CX is a Team Sport – Play It To Win
Senior leaders are fiercely competitive. Many enjoy competitive sports in general. Many view their organizations as part of a highly competitive team sport. It is perplexing, then, that Customer Experience (CX) adoption has not been more rapid and widespread[RN2]. Great CX requires every player on the team to understand how their role contributes to success, and play within the system, adapting quickly to evolving customer needs.
Too often, CX efforts are relegated to reliance on fragile subjective metrics like NPS. So much so that the original inventor of NPS, Fred Reichheld, says ‘I had no idea how many people would mess with the score to bend it, to make it serve their selfish objectives’. This has led to leaders’ belief that #CX is disconnected from the reality of daily business, the product of people great at talking but not walking.
There has never been a better, more pressing, time to get more scientific about CX.
To build long-term success, CX programs must deliver business results by catalyzing forward-facing, objective, and connected measurement systems. CX leaders must help organizational decision-makers to “connect the dots” and appreciate the role everyone has to play in delivering successful customer outcomes.
The BP Group’s North Star is indeed this upskilling of practitioners, professionals, and masters of Customer Experience. We teach an underpinning approach that has been tried, tested, and deployed in leading global corporations which aims to educate, inform and deliver immediate results that both charm senior leaders, excite customers, and consistently deliver growing shareholder value.
CX is indeed a team sport – let’s play it to win. You can Review the program here: https://bit.ly/ACXP2022.
