A leading group company involved in Engg and Enterprise Solutions for manufacturing sector to group companies & 3rd parties wants to increase sales win rates, C-sat with better targeting and skills and thus improving its client centricity
Condition:
Projects with few group companies had frequent escalations.
Most external projects had budget and time overrun.
Client satisfaction scores were low. Sales Win Rates and projects awarded were of low value.
Big 4 Actions:
Improved the Project Value and Win rates based on targeting the influencers instead of the decision makers.
Customer Satisfaction Analytics to build a predictive model and key drivers
Coaching of Delivery Managers and Project Managers on handling client reviews, communication and relationship management (influencing framework)
Review of internal project management process and fix internal measures, risk assessment, resource management and client dashboards
Background:
A leading independent terminalling company wants to achieve seamless delivery during build and operate and thus improving client centricity
Condition:
Frequent surprises due to complex stakeholder network and client dis-satisfaction
Budget and timeline overrun on large projects
Lack of accountability for red-flags
Big 3 Actions:
BD process was not formally defined. BD skills were missing and there were no timelines or deliverables
Client experience during the Build (NPD) and Operate phases were not measured. Stakeholder management was only at Sr. Leadership level
Clear Measures of Success for Client Journey were defined
End to End Process was established with involvement of all internal members (200+)
RACI for all tasks with internal SLAs was established.
Background:
An ITES arm of a big software company which works with enterprises across industries wanting to improve its client relationship
Condition:
One of their large account ($1Bn) wanted to terminate their enterprise contract due to issues with ITES services. Hence main focus was to prevent the churn by short term fix and long term actions.
Big 5 Actions:
Based on Client Interviews, employee interview and discovery, identified 4 actions to be immediately initiated (Service quality, Analysis, Client review framework, Org structure change). Facilitated the agreement of action with clients
Identified delight opportunities to clients by performing Horizontal/Vertical synergy studies and subsequent prioritization roadmap
Background:
A leading business services firm provides B2B telecom Solution and services in India wanting to improve responsiveness in pre-sales
Condition:
Clients are unhappy after first month bill. Payment disputes and escalations leading to retail brand damage
Benchmarking study identified company is far behind all competitors in RFQ or leads
Big 5 Actions:
After gemba, interviews and process-walk-thro three broad issues came out.
Process not capable to respond to leads and RFQs at speed
Pre-sales process is broken
Post feasibility study – accountability issues
The entire End-to-End business process spanning all regional teams was re-engineered and later digitized.
Mentoring of re-engineering project teams Leadership workshop on customer experience & client handling across the BU
Background
A leading global ship management company with 600 ships under management and 24k seafarers wanting to strengthen is ‘competence’
Condition:
Frequent escalations to senior management from ship owners.
Some fleet owners terminated contracts
Regulatory show stoppers On-shore teams (front line) are disengaged
Big 5 Actions:
Process Definition and Digitization of EIR and VOC Management
Employee Client Centricity Attitude Dipstick
Core Process & Service Management Metrics Development
Structure implementation of Central Function for Client Centricity
Leadership workshop for digital transformation roadmap
Mentor digitization projects
Employee Customer Centricity Development Plan
“Client Centricity: Transient Lessons”: In the realm of handling clients in B2B businesses like manufacturing, Industrial, IT, ITES, Tech, Telecom & other services, a vital lesson emerges from the transient nature of all things like deliveries, orders, escalations, daily interactions and heated moments. This lesson underscores the importance of cherishing prosperous moments and relishing them to the utmost with your colleagues and your clients. A true client centric journey in B2B is about making it a practice to commemorate the small successes of your organization and your clients’ (though you may not be part of it). Simultaneously, during the challenging phases, it’s crucial to remind yourself that difficulties are not perpetual. Just as clouds eventually yield to the sun’s radiance, adversities too shall pass. But at the end of it, your relationship with your client will be stronger. So nurture patience and maintain faith in the process, knowing that brighter days are on the horizon.
Nilakantasrinivasan J (Neil) (born 1974) is an Indian author, consultant and guide, focused on the subject of client centricity, B2B client centric business growth, business transformation & analytics.
Nilakantasrinivasan J (Neil) is the author of 3 books, The Client Centric Protagonist, The Master Book for Lean Six Sigma & A Little Book for Customer Experience.
Let’s see why client centricity among workman in manufacturing shop floor is important. The workmen on the shop floor of a manufacturing supplier can contribute effectively to customer satisfaction and the success of the organization by adapting client-centric mindset in their work place. However, the enablement is in the hands of management. The management can proactively develop appropriate mechanisms such as training, reward and recognition, daily work management practices, leadership small talks, success stories, anecdotes, building role models, creating healthy contests, etc, to imbibe these qualities in their workmen. This is really where the creativity of the management comes in.
Pride in Workmanship: Taking pride in their craftsmanship and the products they produce is crucial. When workmen view their work as a contribution to the client’s success, they are more likely to pay attention to detail and ensure high-quality output.
Ownership and Accountability: Instead of trying to inwardly focus on work as tasks that are one’s responsibility, embracing a sense of ownership over one’s work based on its impact on the client encourages workmen to take responsibility for the final product’s quality, timely delivery and contingencies that weren’t planned
Client Satisfaction as a Measure of Success: In most organizations, workmen and their supervisors take an objective view of meeting production targets and conforming to the quality standards as a primary measure of success. However, viewing client satisfaction as a key metric for measuring the success of their work reinforces the importance of meeting client needs and expectations.
Replacing Conformance mindset with Empathy: Clients’ needs may change, and workmen should be flexible enough to adapt and accommodate these changes without compromising quality or delivery timelines. Encouraging workmen to put themselves in the client’s shoes helps them better understand the importance of their role in delivering products that meet the client’s needs and expectations.
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Respect for the Client’s Investment: Clients invest time, money, and trust in the products they purchase. A client-focused mindset involves treating these investments including the intangibles with respect and ensuring that the products reflect that commitment. Every client may be different though we are supplying the same items. Workmen should be educated to understand that the specific needs, preferences, and expectations of the clients they are serving are subjective and even change from time to time. This understanding allows them to accept reality rather than fight it. Ultimately it will lead to better alignment with clients and with management staff.
Client Oriented Continuous Improvement: Having the mindset to always seek ways to improve processes, eliminate inefficiencies, and enhance product quality is good, but unfortunately, most manufacturing organizations use their workmen’s creative energy in cost reduction. It is vital to prioritize Kaizens that demonstrate a commitment to delivering better value to clients over time.
Effective Communication: The need for seamless and proactive communication is something all workmen to be educated on. They should communicate proactively and openly inform anything they feel impacts their client deliverables. This is in contrast to restricted and limited communication style where they share information only when asked and that too in a limited fashion. A collaborative approach helps prevent miscommunications that could affect the final client satisfaction long term relationships.
Strive for Excellence: Workmen should be encouraged to actively seek client feedback. The openness to accept criticism sometimes contradicts the quality of pride in workmanship. With the right balance, this will drive product quality and client experience.
If you are planning to improve your client centric business growth in manufacturing, please feel free to reach out to business.support@collaborat.com
Nilakantasrinivasan J (Neil) (born 1974) is an Indian author, consultant and guide, focused on the subject of client centricity, B2B client centric business growth, business transformation & analytics.
Nilakantasrinivasan J (Neil) is the author of 3 books, The Client Centric Protagonist, The Master Book for Lean Six Sigma & A Little Book for Customer Experience.
Strategic account management (SAM) and a client centric strategy are related concepts, but they have distinct differences. Here’s a comparison to help you understand how they differ:
Strategic Account Management (SAM):
Focus: SAM is a specific approach that focuses on managing and nurturing relationships with key accounts or strategic customers. It involves a dedicated team that works closely with these high-value accounts to maximize their value and drive mutual growth.
Target: SAM is typically employed for a select number of strategic accounts that have significant revenue potential or strategic importance to the company. These accounts are often large, complex, or have unique needs.
Objectives: The primary goal of SAM is to deepen and expand relationships with strategic accounts, leading to increased revenue, higher customer satisfaction, and long-term partnerships. SAM teams aim to understand the strategic goals of the client and align the company’s offerings accordingly.
Approach: SAM involves a proactive and tailored approach, where the SAM team acts as a strategic advisor to the client, provides personalized solutions, and seeks to become a trusted partner. It emphasizes long-term relationship-building and collaborates closely with clients to identify opportunities and address challenges.
Customer-Centric Strategy:
Focus: A customer-centric strategy is a broader organizational approach that puts the customer at the center of all activities. It involves aligning the entire company’s resources, processes, and strategies to meet customer needs and preferences.
Target: A customer-centric strategy applies to all customers and prospects across the entire customer base, rather than being limited to a select group of strategic accounts.
Objectives: The primary objective of a customer-centric strategy is to create a superior customer experience, enhance customer satisfaction, and build long-term loyalty. It aims to understand customer needs, deliver personalized solutions, and continuously adapt and improve based on customer feedback.
Approach: A customer-centric strategy requires a customer-focused culture and mindset throughout the organization. It involves gathering customer insights, implementing customer feedback mechanisms, and aligning various departments to work cohesively in delivering value to customers.
In summary, while SAM is a specialized approach focused on managing key strategic accounts, a customer-centric strategy encompasses a broader organizational philosophy that prioritizes the needs and satisfaction of all customers.
Nilakantasrinivasan J (Neil) (born 1974) is an Indian author, consultant and guide, focused on the subject of client centricity, B2B client centric business growth, business transformation & analytics.
Nilakantasrinivasan J (Neil) is the author of 3 books, The Client Centric Protagonist, The Master Book for Lean Six Sigma & A Little Book for Customer Experience.
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