Your Most Important C-Level? The Customer
Building a Customer-Centered Company
Imagine your company's org chart. At the top, there's a new addition that's shaking things up. It's not another overpaid executive or a fancy new title. It's your customer, sitting above everyone else, calling the shots. Crazy? Maybe. Necessary? Absolutely.
In my years as VP of Engineering at Jimdo and through my experiences with various CEOs, I've seen firsthand the transformative power of true customer obsession. Both my current and previous CEOs shared one critical trait: they were fanatically focused on the customer, constantly using and improving their own products. This isn't just good practice; it's survival.
Putting the Customer in the C-Suite
It's time to rethink your org chart. At the top? Your customer. This isn't just feel-good corporate speak; it's a fundamental shift in how you operate.
Take a page from the playbook of customer-obsessed CEOs: use your own product. Religiously. If you're not feeling the pain points, you're not close enough to your customer's experience.
Here's a challenge for you: institute a company-wide "Be the Customer" day. From the C-suite to the newest hire, everyone uses your product or service as a customer would. The insights gained? Priceless.
Feel Your Customer's Pain (Or You'll Feel the Pain of Losing Them)
Empathy isn't just nice, it's necessary. If you're not feeling your customer's pain, you're on a fast track to irrelevance.
Want to really understand? Try this: Set up a dummy account and go through your entire customer journey. From sign-up to support, experience it all. Better yet, do this regularly with your team.
I once worked with a company that was hemorrhaging customers. Their turnaround strategy? The entire executive team spent a week doing nothing but handling customer support tickets. The product roadmap they created after that week? Pure gold.
Your Customer's Voice Should Be the Loudest in Every Room
Your customer support team isn't just there to put out fires; they're your direct line to what's really happening. Make their insights a centerpiece of every product meeting.
And don't forget your marketing team. They're not just there to push your message out; they're your ears on the ground, understanding the customers you haven't won yet.
Create a customer feedback ecosystem that reaches every corner of your company. Daily customer insight emails, monthly customer story presentations, whatever it takes to keep that voice loud and clear.
Make "Customer-Thinking" Your Company's Default Mode
Institute a "Be the Customer" program. Everyone, and I mean everyone, should regularly use your product as a customer would.
Cross-functional customer insight sessions aren't just for show. They should drive action. If you're not walking out with concrete to-dos, you're doing it wrong.
When it comes to innovation, if it doesn't solve a real customer problem, it's not innovation. It's a distraction.
The UX Factor: Seeing Through Your Customer's Eyes
Great UX isn't just about pretty interfaces; it's about truly understanding your customer's journey. Develop a strong UX sense across your entire organization.
Here's a radical idea: have your engineers shadow your UX team for a week. The code they write afterward? Night and day difference.
Remember, the impact of great UX goes beyond just "satisfaction." It drives loyalty, word-of-mouth, and ultimately, your bottom line.
From Insights to Action: Making Customer-Centricity Real
Customer feedback is worthless if it doesn't lead to action. Create a clear pipeline from customer insights to product improvements.
Prioritize features based on customer impact, not just ease of implementation or executive pet projects.
And for heaven's sake, measure the results. If you're not tracking how your customer-centric initiatives impact key metrics, you're flying blind.
The Reality
In today's market, customer-centric companies succeed. The rest? They're writing their own obituaries.
Your homework? Pick one thing from this newsletter and implement it this week. Not next quarter, not when it's convenient. This week.
Remember, your most important C-level executive isn't in your boardroom. They're using your product right now. Are you listening to them?
Nerd Out Links
- The ROI of Customer Experience
Until next time, keep your customers close and your product closer.
👋 Ciao,
Luca