'Good is the enemy of great', six words from Jim Collins have proved to be one of the most thought provoking and powerful statements in management. I remember my days as a visiting faculty at IIPM Bangalore trying to share some basic principles on customer relationship management with young students brimming with energy to enter the corporate world. Once I made them play a car game to help them learn the most important management lesson -'Know your customer'. This game had a few standard car parts drawn on a sheet of paper, a pair of scissors, colours and gum. They had to make a car out of the given resources and sell it to the class. The rules of the game were very simple - use only the resources given and complete the car in 25 mins. What came out from the teams was simply bizarre; almost everyone in their attempt to make a higher sales pitch was over promising or rather lying to customers/the class about things which were not even given as resources!
So where does it all begin from in an organization? "Our turnaround at Xerox was the result of staying connected with our customers", says Anne Mulcahy, CEO of Xerox. Every single day, every single person is a customer for umpteen products and services, yet most of us tend to forget the very fundamental role of being a customer when we become sellers! Strange as it may sound, such is the market of buyers and sellers. Most companies would have elaborate strategic and operational plans but they tend to overlook the linkages of these strategic and operational plans when it comes to the customer! The customer without which we won't even exist. Being a customer-centric organization is no rocket science, because its not a science at all, it's an art, an art which requires discipline in all dimensions right from the very obvious to the not so obvious domains with one sole focus - the customer.
Everyday, choices are made in going for one product over the other, one service over the other and the general tendency of any organization is to go to the next customer without ever trying to find out why a customer chose someone else's product or service over theirs. Were the differences too obvious for the customer? Or were the differentiators we claimed not obvious or good enough for the customer? These are the questions we continuously need to ask ourselves as an organization; because good is the enemy of great and few ever become great, becoming great is a matter of conscious choice and discipline!
The point Anne Mulcahy makes that you mention here illuminates perhaps one of the biggest barriers and of course, best opportunities for companies: it takes the C-level (and board of directors) leadership to drive an organization being customer centric.
Perhaps 20 years ago (or more), Hyatt was a leader in the hospitality business moving to be more customer-focued. They had regularly scheduled days where executives, including top management, worked the front line at their hotels, as valets, bellman and behind the front desk.
Jeff Bezos at Amazon spends most of his time thinking about customers.
How often do you think top executives at most of the Fortune 1000 spend working their front lines?
can someone tell me please how much an alternator for a 2015 4 fwd mahindra tractor is....i cant seem to find it on the website. thanks
also how long is the warranty on the alternator from date of purchase of the tractor
thank you
Well written blog, my experience with buying Scorpio from a Bangalore dealer does not give a happy picture about M&M (atleast their car business). Guess the M&M sales team should take a look at what is going on
-dealership will/never returned call, despite they telling that they will "get back to you by end of day"
-order booking form torn, mistake all over the form (surprised that order booking is not automated)
-no firm delivery date, pricing details.
(Here I would say that dealership delivery manager called me up at 0800pm to tell me that car is ready to be delivered now without number plate, on insisting that I cannot take the car without number plate - he helpfully offered to give me a number plate from the dealership (says they have few of such numbers) ) - What is going on over here ? - for accessories I would need to make a trip over the weekend to their workshop to get it done.
-I am expecting (least) that I would get a call today to tell me when the car will be delivered
This is regarding your service at CLUB MAHINDRA. I have given a request for cancellation of my membership (1111988) on 21st July 2008. It is nearly two months now that I have not recieved my refund. while taking the memberrship I was promised that I will get my refund within 10 days.Now I am paying huge interest on my credit card balance for no fault of mine.
Mr. Sudeep had promised me to credit the amount last week. Every day he tells that it will be credited today, but his today never comes.
I am fed up and promise you that I will call the PRESS and sit with a Placard in your R-Mall office this week end if I dont get my refund in a day with my interest liability.
We never get a single call from your end. Mahindra's name is being spoilt in the bargain.
Hariharan
9819866967
Let me put my point straight. Every organisation has a tendency to go to next customer to increase sales without making or making little effort to retain their customer. But it is the duty of top management to understand value of retaining their customer. They being the decision maker, importance of customer relationship should be injected by them.
Customer Relations are to be maintained so as to rip the benefits in the long run. So why should any organisation lag behind in making ‘Customer Relationship Management’ (CRM) as their silent salesman? Organisations should take advantage of this silent salesman also to reduce the repeat purchase cycle of their customers.
There are many features that can be introduce via eCRM that will kick start the thinking process in customer's mind for replacing their car. Replacing the car early by the customer means boosting the company's sales figure which ultimately adds to the profit.
Dear Mr. Hariharan,
Apologies for the delay in replying to you on this matter.
The membership has already been cancelled and the refund of Rs. 19768/- has been deposited in your HDFC account on 18/09/08.
Mr. Sudeep from Club Mahindra was in touch with you regarding the same. We apologize for this unfortunate experience.
regards,
Blog admin