The litmus test for being customer focused is fairly simple: Does the entire organization --- including the front line, the support staff, the sales force, and all your managers --- deliver outstanding service every single day? Slogans on the wall or missions statements in your press kits don't count unless they are put into practice.

Take this quick quiz and rate your organization. Answer each statement with a rating of:

1 = No, not really
2 = Occasionally
3 = Yes, definitely

Benchmarks for Customer Delight	Rating 1-2-3
1. We make sure everyone, from the top floor to the shop floor, knows who our customers are, what they expect and how to meet those expectations.
2. We emphasize with our new hires the importance of everyone being responsible for serving both internal and external customers.
3. We identify processes and procedures that hinder the customer's experience with our services and products.
4. We train all our managers on how to lead their teams to make service quality the #1 priority.
5. We continually train our front line and support staff to sharpen their customer care skills.
6. We have a rewards program that recognizes everyone for providing outstanding service, not just customer service people
7. We use surveys, focus groups and other feedback programs to measure, monitor and manage customer satisfaction.
8. We are flexible enough and have processes in place to implement changes based on customer and employee suggestions.
9. Our information technology system(s) supports our front line, field and support personnel in delivering fast and efficient service.
10. We realize that the smallest things can have the biggest impact on our customers' perception of our organization.
TOTAL

Your Score

21-30: Take a bow. But don't rest on your laurels. Continue to monitor your operations. Make sure everyone remains focused on delighting all your customer.

11-20: Keep up the good work. You are certainly on the road for bringing your customers to the heart of your operations. Now it's time to push forward. Pick one or two areas you rated a (2 --- occasionally) and move them up to a (3 --- yes, definitely).

1-10: Don't despair. There are many things you can do to begin working on making the customer and service quality a higher priority in your organization. Start with browsing through our website www.LeadersAtAllLevels.com. Then determine what you need to do to delight all your customers.

Here Are Ways To Be A Customer Driven Organization

1. Value all your customers.
"A strong customer ethic must guide your business from its inception," writes Paul Hawken in his book, Growing a Business. "No matter whether you manufacture, grow, distribute, sell or treat, you are 'in the business to serve your customers well. You can't fake customer focus. All the advertising slogans, campaigns, buzzwords, and motivational programs can't make it happen. What can is a resounding yes to this question: Is the entire organization, including the front line, the support staff, the sales force and all the managers focused on delivering superior customer experiences every single day? Nothing else counts.

Remember that every section of your organization has customers. Staff in direct contact with external customers cannot provide effective service without the internal support of colleagues all along the chain. Therefore, everyone, including internal support departments should be trained to think "customer first". Those who are not customer-focused can jeopardize the success of the organization by making inappropriate decisions, failing to respond to changing situations appropriately or quickly enough, or neglecting to serve customers in a way that promotes their loyalty.

2. Walk In Your Customer's Shoes.
Did you know that on average, dissatisfied customers tell 10 people about their negative service experiences? And that a typical business only hears from 4% of its unhappy customers --- the other 96% just quietly switch to a competitor? Do you know what it is like to do business with your business or agency? Here's how to find out.

Make calls with your sales staff. Ride with your delivery people. Shop in your stores; eat in your restaurant; call your 800 number; order your own products. Try to get something returned, explained or repaired. If you are easily recognized send in a "mystery shopper". Be objective in your assessment. Would you buy from your business again? Would you use your services again? This information will help your staff provide your customers with positive product, people and process experiences.

3. Monitor Customers' Changing Needs.
Learn from your customers. They know more about what they want than you do. Simply because a product or service is right today doesn't mean it will still be right next month or next year. Business conditions change, funding changes, legislation changes, people change...in other words everything changes.

Superquinn, an Irish grocery chain, listens to its customers and delivers what they want is. Every month, founder Feargal Quinn walks each of the stores' aisles talking to consumers. Twice monthly, he invites twelve customers to join him for a two-hour roundtable discussion. He asks them not only about service levels but product quality, new product lines, his competitors, etc. Are you are routinely inquiring about your customer's ever changing needs.

4. Finally, Make It Easy To Do Business With You.
How long to your customers have to wait to make a purchase or get a question answered? How quickly and conveniently do you process customer returns? Are your people empowered to resolve customer complaints promptly and completely to your customer's satisfaction? Do you always deliver your customer's order completely and accurately?

Many leaders search for a special touch that will make their organization stand out from the crowd. Some of the most effective "extras" are really very basic ways of conducting good business, although customers are often surprised when they take place.

These include answering the phone quickly, treating customers courteously at all times; greeting them by name; promptly answering their questions. Of course you must provide high-quality goods and services that work the first time and every time. It's amazing how little things can really blossom into big bad things or into big good things depending on how well you treat your customers, meet their expectations and handle their problems.

Do all your leaders work together every single day to bring the customer to the heart of your business? Here's how you can strengthen the customer's long-term commitment to YOU! See other Synergy Matters Articles. Take a look at our Think Customer First and Always or Key Stakeholders Reality Check Programs.

Make sure you sign up for Make Waves!, our free e-newsletter on how to lead better, faster and smarter. Bonus: 35 page ebook 101 Bite Size Leadership Tips with a BIG Impact!

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Copyright 2006-2008, Marcia Zidle. Will you have a bright future? Are you ready to make your organization stand out in the crowd in competing for customers, clients, funders or community awareness? Contact us and let us show you how to make that happen.

Would you like to reprint this article in your trade journal, newspaper, website, company newsletter or e-zine? See Note to Editors.