I have spoken at World Class Supply Chain conferences on how to execute major business transformations. I have consulted at large aerospace and pharmaceutical companies as well as advised the US Navy based on audit recommendations sent to the Secretary of Defense at the White House. What I’m about to tell is the number one reason why you aren’t #1 in your business and how to get to #1.
You aren’t focusing enough on your client. Or you aren’t focusing on them at all. Now read on.
Many companies make improvements but they aren’t really focused on the client. This is completely unacceptable.
I’m amazed at how companies work on improvements yet those improvements benefit either a particular Vice President only or even some user that had a brain fart. People come up with great sounding ideas all the time, but half the time it is for personal benefit, makes IT work complicated and in many cases is NEVER used! A positive example was where we focused on the client by freezing our entire Supply Chain schedule to stop constant disruptions. Clients eventually received all orders on time. Then we unfroze the schedule once the company worked together again. It was a drastic measure to freeze the schedule, but the focus was ALWAYS on wowing clients with 100% on time delivery.
Many companies do not prioritise major improvements and sync with the executive business strategy AND forget the client!
Do you have a continuous improvement group? Do you have an IT department? Are they lined up with the executive strategy? And is your executive strategy focused on the client’s needs? Think about it. Are your Supply Chain or S&OP improvements focusing on the client’s needs AND differentiating you from the competition? Here is an example of focusing on a client’s needs. I am working on improving a process where a client would like to improve the cycle to make a change to their client’s business jets. Simply put, the client enquirers about any change he / she wants on his multi- million dollar jet. We simplify the internal process with easy tools so that the client has an answer ASAP! And he eventually flies away with his new media room or swimming pool, is happy as a clam and the money making cycle time improves. But ultimately we keep a very tight focus on the client needs. Not the business needs. Not IT needs. Not even executive needs. The client’s needs HAS to be the focus. He wants quality changes to his jet that are done ASAP. Whether you make planes, cheese, drugs, toys or IPhones, always focus on the client needs (and wants) to become #1 in your market.
Apple blows people away because they focus on the client’s needs and wants. And Steve Jobs was the best at this.
Steve Jobs said that he knew what the client needed before they did. Huh? But think about it. He and Apple produced a smartphone that was simple (touch screen), beautiful, and incredibly functional (music, camera, flashlight, games, read the news…etc.). He pushed his engineers to make improvements that they thought impossible. Steve Jobs said years ago, that clients want a smart phone that started up in seconds. Clients wanted something thin and simple. Steve focused the entire company on making sure the client was blown away. And wow…. did they buy iPhones! Why yes, whether they needed them or not! Let’s go back to that statement. Steve Jobs said that he knew what the client needed before they even did.
Do you know what your client really needs or wants? Are you ready to transform your business to be number #1?
Terry Vermeylen is hell bent on rapidly transforming your business into a World Class Operation by major transformation or by eliminating one bad habit at a time.
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