It sounds esoteric, but it’s not. ‘The Art of Seeing Customers’ refers to a concrete, practical intervention that organizations can use for understanding not only ‘what’ their customers want, but ‘why’ they want it and ‘how’ they go about getting it.
By gaining a richer, more contextual view of the people we serve, we’re better equipped to design products that match their desires, and we can also craft messages that influence their decision to buy.
Companies are at a disadvantage when it comes to “seeing” their customers. As organizations grow, employees become hyper-focused on the transactions they manage when customers enter their field of awareness — the call center, the web site, or the retail center where they work.
In today’s economy, all of us—even those of us who aren’t trained as designers—must become design thinkers. -Daniel Pink
iPad To Go
It’s been a hectic but interesting summer crisscrossing the Atlantic for work. I like catching up on reading during long flights but hate schlepping books, so the iPad is a Godsend.
The slim glass and metal tablet lets me carry an array of books, films and music. When I’m too jet lagged to read a dense book, I skim magazines or catch TED talks. It’s thrilling to have such a wide assortment of mind candy.
One of my favorite resources is WIRED Magazine’s app developed by Adobe Digital for Condé Naste. The app lives up to its hype of providing an immersive, highly interactive experience. Gorgeous images and crisp typography rotate with the device, and the layout is just plain sexy. I find myself returning to the app to figure out why it’s so alluring.
As the World Cup gets underway this week in South Africa—the first ever to be held on the African continent—the world media is turning its attention there.
Typically, coverage of Africa by the international media is limited to stories about intractable problems—disease, war, famine, and corruption. Many of the World Cup stories are taking a similar tact. Stories about the South Africa’s five new stadiums underscore the nation’s mounting debt while other pieces highlight its security concerns.
A lot of the coverage reflects the world media’s skewed view of Africa as a monolithic place that’s plagued with tragedy. Severe challenges do exist, but many African societies are quietly building their institutions and infrastructures. It’s time the outside world views Africa through a broader, more accurate lens. Read the rest of this entry »
One of the best things about my work is what my colleagues and I call the “hat trick”. In sports like cricket and hockey, a hat trick is accomplishing a feat three times in a contest. I’ll explain what a hat trick is in my world and why it’s thrilling to pull one off.
Our mission is to help clients enable their customers to enjoy richer, more satisfying service experiences.
A hat trick is when we not only help clients to better meet the needs of their target customers, but also enable them to increase customer loyalty and revenue. We do all this while also cutting service costs — sometimes up to 20%. Almost every assignment offers hat trick potential.
Invest time in languages and intercultural awareness. Focus on becoming part of global citizenry. In exchange for the opportunity to participate everywhere/anywhere in the world you have the obligation to do something productive, which will improve the world. ~C.K. Prahalad
Distinguished scholar and visionary
The distinguished business scholar, C. K. Prahalad, died unexpectedly last week of a lung ailment at the age of 69. His contributions to the pursuit of business strategy and innovation are unparalleled. He’s had an enormous influence on my work and that of my peers.
Dr. Prahalad was more than a celebrated management guru, he was a visionary. He redefined the way that a growing number of global businesses deal with developing markets, and he helped to shape a new economic paradigm.
“So you got to let me know, should I stay or should I go?” ~The Clash
Why customers do what they do
It feels like we’re at the dawn of a new era in understanding how people — namely our customers — make decisions, and some businesses will benefit enormously. More importantly, customers will soon enjoy more kinds of services designed to better meet their needs.
Our collective thinking is being informed by discoveries in behavioral sciences and behavioral economics about the role of the unconscious mind and the centrality of emotions in driving behavior. Many of these findings are now verifiable through neuroimaging tools.
Among other things, we’re realizing that people aren’t Vulcan-like beings who make choices on a cold, purely rational basis. Individuals — our customers — are complicated and swayed by factors beneath the level of consciousness.
I spent the last couple weeks on assignment in Accra, Ghana. On this trip, I’ve seen more growth than any time since my company started working there in ‘07. This is a period of unprecedented business activity and promising new projects within and beyond the mobile sector. Meanwhile, new competitors from around the world are streaming in. This corner of Africa’s business scene is pulsating.
Astute businesses here are taking steps to preserve their client base and deepen relationships with their customers. We’re privileged to work with a new generation of African business leaders with the courage and determination to transform their offerings to meet the needs of an emerging class of consumers.
While the business world is preoccupied with the global economic recovery, a mobile revolution is quietly reshaping the marketplace in the developing world. In Africa, mobile phones are providing access to communications for millions of people who’ve never had fixed communications let alone cell phones. I’ve written before about the impact that such ‘leapfrogging’ is having on African business. Now, we’re beginning to see exciting and substantial commercial projects taking shape, particularly in the service sector.
Subscribe to this blog's feed
Follow Me on Twitter
