The document discusses competing through customer intimacy. It uses the case study of Châteauform, a company that provides unique venue spaces for meetings and seminars. Châteauform developed a winning strategy by focusing on serving big multinational companies and meeting their specific needs. It offers a highly personalized experience and excellent customer service and satisfaction. The document also outlines Châteauform's value proposition, operating model, and how it successfully implements its strategy across the organization.

1. Competing through customer intimacy
What does it mean? What does it take?
Prof. dr. Kurt Verweire
Flanders DC Kenniscentrum

2. Flanders DC - Missie
Ondernemend Vlaanderen Creatief Vlaanderen
Creatiever maken Ondernemender maken
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3. Flanders DC – Bedrijven
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4. Flanders DC – Onderwijs
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5. Flanders DC – Algemeen Publiek
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6. Competing Through Customer Intimacy: Agenda
 A remarkable case study
 The choices of customer-intimacy firms
 Strategy implementation at customer-
intimacy firms
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7. A Case Study: Châteauform’
 A unique concept of venues totally dedicated to meetings and
seminars
 In various European countries
 Sites are castles, big farms, big houses
 “Feel at home, far from home”
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8. A Case Study: Châteauform’
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9. Competing Through Customer Intimacy
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10. Developing a winning strategy
Whom do we What do we
‘Competitive arena’
serve? provide?
What is our What is our
value operating ‘Competitive theme’
proposition? model?
Clear choices + unique choices!
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11. Châteauform’s winning strategy
 Big multinational companies
 To meet their needs in terms of meetings, seminars, events
 Special attenttion to the wishes of the different sub-segments
 Participants: “Feel at home far from home”
 Assistants: Easy to do business with and total care
 Decision makers: All inclusive, no surprises
 Facilitators: High tech, high touch, no stress
 Unique in what it does: Less costs and higher customer
satisfaction
• 95-100% client satisfaction
• Customer delights
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12. Châteauform’s winning value proposition
 The five attributes of all
commercial transactions:
 Product: Goods and/or services purchased
 Price: Cost of goods and/or services
 Access: How easy consumers obtain and
use goods
 Service: What is done extra before,
during, and after the sale
 Experience (connectivity): How consumers
feel about themselves as a result of goods
and/or services
Consumer relevancy Source: Crawford & Mathews (2001)
framework
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13. Châteauform’s winning value proposition
Level Access Experience Price Product Service
Consumer seeks Turn my hassle Establish intimacy Be my price agent; Inspire me with an Provide me with a
the company into a positive with me by doing let me trust you to assortment of solution, take my
experience. something no one make my excellent products problems away.

else can. purchases. I didn’t know
about.
Consumer Make the whole Care about my Be fair and Offer continuously Educate me when I
prefers the interaction reliable needs and me. consistent in your high-quality and encounter a
and convenient for low pricing (this well-performing product or a
company
me. does not products. situation I don’t
 necessarily mean understand.
lowest price).
Consumer Make it easy for Respect me, treat Keep the prices Be credible in your Accommodate me;
accepts the me to find what I me like a human honest; don’t jack product and bend over
need. being. them up or offer service offerings. backward some-
company
big savings when times to show me
 there are none. you care.
Consumer Block my way, Dehumanize me; Be inconsistent, Offer me poor- Give me an
underworld hassle me, keep disrespect me; unclear, or quality experience I’d just
me waiting, make ignore my needs. misleading in your merchandise and as soon forget;

it hard for me to pricing. services that I give me a reason
 get in and out. can’t use. to tell my friends
to stay away.
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14. Châteauform’s winning strategy
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15. Châteauform’s winning operating model
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16. Successful strategy implementation
Source: Vlerick Business School & GDF Suez (Electrabel) (2004)
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17. Flanders DC Kenniscentrum
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18. Flanders DC Kenniscentrum School
© Vlerick Business
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19. Flanders DC Kenniscentrum
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20. Successful strategy implementation
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21. Conclusion
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