Customer centricity from the inside out

December 2, 2022

At least one-third of respondents said human interaction was important to their customer experience and loyalty. Image credit: PwC

By Jon Glick and George Korizis

A recent survey found that over the past year, 26 percent of consumers stopped buying from a business due to bad experiences with customer service.

The same survey found at least one-third of respondents said human interaction was important to their customer experience and loyalty.

With the market more competitive and demand for customer experience climbing, companies are eager to maximize their investments.

CC for CX
To create value and increase return on investment, customer experiences and employee experiences walk hand-in-hand to form customer centricity, strategically coordinated goals and decisions around capability systems, operating model and culture.

Customer centricity considers the impact employee experience has on consumers and integrates actions so that both experiences align.

A successful customer-centricity strategy aligns with brand strategy.

Consider your organization’s “why,” how your customers feel when they engage with you and how your organization secures customer loyalty.

Before bringing a customer centricity model to fruition, answer these questions with data-backed responses.

Track and assess sentiment from messaging, social media and surveys to understand whether you are driving the ideal emotions within your consumer base.

From there, adjust and engage your employees through one or more of the customer-centricity models.

Jon Glick

High five
While there is no one-size-fits-all customer-centricity model, there are five strategies that can be used as guides to best fit each organization’s needs.

Innovation. The innovative approach promotes intrapreneurship and aims to make consumers feel curious, inspired and excited.

Leaders are encouraged to pursue data-driven decisions, human-centered design, and customer and employee listening.

From there, an approach is developed through experimentation and employee-led movement.

Consistency. The consistent customer-centricity model is for the organization that prioritizes high-quality customer service and wants customers to feel relaxed, confident and trusting.

Gather insights through data-driven decision making, listening to customers and optimizing content.

Employee-led movement and omnichannel experiences are example capabilities that will propel the customer centricity strategy forward.

Intimacy. The organization that goes in this direction creates personalized solutions and develops long-term loyalty.

The end-goal is to make consumers feel special, supported and understood.

This model also depends on data-driven decisions, as well as listening to customers and employees and having a human-centered design.

Aside from developing employee-led movements as a result, the intimate customer centricity model begets increased personalization and loyalty building.

Empowerment. This model fits companies that emphasize environments in which their employees are proud of their roles and their organization.

Successful implementation of this model will lead to customers feeling attended to, cared for, and included.

Listen to customers and employees alike and have a human-centered design. Then allow employees to lead and create personalized experiences to drive loyalty.

Purpose. Organizations that align this model with their strategy share common values with their consumer base and are engaged in social or environmental advocacy.

Customers feel motivated, optimistic and know they belong to something greater, together.

Better understand your customers and employees through a human-centered design by listening to them, to then develop capabilities such as social influence and advocacy to drive this approach home.

George Korizis

ONCE YOU HAVE a grasp on your customer base, engaging your employees is the complementary half of the equation.

It is just as important that your employees feel understood and like they belong.

To drive continuous, successful customer experiences and maximize your investments, use multiple tools and measurements to track how both your customers and employees are feeling.

Map out your customer and employee experience journeys and identify checkpoints.

For example, creating informal employee communities will foster organic connections and build rapport from within.

Have ongoing conversations to assess sentiments of belonging and satisfaction. Train your employees on how to deliver optimal CX and encourage them to take ownership of each customer’s experience with the brand.

As you interact with and hear from your employees, identify how your current culture supports or hinders your customer-centricity goals and evolve accordingly.

Work with your employees to make changes where necessary and align the organization on a common customer-employee experience vision.

When appropriate, designate informal, natural leaders in your organization to encourage desired behavior.

As you move through your customer centricity strategy, you will find balance between building relationships internally, driving a desired culture and activating formal incentives, organizing and decision making.

Jon Glick is customer transformation and loyalty partner at PwC, Chicago.

George Korizis is customer transformation practice leader at PwC, Charlotte, NC.

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