Most changes happen at the customer (consumer) side. What will companies do to adopt to this change? Here's a possible solution based on client thinking and brain surgery (on myself that is ;) Start looking for the purpose of your company!

1. Value Centred Thinking
HOW TO
a
CONNECT
WITH CUSTOMERS

2. The era of differentiation lies behind us.
Customers are not interested in how you differ yourself from the
competition. This self-inflicted differentiation question is far away from their
true concerns. They’re more interested in what you can mean in their lives.
!
What customers really care about is how you influence their being, what it is
you do and how you do it. But above all, they want to know WHY you do it.
!
By means of this ‘Big Why’ they will recognise themselves. It is a way to
connect with people on a more fundamental basis than what we’ve been
a
doing so far. It requires a new way of thinking:
!
Value Centred Thinking

3. 1
Competition
“We Need to Differentiate Ourselves from the
Competition in Order to Survive.”
!
This is a typical business view from the early 21st Century.
!
Competition has propelled due to the availability of products through
various (new) channels, the comparisons made possible by
technology, and the Western addiction for cheap products.
Hence, we needed to beat the competition.
Not.
TIP
“ Are you relevant for your
customer or rather for
your competitor? ”
BRANDS
HAVE T
O BECO
ME REL
EVANT
AGAIN

4. 2
Customers
“Customers are Demanding, Disloyal and Only
Interested in Price.”
!
Price and pricing will always be on the customer’s agenda.
!
The question is, is it the primary concern or does our behaviour and
the way we do business make it the primary concern? Is there a
connection between us and the customer? And if so, what is it?
TIP
“ Are customers price
sensitive or does your
behaviour incite them? ”

5. 3
Commodity
“It is Nearly Impossible to be Unique. Anything Can
and Will be Copied.”
!
It is true there’s a lot of copying going on.
!
However, what cannot be copied is the way you treat your customers.
Customer experience is far more than just delivering a good service.
It has become the single difference between companies and brands.
But it requires a genuine, authentic belief in why you’re in business.
!
And profit is not the right answer.
TIP
“ To avoid the commodity
trap one needs to find out
Why it is he/she’s in
business.”

6. 4
Technology
“We’re Online, and Social. But We Still Don’t Know if
There’s a Return Attached to This?”
!
Social media are no longer a means to get in contact with your
customer .
!
They have become the customer. More and more people base their
decisions on what’s happening in their communities. The social media
have become a way to get in touch with you, not the other way
around.
!
So how’s your reputation out there?
TIP
“ Consumers are becoming
more and more savvy.
Social Consumerism is
already there.”

7. 5
Trust
“The Trust Has Gone in Our Business. Sales People No
Longer Get the Trust They Deserve.”
!
True, the recent history showed us what trust looked like. Not.
!
Sales people always had and will have to deal with trust. What has
changed is the way trust is given. It is no longer the game of finding
solutions to customer’s needs. It has stretched a lot.
!
How do you establish trust?
TIP
“ Credibility is the basic
for trust. Your credibility
is anchored in your Why.”
CREDIB
ILITY V
ERSUS
EXCHA
NGEABI
LITY

8. 6
Thinking
“How Can Companies Overcome These Burdens
Without Losing Significant Market Share?”
!
Our current marketing techniques no longer suit the economic
system, nor the customer.
TIP
“ Value Centred Thinking
is about your big WHY.
Think about it, again.”
VALUE CENTRED THINKING

9. 7
WHY
“Companies Communicate About the Most Obvious
Things. Quality for Example.”
!
To find your Why in business we need to review your communication.
!
Most companies communicate about obvious matters, such as quality,
expertise, service, etc. These are obvious because one expects to
have a certain quality when he/she buys something.
!
So what’s your big why? What’s your purpose?
TIP
“ To find out your WHY
start eliminating the
obvious.”
E
S
PO
R
Obvious
U
P

10. 8
Communication
“Instead of Telling People What You Do, Start With
Why.”
!
Value Centred Thinking reverses your communication, literally.
WHAT
HOW
TIP
“ Communication about
your Why, your purpose
is always in-side-out.”
WHAT
HOW
WHY
WHY

11. 9
Inspiration
“Your Purpose is the Main Reason Why You Are in
Business.”
!
No coincidence that a clear purpose serves as the inspiration for your
customers, employees, yes even your community.
TIP
“ Your purpose serves as
an inspiration for both
customers as employees.”
WHAT
’S YOU
R INSPI
RATION
AL STO
RY
?

12. 10
Behaviour
“Value Centred Thinking Requires You to Change.”
!
There’s no escape: in a new world economy, with social consumers
and savvy customers, you’ll need to change.
!
Changing your behaviour is difficult. Certainly when the conditions
are pressing on your results. Many reasons can be found not to
change. But there’s one reason you should change that makes all
other irrelevant:
TIP
“ Without an inspiring story
forget about change.
Your self-motivation is key.”
YOUR
CUSTOMER

13. “Consumers and Customers Are Changing the Way
They Make Decisions and How They Buy.”
!
It is up to the businesses to change accordingly.
!
If you have the ambition to survive in the current economic landscape
please continue to do as you’re doing.
!
However, if you haveaslighter higher ambitions then now is the time to
act. Both consumers and customers are looking for companies with
new proposals that fit their lives, which bond with their communities
and that offer a purpose in which they (can) believe.
!
Visit us on:
www.talent-monitor.com
!
Talent Monitor
Assesteenweg 117/7
1740 Ternat
M.: 0498 128 736
Talent Monitor has the method, Value Centred Thinking, to discover
your purpose and to implement it in your organisation. Several
companies have done it before you.
!
It’s your call now.

14. Value Centred Thinking
HOW TO
a
CONNECT
WITH CUSTOMERS