7 Customer-Centric Foundations

One of the primary goals of customer centricity is to establish enduring customer relationships. To achieve success and maintain relevance, it is imperative for your organization to navigate the currents of change in tandem with your customers. It is crucial to ensure that your processes and strategies align with customer requirements while also driving profitability.

Facts: Nordstrom,the department store, dates back to 1901, when its founder, John Nordstrom, commenced his entrepreneurial journey by venturing into the shoe trade. The remarkable expansion of  the company was accompanied by Nordstrom’s unwavering commitment to providing exceptional customer service, covered in the  book titled “The Nordstrom Way,” authored by Robert Spector.

The “7 Pillars of Customer Centricity,” as outlined by Emilie Kroner of the American Marketing Association (AMA), offer a set of principles to assess internal factors in relation to customer expectations.

1. Experience: Making the customer experience enjoyable and convenient may inspire customers to share their positive experiences with your brand.
2. Loyalty: Consistent recognition of customer loyalty in a meaningful way may build and reinforce customer loyalty.
3. Communications: Personalizing and tailoring messaging (without overdoing it) can make customers feel valued.
4. Assortment: Having a variety of products and services to meet customers’ needs makes customers believe the company hears them.
5. Promotions: Implementing promotional programs that are appealing and relevant to customers shows customers that the company recognizes what matters to them.
6. Price: Competitive, fair pricing will convey to customers that the transactions they seek are available right here, and will discourage them from looking elsewhere for a better price.
7. Feedback: Letting customers know their concerns are heard and carrying on a two-way conversation is imperative for customer loyalty.