Focusing on the customer is nice in theory. But, how do you make it a reality?
Imagine being a CEO with € 1,000,000 to invest and a choice of two projects to invest it in. Would you put it in a project that gave you “happier customers”? Or would you prefer a project which got you a guaranteed € 5 million in savings? Be honest.
Making customer focus happen
Our hearts know the answer. But our heads doubt. Happier customers may bring us more profit. But how much? And when? The reality is that accountants do not have a profit code for “happy customers”. The stock market doesn’t track it as a metric. And next year’s bonus usually depends on the bottom line. Not on customer satisfaction data.
So if you chose the € 5 million in savings, you are not alone. In fact, almost all executives prefer the “certain win” today. Save the money. Get the profit. Build the bonus. And this does get results. With every decision, the company becomes more streamlined. More efficient. More strategically focused. More solid. But it also becomes more distant from the customer.
