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The importance of a customer-centric approach

STRAT7 Advisory Managing Director Björn Dufwenberg  brought to life the importance of a customer-centric approach, emphasising that it can be applied to any business, brand, or sector. He stressed that it is key to maintaining relevance, profitability, and growth. 

But why?

Björn went on to explain that a customer-centric approach is advantageous for the following three reasons: 

1. Clear customer understanding
   It allows your brand or company to clearly define and understand your customers. 
2. Cultural integration
   By adopting this approach, you can systematise customer-centricity into your internal culture, decision-making processes, and every-day practices. 
3. Enhanced engagement
   It can be leveraged to better engage with and delight both new and existing customers. 

Another key benefit he highlighted is that this approach provides a much more holistic view of customers, as opposed to the siloed perspectives that often result from isolated projects managed by various stakeholders.  

The bottom line with Björn’s message is – the more you can align your company, people, and practices with a customer-centric approach, the more successful your business will be. We whole-heartedly agree!  

Considering the challenges with implementation 

At the end of our session, we opened the floor to a broader group of clients and industry specialists and held a series of discussions around the implementation of customer-centric programmes and the challenges often encountered.*   

Unsurprisingly, some of the biggest challenges in implementing a customer-centric programme include: 

1. Lack of structure and communication
   There can be internal confusion about who is responsible for customer-centric initiatives, with many assuming it is everyone’s responsibility. 
2. Challenges with internal buy-in
   Securing internal buy-in can be difficult, involving challenges like getting everyone on board, understanding the value, and approving the associated costs. 
3. Diverse customer needs
   Addressing varied customer needs is challenging – there is no one-size-fits all approach which makes planning and resource allocation tricky.  

One of the key takeaways from this discussion was the recommendation to start your customer-centricity journey by identifying the most influential stakeholders and team members within your organisation and making sure they’re onside with you. These advocates can significantly bolster your initiative. Another crucial point highlighted was the importance of emphasising the long-term nature of this approach when seeking internal buy-in. While it may take some time to see results, the benefits, once realised, are substantial and enduring. You won’t want to turn back!