Customer Centricity – Workshop 1 (Championing Customer-Centricity)

The Appleton Greene Corporate Training Program (CTP) for Customer Centricity is provided by Ms. Dickson Certified Learning Provider (CLP). Program Specifications: Monthly cost USD$2,500.00; Monthly Workshops 6 hours; Monthly Support 4 hours; Program Duration 12 months; Program orders subject to ongoing availability.

If you would like to view the Client Information Hub (CIH) for this program, please Click Here

Learning Provider Profile

Ms. Dickson has experience in consultancy, healthcare, technology, FMCG and the public sector. She has worked with numerous research projects for over 20 years and is passionate about understanding customer behavior, turning insights into clear strategies.

She has a Master of Science in Business Administration, specializing in Marketing. In addition, she has completed a number of other training programs such as Cognitive Science, Project Management Professional Certification Program and Digital Marketing.

Her service skills include: business strategy and business development, concept and product development, sales and marketing, strengthening company image, brand and organization as well as process development and management. Her commercial experience includes the following countries: US, UK, Germany, Sweden and France or more specifically NY, London, Berlin, Stockholm and Paris.

Some examples of personal achievements are developing innovative products/services, meeting customer needs and driving market demand. Effective marketing campaigns, enhancing brand visibility and improving sales conversions. Developed and implemented process improvements, reducing costs, increasing efficiency and enhancing product/service quality.

Appleton Greene Global

MOST Analysis

Appleton Greene

Mission Statement

Everything we do should begin with knowing our customers, if we truly understand our customers’ motivations, drivers, and behaviors we are more likely to be successful with our products and solutions. Organizations that listen and understand their customers are more profitable than those that don’t and are more efficient. The workshop focuses on developing actionable strategies for customer-centric transformation. Participants will learn how to align their entire organization around customer-centricity, fostering a culture prioritizing customer needs and expectations.

Appleton Greene

Objectives

01. Introducing Customer-centricity. Time Allocated: 1 Month
02. Collaborative Learning. Time Allocated: 1 Month
03. Customer Feedback. Time Allocated: 1 Month
04. Customer Segmentation. Time Allocated: 1 Month
05. Persona Development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
06. Customer Journey Mapping. Time Allocated: 1 Month
07. Customer Experience (CX). Time Allocated: 1 Month
08. Customer-Centric Innovation. Time Allocated: 1 Month
09. External Stakeholders. Time Allocated: 1 Month
10. Internal Stakeholders. Time Allocated: 1 Month
11. Roadmap Development. Time Allocated: 1 Month
12. Organization Change. Time Allocated: 1 Month

Appleton Greene

Strategies

01. Introducing Customer-centricity and benefits linked to this approach.
02. Using Collaborative Learning as a tool to become a true customer-centric organization.
03. Explore how Customer Feedback is an important customer-centric element.
04. How to do a sufficient Customer Segmentation.
05. Persona Development, bringing customer segments to live.
06. Customer Journey Mapping, how customers interact with your solutions.
07. Customer Experience (CX) a deep dive into customers’ emotions, and perceptions.
08. Customer-centric Innovation, engaging customers through co-creation.
09. External Stakeholders, who they are, and how to engage.
10. Internal Stakeholders, getting everyone on board on the customer-centric journey.
11. Roadmap Development, an important tool in becoming more customer-centric.
12. Organization Change, how to effectively manage necessary changes in the organization towards becoming more customer-centric.

Appleton Greene

Tasks

01. Set aside some time to reflect on what it involves for your organization to become more customer-centric, make notes
02. Set up at least one meeting within the coming 30 days including all participants in the workshop to discuss how to work together in becoming a customer-centric organization.
03. Initiate a discussion with relevant stakeholders around customer segmentation and how to best conduct (or review/improve) in your organization. Set a time plan for the activity.
04. Initiate a discussion with relevant stakeholders around persona development and how to best conduct (or review/improve) in your organization. Set a time plan for the activity.
05. Initiate a discussion with relevant stakeholders around the customer journey and how to best conduct (or review/improve) in your organization. Set a time plan for the activity.
06. Initiate a discussion with relevant stakeholders around the customer experience and how to best conduct (or review/improve) in your organization. Set a time plan for the activity.
07. Set up a feedback session with one of your clients (either individually or with 2-3 other workshop participants). Understand your customer’s experience with your product/service and document any areas of improvement.
08. Examine a product enhancement or new feature introduction in your industry. Understand its motivation and assess its impact on the customer experience.
09. Identify three major external stakeholders for your company (e.g., suppliers, industry regulators, trade associations). Assess their influence on your company’s decision-making process.
10. List departments or teams within your organization that influence customer relations. Reflect on how collaboration between these stakeholders can be enhanced.
11. Initiate a discussion with relevant stakeholders around roadmap development and how to best conduct (or review/improve) in your organization. Set a time plan for the activity.
12. Watch a documentary, read a book, or an article about a company’s transformative journey. Identify the drivers for change, the strategies implemented, and the outcomes achieved. Make notes.

Appleton Greene Global

Introduction

Appleton Greene
Welcome to our first workshop on customer-centricity! In a rapidly evolving business landscape, customer-centricity has emerged as a cornerstone of sustainable success. This workshop is designed to equip you with the essential knowledge and skills to not only understand the significance of customer-centricity but also to implement it effectively within your organization. Over the course of this workshop, we will delve into a comprehensive range of topics, enabling you to foster a customer-first approach that drives innovation, growth, and long-term profitability.

Barriers to Customer-Centric Transformation

Several reasons contribute to why some companies remain product-centric rather than embracing a customer-centric approach. While the shift towards customer-centricity has gained momentum, certain challenges and organizational factors can impede this transformation such as:


• Traditional Mindset: Many organizations have a long history of focusing on product development and innovation. This entrenched mindset can be resistant to change, especially when it comes to reorienting the entire company around customer needs.

• Short-Term Perspective: Companies often prioritize short-term goals, such as meeting quarterly revenue targets. This can lead to a focus on pushing products to market quickly, overshadowing the longer-term benefits of building strong customer relationships.

• Internal Silos: Organizational silos can hinder the flow of information across departments, making it difficult to gather and share customer insights. This lack of collaboration can result in disjointed efforts and hinder a customer-centric approach.

• Lack of Customer Insight: Some companies lack a robust mechanism for gathering and analyzing customer feedback and data. Without a deep understanding of customer needs and preferences, it’s challenging to implement effective customer-centric strategies.

• Overemphasis on Competition: Companies that are highly competitive might prioritize outdoing competitors in terms of features and functionalities rather than truly understanding and meeting customer needs.

• Risk Aversion: Moving towards customer-centricity often involves experimenting with new approaches and adapting to changes. Some companies may be risk-averse and hesitant to depart from tried-and-true methods.

• Lack of interest and comfort: Familiarity with the product-centric approach can breed a sense of comfort, making it difficult to embrace a new way of doing things. Change requires effort, resources, and a willingness to challenge the status quo.

• Lack of Leadership Buy-In: For a shift towards customer-centricity to succeed, it requires strong leadership support and a clear vision. If leadership doesn’t champion this change, it’s challenging to cascade the mindset shift throughout the organization.

• Resource Allocation: Organizations often allocate resources based on existing priorities. Shifting towards customer-centric strategies might necessitate reallocating resources, which can face resistance from those accustomed to the status quo.

• Misaligned Metrics: Metrics like sales numbers or product features might be more tangible and easier to measure than customer satisfaction or loyalty. This can lead to a focus on the measurable but less customer-oriented aspects of the business.

• Lack of Training and Skillset: Employees might lack the necessary skills and training to understand and implement customer-centric practices effectively.

• Complexity: Adapting to a customer-centric approach can be complex, requiring changes in processes, communication, and even the company culture. This complexity can deter companies from making the transition.

• Perceived Customer Homogeneity: Companies might mistakenly assume that their customer base is homogeneous, leading them to believe that a single product-centric approach will suit all customers.

• Market Pressure: In highly competitive industries, the pressure to launch new products quickly can take precedence over comprehensive customer research, leading to product-centric decision-making.

Despite these challenges, more companies are recognizing the benefits of embracing customer-centricity. It’s essential to overcome these hurdles and prioritize customer needs to remain relevant, competitive, and sustainable in a rapidly evolving business landscape.

Product-centricity drawbacks

Adopting or staying with a product-focused approach can lead to significant disadvantages that hinder an organization’s growth, sustainability, and competitive edge. While product innovation remains crucial, neglecting the customer-centric perspective can have far-reaching effects that undermine long-term success such as:
• Limited Market Understanding
• Missed Opportunities for Innovation
• Reduced Customer Loyalty
• Inefficient Resource Allocation
• Shortened Product Lifecycles
• Lack of Differentiation
• Ina