One Transformation and Customer Lens to Combine It All

The reason why transformation is often needed is usually the change we can see in customer needs, cultural change, continuous improvement, and systematic follow-up or change in the market dynamics, for example. Transformation itself has no value, but the end result is what matters, and transformation is the way to get there and creates a sense of urgency. To maintain competitiveness, companies must continuously assess how they create value and potentially adapt in the process. Transformation can occur through customer-centricity, optimization, or, for example, brand positioning.

How to follow and guide the transformation efforts then? One solution is to look at it through the “customer lens”.

Looking at things through the customer's lenses means that every decision is made the way it keeps the customer at the very center of strategy, innovations, and future plans. The customer lens is a powerful tool in the journey of transformation, since it considers customers’ needs and preferences, but also reluctance or pain points. Using customer lenses helps to drive meaningful change and find the benefits there are by being more customer-centric.

1. Customer-centric transformation 

To truly transform into a more customer-oriented company, goals and customer values must be aligned. This means not only meeting their current needs but also thinking about their future desires. Figuring out what the customer values is not always easy, but customer feedback, surveys, and existing data analytics can help to identify areas where transformation efforts can directly impact customer satisfaction and loyalty. However, customer preferences tend to shift constantly. Having the customer lenses on helps to ensure that the offering is continuously relevant and that changes are adapted proactively.

2. Innovation as a driver of offering

The customer lens drives us towards innovation that matters and makes it easier to focus on the value of customer experiences. Prioritizing customer needs is the key to success, and helps to create products, services, and experiences that customers truly value. Understanding the problems your customers face, and how you can solve them in an innovative way gives you a great opportunity to be the market leader in the future and a trusted partner.

3. Engagement of the work community

Transformation does not happen by itself. Employees are the driving force behind it. To be successful in transformation, the commitment of employees is crucial. By understanding how their work positively impacts customers, employees become more engaged and motivated, and the transformation project is more likely to flourish.

The other part is leadership buy-in. Without full leadership buy-in, the transformation won’t succeed. Leaders must be on board with the transformation, communicating and emphasizing the positive impacts it has once customer needs are at the center.

4. Measurable outcomes

Setting clear, customer-centric KPIs that measure the impact of the transformation efforts helps us focus on what is most important — the value we can create for customers. True transformation takes time, so regularly evaluating progress, and making needed adjustments based on customer feedback and data, is a must.

The only thing that is certain is that change is constant. Businesses need to stay on top of what their customers prioritize, and what they value in their own transformation journey. Customer lenses offer a unified perspective to navigate toward transformation where a customer-centric approach is strongly involved. Using customer lenses helps to keep focus and ensure the transformation is not only successful but also sustainable in the long run.

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