When I was young, which admittedly was many moons ago, there was a road safety campaign to teach children how to cross the road safely. It was based on three words, STOP, LOOK, LISTEN. Three words, but that apply to more than crossing the road.
Carrying on our analogy of a business being a living organism, if you went to the doctor with a problem he will carry out the same three steps.
He would stop and ask you how he could help you, then look for external signs – and probably listen to the chest or the heart. Finally, amassing all the information he had gathered, he would arrive at a diagnosis and hopefully a way forward.
So can that same process be fruitfully applied to the problem of disparate systems within the “business body” that impede our efficiency, effectiveness in dealing with our customers?
STOP – Without this nothing will happen.
Stop to take stock of where you are right now. Agree to take the time and allocate resources to carry out the research required to get your company operating, efficiently, effectively, and profitably to your customers’ and employees satisfaction.
Next, find out how your customers behave in:
- carrying out research to purchase similar products or services that you offer
- making a decision to purchase
- requiring support on an ongoing basis
Keep it simple. Draw a sketch of the steps in each of the processes and make sure to include all the activities undertaken by both sides.
LOOK – Identify all the systems that you are using at this moment and also the processes that have to be adhered to in using the systems.
Write it down as you see it. What I find most of the time is that most systems and processes are being used to carry out internal activities – totally independently of the customer’s behaviour. Why? Do people forget who is the most important driver of any business? No wonder you hear horror stories of customers frustrated even with the most menial of tasks in dealing with the accounts department or even trying to get support.
LISTEN – Finally, go and talk to the people on the frontline: your employees.
They are the ones dealing with the clients on a day-to-day basis. If they are worth their salt, they will know how the customers would like to be served, and the frustrations that they face in trying to offer that level of service… simply because of the internal systems and processes that can actually get in the way.
Two questions should do it:
- What is it that you do now with the existing processes and systems that you would like to do better?
- What is it that you would like to do, but cannot do at present with the existing systems and process?
Now you have the information you require you now switch roles from being a supplier to being a customer. So what are you looking for that will satisfy your organisational and customer needs? More to follow...