The document outlines the transition from customer service to a customer-focused approach, emphasizing the importance of organizational alignment to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. It details common pitfalls in customer service strategies and provides ten lessons learned, such as the significance of leadership, communication, and the integration of processes to support a customer-centric culture. The document underscores that a successful customer-focus strategy requires thoughtful alignment and holistic management to achieve sustainable organizational growth and efficiency.

1. Change Customer Service to Customer-Focus
What it takes to move up the S-Curve
Eric Fraterman -- Customer-Focus Consulting
Eric Fraterman Customer-Focus Consulting
Toronto, ON Canada -- (416) 465-0800
Toronto, ON Canada (416) 465-0800
Eric@CustomerFocusConsult.com
Eric@CustomerFocusConsult.com
www.CustomerFocusConsult.com
www.CustomerFocusConsult.com

2. Seasoned Customer Service Consultant:
Source of My Lessons Learned
Enhanced
In working with senior management II help
In working with senior management help
Strengthened Profits
develop an “Outside-in Game Plan”.
develop an “Outside-in Game Plan”. Customer
Loyalty
In the implementation my work typically
In the implementation my work typically
involves three roles which are the source of
involves three roles which are the source of
my 10 Lessons Learned
Increased
my 10 Lessons Learned
Improved Shareholder
Customer Value
Satisfaction
Customer-
Organizational Focused
Alignment Operating
Environment  Representing the voice of the customer, help
 Representing the voice of the customer, help
and Culture maintain customer-focus and act as an objective
maintain customer-focus and act as an objective
organizational catalyst
organizational catalyst
Increased  Helping orchestrate and implement performance
 Helping orchestrate and implement performance
Employee enhancing Customer-Focus initiatives and processes,
enhancing Customer-Focus initiatives and processes,
Engagement and weave them into the present modus operandi
and weave them into the present modus operandi
 Assessing opportunities and needs for alignment of
 Assessing opportunities and needs for alignment of
“Outside-in” mission, vision, values, strategy, structure, systems,
mission, vision, values, strategy, structure, systems,
Game Plan individual style and skills
individual style and skills
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3. Contents
Introduction
Need Indicators
From CS to CF
Lessons Learned
www.customerfocusconsult.com

4. What is Customer-Focus?
Customer-Focus is an aligned
whole-organization approach to
customer satisfaction and service
www.customerfocusconsult.com Introduction Need Indicators From CS to CF Lessons Learned

5. In a Customer-Focused Company…
… Leadership, Processes and People are
customer-aligned:
 Every action is shaped by a relentless commitment to
meeting and exceeding its' customers expectations
regarding product and service quality
 Internal processes are constantly evaluated and improved
to meet or exceed those expectations
 Employees are aware of their role in maintaining a valued
relationship with their customers
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6. Customer-Focus Wins Big
Customers Great Products/Great Service
Shareholders Loyal Customers = Profits
Employees Engaged and Motivated
Organization Efficient and Effective
www.customerfocusconsult.com Introduction Need Indicators From CS to CF Lessons Learned

7. Customer-Focus Need Indicators
Voice of Customer- Customer Link to
the Focus Alignment Results
Customer
www.customerfocusconsult.com Introduction Need Indicators From CS to CF Lessons Learned

8. Need Indicator:
Voice of the Customer
 Insufficient or no customer satisfaction measurement
 No platform for a data-driven improvement plan
 No measures for each customer-interface
 Mediocre customer satisfaction ratings
www.customerfocusconsult.com Introduction Need Indicators From CS to CF Lessons Learned

9. Need Indicator:
Customer-Focus
 Saying and meaning that Customer-Focus is important, but not
having a clear strategy and/or improvement game plan
 Delegation of improvement ownership by CEO to functional
managers
 Improvement efforts and plans are focused “inside-out” rather
than “outside-in”
 Current Customer-Focus initiative is faltering and needs ramping
up
 People not “turned on” and engaged to deliver legendary service
 Seeing service quality improvement as a program rather than a
holistic organizational redesign process that requires fundamental
change and endurable commitment from management and
employees alike
www.customerfocusconsult.com Introduction Need Indicators From CS to CF Lessons Learned

10. Need Indicator:
Customer Alignment
 Developing and implementing a brand strategy in a services
business, but not fanatically managing Moments of Truth
 A service brand’s promise is at stake each time a customer
is served
 External customer service is seen as important, but internal
customer service remains lacking
 Misalignment between Improvement Goals and SPPC
(Strategy, People, Processes, and Customer)
www.customerfocusconsult.com Introduction Need Indicators From CS to CF Lessons Learned

11. Need Indicator:
Link to Results
 Having a number of improvement initiatives and programs
underway, but people don’t see cohesion and connections
 Being focused on service quality improvement programs rather
than outcomes: “Activities versus Results Focus”
www.customerfocusconsult.com Introduction Need Indicators From CS to CF Lessons Learned

12. Moving Up from Customer Service
to Customer-Focus The Power of Alignment - G. Labovitz & V. Rosanski
Customer Customer-
Customer-
Service Focus
Communication
Communication Complaint or
Complaint or Continuous, multidimensional,
Continuous, multidimensional,
with customers is
with customers is problem based
problem based solicited and encouraged
solicited and encouraged
Customer data is
Customer data is Strategists or
Strategists or Everyone in the organization, with a
Everyone in the organization, with a
gathered by
gathered by specialists
specialists lead role assigned to employees
lead role assigned to employees
with direct customer contact
with direct customer contact
Responsibility for
Responsibility for Customer service
Customer service Everyone in the organization,
Everyone in the organization,
customer satisfaction
customer satisfaction departments
departments starting with senior management
starting with senior management
belongs to
belongs to and cascading down
and cascading down
Employees who are given the
Employees who are given the
Customer problems
Customer problems Strict, preset policies
Strict, preset policies authority to act on behalf of the
authority to act on behalf of the
are solved by
are solved by and procedures
and procedures customer within defined boundaries
customer within defined boundaries
www.customerfocusconsult.com Introduction Need Indicators From CS to CF Lessons Learned

13. Moving from Customer Service
to Customer-Focus The Power of Alignment - G. Labovitz & V. Rosans
Customer Customer-
Customer-
Service Focus
Customer needs
Customer needs Strategists, specialists,
Strategists, specialists, People throughout the
People throughout the
are interpreted by
are interpreted by or top levels of
or top levels of organization, with the voice of
organization, with the voice of
management
management the customer driving everything
the customer driving everything
they do
they do
Feedback mechanisms
Feedback mechanisms Preset, static, Continuous dynamic & driven
Preset, static, Continuous dynamic & driven
are
are supplier focused
supplier focused by customer data
by customer data
Customer satisfaction
Customer satisfaction Complaints or problems
Complaints or problems Continuous improvement
Continuous improvement
is defined by
is defined by based on actual customer data
based on actual customer data
Measurements of
Measurements of Internally focused
Internally focused Focused on satisfying the
Focused on satisfying the
effectiveness are
effectiveness are unstated needs of the customer
unstated needs of the customer
www.customerfocusconsult.com Introduction Need Indicators From CS to CF Lessons Learned

14. 10 Lessons Learned
 Building Customer-Focus Commitment: Making the Ca$e
 Leadership is at the Core of Success
 Communication, Communication, Communication...
 Bad Processes Stop Good People
 The ‘New’ Process: Customer Relationship Management
 Be Results-Driven – Not Activity Centered
 Results-Focus Through Project Culture
 People Orientation for Building Lasting Engagement
 Internal Customer-Focus Often Lacking or Lagging
 Alignment is Fundamentally the Name of the Game
www.customerfocusconsult.com Introduction Need Indicators From CS to CF Lessons Learned

15. Building Customer-Focus Commitment:
Making the Case
Coherent,
Coherent, What if No
What if No
Management
Management Strategic
Strategic The Business
The Business Burning
Burning
Fad-ism
Fad-ism Rationale for
Rationale for Ca$e
Ca$e Platform?
Platform?
C -F
C-F
• Pitfalls and
• Pitfalls and • Achieve consistent,
• Achieve consistent, • Business At Risk
• Business At Risk • High-growth
• High-growth
learning:
learning: defined levels of growth
defined levels of growth organizations:
organizations:
Bain Study and peak performance • Market Damage
• Market Damage Unique challenge
Bain Study and peak performance Assessment Unique challenge
Assessment
• Cynicism of
• Cynicism of • Differentiation from
• Differentiation from
Flavor of the competition • Non-Value Add
• Non-Value Add
Flavor of the competition analyses
Month:
Month: analyses
B O H II C A • Coalesces with
• Coalesces with
BOH CA Vision & Values
•• “Bend Over – Here It
Vision & Values
“Bend Over – Here It
Comes Again”
Comes Again”
• C-F strategy supports
• C-F strategy supports
and blends in with other
and blends in with other
strategies and is an
strategies and is an
integral part of the
integral part of the
Modus Operandi
Modus Operandi
• Based on real-time
• Based on real-time
customer information
customer information
www.customerfocusconsult.com Lessons Learned

16. Leadership Is at the Core of Success
Senior Leadership Style  Hard to raise an organization above the
 Hard to raise an organization above the
level of senior leadership
level of senior leadership
The Middle Management Issue  Pivot around which the pyramid “inverts”
 Pivot around which the pyramid “inverts”
 Lack of middle managers with people
 Lack of middle managers with people
skills/life experience in growth industries
skills/life experience in growth industries
 Manager-to-Leader transition
 Manager-to-Leader transition
 Listen-Feedback-Action process as a catalyst
 Listen-Feedback-Action process as a catalyst
Sustainable Commitment 
 Personal
Personal

 Financial
Financial

 Long-term view
Long-term view
Behavioral Communication  “Walking The Talk” - Leading by example
 “Walking The Talk” - Leading by example
 Visibility – “MBWA”
 Visibility – “MBWA”
Values Driven Leadership:  Values definition & clarification
 Values definition & clarification
“Values are the Boss”  Values deployment throughout improvement
 Values deployment throughout improvement
initiatives
initiatives
www.customerfocusconsult.com Lessons Learned

17. Communication, Communication,
Communication…
Everybody
Everybody Continuous
Continuous
Understanding the
Understanding the Communication
Communication Behavior
Behavior
C-F Strategy –
C-F Strategy – About Improvement
About Improvement Communicates!
Communicates!
Seeing the
Seeing the Initiatives and
Initiatives and
‘‘Big Picture’
Big Picture’ Projects
Projects
• Cascading process,
• Cascading process, • Consistently reinforcing
• Consistently reinforcing • Actions speak louder
• Actions speak louder
with interaction/
with interaction/ the big picture
the big picture than words!
than words!
questions. Social
questions. Social
Intranet is best practice • Demonstrating the
• Demonstrating the • Consistency,
• Consistency,
Intranet is best practice Why, What, How and consistency...
Why, What, How and consistency...
• Continuous
• Continuous Who of each project
Who of each project
reinforcement:
reinforcement:
“Stumping” by CEO • Ensuring
• Ensuring
“Stumping” by CEO understanding of where
and senior team
and senior team understanding of where
the initiative/project fits
the initiative/project fits
• Integral part of the
• Integral part of the into the big picture
into the big picture
business
business
www.customerfocusconsult.com • Using a Social Intranet
• Using a Social Intranet Lessons Learned

18. Bad Processes Stop Good People
Near-Term Improvement •
• Focus on underlying blockages and recurring themes
Focus on underlying blockages and recurring themes
Projects Uncover Bad •
• Focus multi-functional improvement teams on root
Focus multi-functional improvement teams on root
Processes causes
causes
Often, Processes Lack •
• Shortcoming of TQM and BPR
Shortcoming of TQM and BPR
Voice of the Customer •
• Not deployed throughout the process
Not deployed throughout the process
•
• Insufficient in-process measurement and
Insufficient in-process measurement and
accountabilities
accountabilities
•
• Insufficient alignment of measurements and
Insufficient alignment of measurements and
accountabilities with desired customer outcomes
accountabilities with desired customer outcomes
Hard to Break ‘Silo’ •
• Widespread process awareness and ‘horizontal’
Widespread process awareness and ‘horizontal’
Paradigm thinking is essential
thinking is essential
“Process Animation” •
• Experimental approach
Experimental approach
•
• Uses intranet effectively
Uses intranet effectively
www.customerfocusconsult.com Lessons Learned

19. The ‘New’ Process (in B-to-B) = CRM:
Customer Relationship Management
The Challenge: Move from •
• Requires systematic & proactive Customer
Requires systematic & proactive Customer
Reactive Customer Satisfaction Relationship Management
Relationship Management
Management to Creating •
• “Hear me - Grow me”
“Hear me - Grow me”
Enduring Customer Loyalty •
• “Sticky” relationships that are mutually beneficial
“Sticky” relationships that are mutually beneficial
Need to Realize that Customer •
• Documented
Documented
Relationship Management is a •
• Sequential steps
Sequential steps
Business Process •
• Measurements & Accountabilities
Measurements & Accountabilities
Requires Alignment of •
• Pre-recruitment testing/screening
Pre-recruitment testing/screening
Recruitment and Performance •
• Team hiring
Team hiring
Management •
• (Service) Strategy-based competencies
(Service) Strategy-based competencies
Requires Sophisticated •
• Sales force automation
Sales force automation
Technology •
• Data base management
Data base management
www.customerfocusconsult.com Lessons Learned

20. Be Results-Driven – Not Activity Centered
Results-Driven Activity-Centered
• There are measurable short-term performance  The improvement effort is defined
improvement goals, even though the effort is a mainly in long-term global terms
long-term sustaining one  Management takes action steps because
 Management takes action steps because they are “correct” and fit the program’s
they appear to lead directly to some philosophy
improved results  The champions counsel patience
 The mood is one of impatience. Management and fortitude
wants to see results now, even though the  Staff experts and consultants
change process is a long-term commitment indoctrinate everyone into the mystiques
 Staff experts and consultants help managers and vocabulary of
achieve results the program
 Managers and employees are encouraged to  Staff experts and consultants urge
make certain for themselves that the approach managers and employees to have faith
actually yields results in the approach and to support it
 Relatively little investment is needed to get the  The process requires management to
process started; conviction builds as results make big investments up-front - before
materialize results have been demonstrated
www.customerfocusconsult.com Lessons Learned

21. Results-Focus Through Project Culture
Follow-up to Customer  Multi-disciplinary project teams
Survey Data in a Project
Based Fashion
Developing a  Goal Directed Project
Project Culture Management methodology
 Reward & Recognition;
Performance Management alignment
 Practicing/ Deploying Values during
Project work
 “What gets measured gets completed”
Frequent Pitfalls  Under-resourced
 Under-skilled
 Under-communicated
www.customerfocusconsult.com Lessons Learned

22. Results-Focus Through Project Culture
Solicitation Process  Buy-in of line management
 The work goes on…
Project Leadership/  Need for a project management cadre
Management Skills  Situational leadership required
Corporate Sponsor Role/  Senior leaders need to assume clearly
Responsibility and identified responsibilities, and be held
Accountability accountable through aligned
performance management and
incentives
www.customerfocusconsult.com Lessons Learned

23. People Orientation for Building
Lasting Engagement
Requirements to
Requirements to
Succeed with LFA
Succeed with LFA
 Coaching support
 Admin support
 Time allocation
LFA Process a Proven Key
LFA Process a Proven Key  Measurement of success
Catalyst to Change and Strong
Catalyst to Change and Strong  Accountability of managers
Employee Retention Tool
Employee Retention Tool  Dealing with ‘me-issues’
before business issues
 Listening to employees  Making LFA a way of life
in small groups
 Focus on Action to make
Climate Surveys a
Climate Surveys a customer-focused change
Process, Not an ‘Event’  Empowers and involves employees
Process, Not an ‘Event’
 Transitions managers to (servant-) leaders
 Involvement of
management and employees in
planning: Advisory Board
 Intranet/email maybe suspect as
data collection method
 Feedback of data and actioning
essential
www.customerfocusconsult.com Lessons Learned

24. Internal Customer-Focus Often
Lacking or Lagging
 Customer-Focus required for internal service providers, e.g., HR,
IT, Finance/Accounting
 Same principles of customer feedback, surveying and closing
performance gaps as external
 Internal Customer Experience Workshop™ good kick-off
instrument
 Customer-Focus often good way of dealing with resource
allocation and prioritization for time/resource strapped internal
providers
 Creates mutual accountability for internal providers and internal
customers: Internal customers often seen as unrealistic in
demands
Service Cycle Workshop is available through Eric Fraterman.
www.customerfocusconsult.com Lessons Learned

25. Alignment is Fundamentally the
Name of the Game
Strategy
Culture
Process Customer
Leadership Values
People
www.customerfocusconsult.com Lessons Learned

26. Sample:
Human Resources Alignment
Strategic HR processes need alignment to attract, retain and manage performance of Valued People
Strategic HR processes need alignment to attract, retain and manage performance of Valued People
Mission
Mission
Values
Values Strategy
Strategy
Business Processes
Business Processes
Organizational Structure
Organizational Structure
Key Competencies
Key Competencies
Behavioral Indicators
Behavioral Indicators
Strategic Human Resources Processes
Strategic Human Resources Processes
Recruitment Training & Job Succession Performance Executive Compensation Reward &
& Selection Development Profiling Planning Management Coaching System Recognition
www.customerfocusconsult.com Business Results
Business Results

27. Sample:
Human Resources Alignment
Pre-Employment Testing for  Builds/supports organization-wide
‘Customer-Focus Genes’ Customer-Focus culture
Walking the Talk in  Requires extensive Competency
Performance Management development work to reflect the
Strategy and Values
 “Feed Pigeons - Fire Turkeys –
Reward Eagles”
Reward & Recognition  To do it right, requires more attention
Often Either Overlooked or and resources than appears
Done Unsystematically and  Departmental inconsistencies -
Inconsistently Centralized vs. Decentralized
www.customerfocusconsult.com

28. Sample:
Managerial Practices Alignment
 Accountability for the essentials of Customer-Focusing is often
sorely lacking!
 Accountability-based management to match managerial
leadership to organizational Customer-Focus needs is key to
success
“Ensure accountability is clear throughout the
organization; the right work is getting done at
the right level; and there is the right balance
between managing for today and shaping the
business for the future.”
(COREinternational Managerial Practices Alignment)
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29. Questions?
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