Expert insights. Personalized for you.
AgilOne, a company that provides cloud-based predictive customer analytics, was founded by Omer Artun in 2006. Initially, the company relied entirely on services to get close to customers, understand and address their problems, and in the process generate revenues. Much of what the company learned about its customers in the services mode has been developed into its product, although a good percentage of revenues still comes from services. MORE
One retailer develops an insight into customer behavior and others follow suit. For example, pharmacies build a patient's prescription history to better identify possible drug interactions, suggest cheaper generics, and get customers into their stores. Thus, innovators may seek competitive advantage in their product and service data; the low-cost providers on operations and process data; and those aiming for customer intimacy on customer data. MORE
having sacrificed customer intimacy for increased operational excellence gains through widespread cost cutting, are well documented. Each time they regained momentum by going back to listening to what customers were telling them in store and in shopper panels, as well as analyzing data on changes in their shopping behavior. Many large, successful organizations are more fragile than they seem. They break under stress. Remember the travails of Kodak , Digital Equipment Corp., MORE
Wouldn’t you like to become indispensable to your customers? While there’s not one sure fire formula to follow to become indispensable, you can do some things to improve your chances that you’ll “stick” to your customers. Anticipate and Solve Problems Before They Become “Big Hairy” Monsters: In order to do this, you absolutely have to understand your customer and be able to empathize with their situation. MORE
Know your customers intimately. Newly appointed CEO Lou Gerstner logged thousands of hours visiting customers, industry experts and analysts. He then set about transforming the company to rekindle IBM's historic commitment to customer intimacy, to make the organization much more integrated, and to streamline operations. He believed satisfied, engaged employees ensure customer satisfaction and retention, and this in turn drives profit. MORE
What are you showing your customers that might be unappetizing? If you want an objective look at your customer experience, you need another set of eyes, ears, and hands. Have an outside expert evaluate your customer experience. Business General customer intimacy dana olson discipline of market leaders ecodevMany years ago, Dana Olson and I went to a very elegant Chinese restaurant in New York. It was an intimate space with a clear view of the kitchen. MORE
But here are some examples of how brands are meeting the challenge: Develop customer intimacy. Every strategy begins with an understanding of your target customer. It''s not only about like-kind segmentation based on customer needs and wants; it''s also about developing a deep understanding of customers'' connected behaviors, preferences, and usage patterns. A guy walks into a store. No, it''s not the opening salvo for a bad joke. MORE
What is your organization’s claim to fame—operational excellence, customer intimacy or product leadership? If your focus is customer intimacy, do the employees who personally excel at operational excellence and product leadership feel engaged or disenfranchised in your workplace? How are you doing in the other two areas? MORE
In small businesses, however, there are fewer decision-makers, and they’re so close to customers, employees and daily operations that they can get a sense of whether a decision is right or wrong very quickly. Customer Intimacy. In smaller organizations, a much greater percentage of employees work with customers directly. This kind of closeness to customers means the people in the company know customer issues and they can spot changing market needs earlier. MORE
A review of the project exposed the need for developing a mobile computing application as a means to support the newly reengineered business process; Service Delivery Project: A country-wide retailer wanted to initiate a voice of customer effort to better service and retain its customer-base. To succeed in today’s rough and tumble business world you need a solid vision for how you can “digitalize” your business. MORE
The idea of “co-creating” with customers has been circulating for years, but until recently few companies effectively exploited its power or understood its contribution to the bottom line. True, customers can customize their M&Ms, build their own bikes with Trek Project One, create unique doors for their home at Jen-Weld, and design their own Nike running shoes. By leveraging customer networks and their tangible (e.g. Your customers are waiting. MORE
What is more important to company success, a strong external focus on customer experiences or an internal focus on effective and efficient operations? I described in an earlier post how Tesco worked for years to improve its supply chain capabilities, then leveraged this value by using deeper customer knowledge to enrich customer experiences. Bean have had lots of information about customers for many years that they have used to tailor offerings and services. MORE
Aspiring to be the most beloved brand in the world, Bonjoro works at turning customers into friends. The post Turning Your Customers Into Friends (And Your Employees, Too) With Matt Barnett first appeared on Steve Farber. MORE
How well do you know your customers? We have shifted from a competitive landscape in which companies are more exclusively focused on external forces affecting their industries and sectors, to one that has become significantly more customer-centric. This intensive customer focus has increased as technology-enabled transparency and online social media accelerate an inexorable flow of market power downstream from suppliers to customers. Operations Customers Design MORE
” In fact, besides voicing a desire for a seamless customer experience, CMOs have been reluctant to get more involved with online customer identification and other cybersecurity decisions. Online security and customer intimacy go hand in hand. Developing deeper knowledge of your organization’s consumers may be the best way for you to simultaneously secure their online touchpoints while providing a better customer experience. MORE
Online stores are always open and are available anywhere, have “endless aisles” and can use digital tools to personalize offers to customer preferences. Nevertheless, physical stores do offer customers a number of significant benefits, including immediacy, personal service, and the ability to offer a truly immersive experience. GPS), and data analytics to improve the in-store experience for customers. How leading companies connect with customers. MORE
Most organizations continuously strive to achieve operational excellence, but they spend less effort understanding customer needs — and few marry these two sources of customer value effectively. Consider Tesco , one of the world's largest retailers with over 500,000 employees, which has spent the last three decades improving its supply chain processes, and the last two decades collecting and analyzing customer data. Customers Operations MORE
They can actually make it easier to tailor customer experiences at low cost. Yet at the same time they use these standards as a springboard for creating unique solutions for each customer based on a deep understanding of their needs. (I I call this understanding and tailoring "customer intimacy" ). The result is a powerful combination that fulfills two customer value propositions at the same time. Customers Health Operations MORE
These paths are clearly and effectively outlined by Fred Wiersema and Michael Treacy in The Discipline of Market Leaders: Choose Your Customers, Narrow Your Focus, Dominate Your Market : 1) Operational Excellence – Lowest Cost. 3) Customer Intimacy – Best Overall Solution. Much has been written about operational excellence and product leadership, but customer intimacy hasn’t received as much attention. MORE
Operational excellence, customer intimacy, or product leadership — successful companies excel in one dimension and perform well in the others. Internal departments and employees were once seen as the CIO’s customers. Today, as they divest themselves of IT delivery, CIOs are as focused on the external business customers as are other members of the C-suite. MORE
Using IT services to generate cash and develop customer intimacy, it is entirely possible to build products. Even though interest in entrepreneurship is at its highest in India, the country has a nominal seed capital infrastructure. India has numerous small retailers and service providers who are shining examples of scrappy entrepreneurship at its best, but the information technology startups that are my primary interest typically require outside funding. MORE
Going to market effectively these days, no matter what business you''re in, means relating to customers as individuals — even if there are millions of them. retailer Tesco built detailed profiles of customers and then used these insights and a flexible supply chain to customize their products and offers. Creating products and services for market segments of one (" mass customization ") isn''t easy. They''re using tailored suggestions to drive customer loyalty. MORE
We spoke with Mike Moorman, a senior leader in ZS Associates'' B2B sales and marketing practice and a leading authority on sales management, about how inside sales (which refers to sales positions done remotely from headquarters, without face-to-face meetings with clients) is transforming the way that B2B companies interact with their customers. By stages of the customer engagement process. Greater access and faster response times for customers. MORE
In small businesses, however, there are fewer decision-makers, and they’re so close to customers, employees and daily operations that they can get a sense of whether a decision is right or wrong very quickly. Customer Intimacy. In smaller organizations, a much greater percentage of employees work with customers directly. This kind of closeness to customers means the people in the company know customer issues and they can spot changing market needs earlier. MORE
I am in a big hurry and we are holding up this line of customers.” And, maximizing the clerk’s productivity meant keeping her focused on the rules of the registry more than on the concerns of the customer. Coupled with her being within firing range of angry customers, she is easily beaten down by a scenario over which she has zero control. The entire scene was played out in front of an audience of several waiting customers. The customer. MORE
Customer intimacy. Industrial giants have well-established brands, built strong customer relationships, and signed long-term service contracts. They’ve won the customer’s trust, which is why customers are willing to share data. Industrial incumbents have product knowledge, customer relationships, and field engineers on customer sites. Third, software subscription and license might enable customers to do self-service. MORE
The most successful organizations co-create products and services with customers, and integrate customers into core processes.They are adopting new channels to engage and stay in tune with customers. By drawing more insight from the available data, successful CEOs make customer intimacy their number-one priority. Better performers manage complexity on behalf of their organizations, customers and partners. MORE
It’s become an essential tool for understanding online customer behaviors and driving site improvement efforts. Despite its success online, relatively few companies with physical venues employ advanced analytics solutions that track customer behaviors in their physical spaces. As a result, most companies are flying blind when it comes to understanding their customers in the analog world. We are in the Age of the Customer. MORE
Customer Intimacy Related Topics CO2
NOVEMBER 17, 2011
These paths are clearly and effectively outlined by Fred Wiersema and Michael Treacy in The Discipline of Market Leaders: Choose Your Customers, Narrow Your Focus, Dominate Your Market : 1) Operational Excellence – Lowest Cost. 3) Customer Intimacy – Best Overall Solution. Much has been written about operational excellence and product leadership, but customer intimacy hasn’t received as much attention.
Steve Farber
NOVEMBER 12, 2020
Aspiring to be the most beloved brand in the world, Bonjoro works at turning customers into friends. The post Turning Your Customers Into Friends (And Your Employees, Too) With Matt Barnett first appeared on Steve Farber.
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Harvard Business Review
SEPTEMBER 6, 2013
What is more important to company success, a strong external focus on customer experiences or an internal focus on effective and efficient operations? I described in an earlier post how Tesco worked for years to improve its supply chain capabilities, then leveraged this value by using deeper customer knowledge to enrich customer experiences. Bean have had lots of information about customers for many years that they have used to tailor offerings and services.
Harvard Business Review
MARCH 29, 2013
Most organizations continuously strive to achieve operational excellence, but they spend less effort understanding customer needs — and few marry these two sources of customer value effectively. Consider Tesco , one of the world's largest retailers with over 500,000 employees, which has spent the last three decades improving its supply chain processes, and the last two decades collecting and analyzing customer data. Customers Operations
CO2
NOVEMBER 6, 2011
What are you showing your customers that might be unappetizing? If you want an objective look at your customer experience, you need another set of eyes, ears, and hands. Have an outside expert evaluate your customer experience. Business General customer intimacy dana olson discipline of market leaders ecodevMany years ago, Dana Olson and I went to a very elegant Chinese restaurant in New York. It was an intimate space with a clear view of the kitchen.
Lead Change Blog
APRIL 26, 2011
What is your organization’s claim to fame—operational excellence, customer intimacy or product leadership? If your focus is customer intimacy, do the employees who personally excel at operational excellence and product leadership feel engaged or disenfranchised in your workplace? How are you doing in the other two areas?
N2Growth Blog
JULY 6, 2016
Wouldn’t you like to become indispensable to your customers? While there’s not one sure fire formula to follow to become indispensable, you can do some things to improve your chances that you’ll “stick” to your customers. Anticipate and Solve Problems Before They Become “Big Hairy” Monsters: In order to do this, you absolutely have to understand your customer and be able to empathize with their situation.
Lead Change Blog
OCTOBER 16, 2015
I am in a big hurry and we are holding up this line of customers.” And, maximizing the clerk’s productivity meant keeping her focused on the rules of the registry more than on the concerns of the customer. Coupled with her being within firing range of angry customers, she is easily beaten down by a scenario over which she has zero control. The entire scene was played out in front of an audience of several waiting customers. The customer.
Six Disciplines
OCTOBER 19, 2011
The most successful organizations co-create products and services with customers, and integrate customers into core processes.They are adopting new channels to engage and stay in tune with customers. By drawing more insight from the available data, successful CEOs make customer intimacy their number-one priority. Better performers manage complexity on behalf of their organizations, customers and partners.
Six Disciplines
DECEMBER 13, 2013
In small businesses, however, there are fewer decision-makers, and they’re so close to customers, employees and daily operations that they can get a sense of whether a decision is right or wrong very quickly. Customer Intimacy. In smaller organizations, a much greater percentage of employees work with customers directly. This kind of closeness to customers means the people in the company know customer issues and they can spot changing market needs earlier.
Six Disciplines
MAY 17, 2013
In small businesses, however, there are fewer decision-makers, and they’re so close to customers, employees and daily operations that they can get a sense of whether a decision is right or wrong very quickly. Customer Intimacy. In smaller organizations, a much greater percentage of employees work with customers directly. This kind of closeness to customers means the people in the company know customer issues and they can spot changing market needs earlier.
Harvard Business
SEPTEMBER 23, 2016
” In fact, besides voicing a desire for a seamless customer experience, CMOs have been reluctant to get more involved with online customer identification and other cybersecurity decisions. Online security and customer intimacy go hand in hand. Developing deeper knowledge of your organization’s consumers may be the best way for you to simultaneously secure their online touchpoints while providing a better customer experience.
Harvard Business
JULY 19, 2017
Operational excellence, customer intimacy, or product leadership — successful companies excel in one dimension and perform well in the others. Internal departments and employees were once seen as the CIO’s customers. Today, as they divest themselves of IT delivery, CIOs are as focused on the external business customers as are other members of the C-suite.
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Harvard Business Review
APRIL 30, 2013
They can actually make it easier to tailor customer experiences at low cost. Yet at the same time they use these standards as a springboard for creating unique solutions for each customer based on a deep understanding of their needs. (I I call this understanding and tailoring "customer intimacy" ). The result is a powerful combination that fulfills two customer value propositions at the same time. Customers Health Operations
Harvard Business
FEBRUARY 2, 2018
Customer intimacy. Industrial giants have well-established brands, built strong customer relationships, and signed long-term service contracts. They’ve won the customer’s trust, which is why customers are willing to share data. Industrial incumbents have product knowledge, customer relationships, and field engineers on customer sites. Third, software subscription and license might enable customers to do self-service.
Harvard Business Review
AUGUST 8, 2011
Know your customers intimately. Newly appointed CEO Lou Gerstner logged thousands of hours visiting customers, industry experts and analysts. He then set about transforming the company to rekindle IBM's historic commitment to customer intimacy, to make the organization much more integrated, and to streamline operations. He believed satisfied, engaged employees ensure customer satisfaction and retention, and this in turn drives profit.
Harvard Business Review
JUNE 17, 2015
How well do you know your customers? We have shifted from a competitive landscape in which companies are more exclusively focused on external forces affecting their industries and sectors, to one that has become significantly more customer-centric. This intensive customer focus has increased as technology-enabled transparency and online social media accelerate an inexorable flow of market power downstream from suppliers to customers. Operations Customers Design
Harvard Business Review
MARCH 12, 2014
It’s become an essential tool for understanding online customer behaviors and driving site improvement efforts. Despite its success online, relatively few companies with physical venues employ advanced analytics solutions that track customer behaviors in their physical spaces. As a result, most companies are flying blind when it comes to understanding their customers in the analog world. We are in the Age of the Customer.
Harvard Business Review
FEBRUARY 3, 2014
AgilOne, a company that provides cloud-based predictive customer analytics, was founded by Omer Artun in 2006. Initially, the company relied entirely on services to get close to customers, understand and address their problems, and in the process generate revenues. Much of what the company learned about its customers in the services mode has been developed into its product, although a good percentage of revenues still comes from services.
Harvard Business Review
DECEMBER 9, 2013
Using IT services to generate cash and develop customer intimacy, it is entirely possible to build products. Even though interest in entrepreneurship is at its highest in India, the country has a nominal seed capital infrastructure. India has numerous small retailers and service providers who are shining examples of scrappy entrepreneurship at its best, but the information technology startups that are my primary interest typically require outside funding.
Harvard Business Review
NOVEMBER 13, 2015
Online stores are always open and are available anywhere, have “endless aisles” and can use digital tools to personalize offers to customer preferences. Nevertheless, physical stores do offer customers a number of significant benefits, including immediacy, personal service, and the ability to offer a truly immersive experience. GPS), and data analytics to improve the in-store experience for customers. How leading companies connect with customers.
Harvard Business Review
APRIL 18, 2013
Going to market effectively these days, no matter what business you''re in, means relating to customers as individuals — even if there are millions of them. retailer Tesco built detailed profiles of customers and then used these insights and a flexible supply chain to customize their products and offers. Creating products and services for market segments of one (" mass customization ") isn''t easy. They''re using tailored suggestions to drive customer loyalty.
Harvard Business Review
MARCH 28, 2013
One retailer develops an insight into customer behavior and others follow suit. For example, pharmacies build a patient's prescription history to better identify possible drug interactions, suggest cheaper generics, and get customers into their stores. Thus, innovators may seek competitive advantage in their product and service data; the low-cost providers on operations and process data; and those aiming for customer intimacy on customer data.
Harvard Business Review
JUNE 24, 2013
having sacrificed customer intimacy for increased operational excellence gains through widespread cost cutting, are well documented. Each time they regained momentum by going back to listening to what customers were telling them in store and in shopper panels, as well as analyzing data on changes in their shopping behavior. Many large, successful organizations are more fragile than they seem. They break under stress. Remember the travails of Kodak , Digital Equipment Corp.,
Harvard Business Review
JULY 29, 2013
We spoke with Mike Moorman, a senior leader in ZS Associates'' B2B sales and marketing practice and a leading authority on sales management, about how inside sales (which refers to sales positions done remotely from headquarters, without face-to-face meetings with clients) is transforming the way that B2B companies interact with their customers. By stages of the customer engagement process. Greater access and faster response times for customers.
Harvard Business Review
JULY 3, 2015
The idea of “co-creating” with customers has been circulating for years, but until recently few companies effectively exploited its power or understood its contribution to the bottom line. True, customers can customize their M&Ms, build their own bikes with Trek Project One, create unique doors for their home at Jen-Weld, and design their own Nike running shoes. By leveraging customer networks and their tangible (e.g. Your customers are waiting.
Harvard Business Review
MAY 29, 2013
But here are some examples of how brands are meeting the challenge: Develop customer intimacy. Every strategy begins with an understanding of your target customer. It''s not only about like-kind segmentation based on customer needs and wants; it''s also about developing a deep understanding of customers'' connected behaviors, preferences, and usage patterns. A guy walks into a store. No, it''s not the opening salvo for a bad joke.
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