"To live, man must act; to act, he must make decisions; to make decisions, he must define a code of values; to define a code of values, he must know what he is and where he is." The quote that accompanies us on this occasion is from the Russian-American writer and philosopher Ayn Rand, known in certain business management circles for her novel "Atlas Shrugged," written between 1946 and 1954.
Rand's reflection is timely at a moment like the present, in which the "new normal" has turned upside down a large part of the management systems that were already proving obsolete, and which, thanks to the digital acceleration favored by anti-COVID measures, have ended up proving incapable of coping with activity in this new stage.
One of these changes that has been gaining momentum, and which we at BRAINTRUST have always identified with digital disruption, is the Customer Experience. A true CX that considers all aspects of customer participation as a cross-cutting element in the life of a modern company requires defining a code of values. In order to make decisions, to act, and to live, following the line of thought of the author of Atlas Shrugged. It also requires knowing who you are and where you are, especially in an era such as the present, in which upheavals are leading customers, more than ever, to demand exemplary behavior from the companies to which they entrust their resources.
A comprehensive customer experience is made up of variables that have more to do with a company's intangible elements than with its more traditional and compartmentalized aspects. Independent expert Jeannie Walters identified this very well in a recent publication, in an analysis of "the four Cs" that every company needs to consider itself truly customer-centric. The mantra of "the customer first" is one of the most repeated objectives of today's companies, but that does not mean that they have truly adapted their genetic code to the needs that this entails.
The first of these four Cs is the one most directly linked to the idea of a "code of values," because it refers to corporate "conscience," which the expert identifies as a "challenge" that is lacking in many organizations. This is especially true in organizations where "employees are asked to make decisions and comply with policies that are outdated, unfair, or not aligned with the organization's vision, mission, and values." As a result, the brand promises one thing but delivers another. This causes irreversible damage to the customer experience.
More than "strong," a collective consciousness must be "clear," and this is achieved by defining the "CX mission," which must have meaning beyond the corporate mission statement. In addition, it is necessary to identify the "ideal customer journey" (the journey map that is so often talked about), and we must prioritize the goal of making every effort to truly get to know the customer, even if we don't like what we find.
All this awareness is of little use if it is not accompanied by another big C, that of Communication. The limited view of this intangible asset is its projection through marketing policies and advertising campaigns with the aim of driving the market. But no: it is a firm commitment to honest and continuous communication about the mission, which encourages employees to identify flaws in the corporate system and encourages customers to also identify the most criticizable aspects of the organization. To the point that these identifications (by employees and customers) become the true guidelines to follow in the company's internal communication.
As a result of clear awareness and effective communication, none of the above is viable without the third C: consistency. "Brands that reflect a mission from outside the organization have to live it from within," Walters points out. "If they don't, if employees' daily experiences feel misaligned with the company's customer experience mission, the result is a cynical culture and poor overall performance."
In other words, it is not feasible for a company to promote an image of friendship and collaboration with its customers, while fostering a culture of backstabbing within the company. "An unhealthy internal culture cannot be hidden from customers forever. They sense it and realize that the experience is not consistent."
Finally, the fourth C is Credibility. And here it can be expressed louder but not clearer: "Talk is cheap." In other words: less talking, more doing. This means not being afraid to ask customers directly, to incorporate their comments into project plans and product roadmaps, to encourage and recognize customer-focused ideas from employees, and even to reward those employees who receive the best ratings from customers.
These are four pillars for navigating the uncertain terrain into which the COVID-19 pandemic has plunged us, as well as the provisions linked to the "new normal." But they are also four elements for building a viable code of values, aligned with a customer experience that had been gaining ground long before the health alert was declared, and which today, more than ever, demands its place as a decisive factor in the success or failure of companies.
Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash
Text: APP/EKMB/BTCS
