One Constant… Lots Of Variety

So we are a year old. What have we learned?

We set up Custerian because we want to help business’s be more successful.

Perhaps its an age thing, but you do get to a point in life where you appreciate phrases like ‘Giving Back’ or ‘Paying Forward’ more, so this altruistic outlook, making other’s successful, makes sense.

But does it work?

custerian

Change. The one true constant.

We believe most things are pretty simple, especially outcomes, but getting there, now that’s where the complication comes in. Which sets the context for our business model, which is built on:

One universal premise : Change occurs all the time in any business/situation.

One guiding principle : Aligning people (colleagues & customers) to a common purpose creates momentum.

And that is how our journey began a year ago – well in reality we’ve being doing this without knowing for a lot longer than that – we thought we’d share a few of our experience’s.

A Year In The Life Of Custerian.

We are going to use some of the work we’ve done to share highlights that you might want to consider using, because they really struck a chord with the people we worked with, so they might work for you.

National Energy Company – This was a classic case of engaging with customers to find out more about what they wanted, so that they could deliver as effortless a service as they could – Highlight: Asking colleagues to rate their service as ‘employees’ and then as ‘customers’ created a sharp focus on where to act.

Global Pharma (UK/Europe) – With a start point of ‘Customer Centricity’ to inform decision making, they have gone onto to embrace this ‘experiment’ – Highlight: Education leads to understanding, which leads to engagement. Using Customer Experience as a framework to build this company wide ‘authority’ is invaluable.

Ftse 100 National House Builder – Historically a volatile market, this work has focussed on the outsourced provision of an operating model for delivery of service that wraps around the build & sales process, to improve visibility of the potential value. Highlight: Consider an ‘outsourcing’ approach to help you focus on what’s really important, quickly.

National Educational Software Provider – As a B2B company they wanted to understand how, having recently rebranded, they could show their clients they were changing for the better. Highlight : The acceptance that boiling the ocean was not required. Use a ‘Skunkworks’ to accelerate new ways of working with one lead client initially.

Gas Networks Supplier – Whilst they recognise they have (to a degree) a monopolistic market position, they also understand this can affect colleague engagement. Highlight: Use accelerated ways of working to disrupt and create engagement across broad stakeholder groups – Customers, Colleagues and the Board.

UK Ftse top 100 Retailer – Understanding the role service plays in meeting the shift to a multichannel offer, from a ‘traditional’ back ground of being a cost to be managed. Highlight: Use a robust value Vs cost analysis to identify operating expenditure which can be removed, or reinvested in activities that create sales.

Anything else?

Well it just leaves us to reflect back on our opening comments. There is no doubt 2014 has been about change. Some we created, some we reacted to, some we were carried along with!

But through it all a common purpose: Helping our clients to Create Profitable Experiences

Most importantly, doing this by harnessing that most powerful of resources – a companies colleagues – by aligning them to a common purpose that they can personally contribute to – that enables the company to hit it’s business plan.

And enables a long term competitive edge by ensuring it’s Customers have a brand aligned customer experience that improves their emotional bond and feeling of trust – In short, it makes them feel better about themselves.