How to help clients become more customer-centric

As customers, we know ourselves that when we feel heard and valued, we’re more likely to be satisfied with the products or services we receive. And chances are, this will lead to increased loyalty and repeat business. 

So why has the UK Customer Service Index dropped to its lowest score since 2015? 

Clearly, organisations need to be doing more to become truly customer-centric. “It means doing whatever you can to arrive at a deep understanding of your customers and using this to drive your thinking,” says Tim Kaner of Kancha Consulting.

• Are you truly customer-centric? 10 questions to ask yourself

Three cultural pillars

There are three popular methodologies that you can use to improve customer-centricity across most aspects of your business, reckons Giles Colborne, part of the leadership team for Sopra Steria’s consulting division in the UK. “User-centred design helps you create new products and services around customers,” he says. “Agile – when done properly – gets project teams to focus on delivering outcomes for users. And lean helps you cut waste by focusing on customer needs”.