Dhaval Sarvaiya — November 19, 2018 — November 19, 2018
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There is a new force in the making. A new breed of entrepreneurs. They think big, start small, grow big and then, they change the world. When we say entrepreneurs, I am not referring only to industry veterans who have been in the game for long.
Even under-twenty teenagers like Alina Morse (Zollipops), Abby Kircher (Abby’s Better), Rachel Zietz (Gladiator Lacrosse), Zandra Cunningham (Zandra Beauty) among many others are clocking millions in revenue with their entrepreneurial ventures. As much as these teenagers, there is also a good population of experienced professionals who are cracking the entrepreneurship game.
How come these new-age entrepreneurs are able to scale massive success in an age when giants like GE are crumbling to dust? Considering the endless options and wavering loyalty that digital-age customers have towards businesses, I am surprised that these new-age entrepreneurs are able to pull off such an amazing feat. I dug a little deeper into their success path and found what makes them tick.
Like typical entrepreneurs, these new-age entrepreneurs also identify a massive problem that needs a solution. Then they get to work to solve a problem, predominantly with the might of technology. And, they do more than just solving a problem that puts them in the league of extraordinary.
They follow a customer-centric approach.
Customer-centricity as something bigger than the product itself or the service itself. Customer’ centric companies put customers at the heart of everything they do. And, it is not restricted just to the slogans of ‘tailor-made services’ and ‘360-degree customization’. Customer centricity is something which is much more than that.
A simple & relatable philosophy
In a nutshell, it is a simple and relatable philosophy. Alina’s Zollipops has a customer-centric philosophy that is simple and thought-provoking. When she appeared as a guest on The Steve Harvey Show, she said, “I hope every kid in America has a clean mouth, a healthy smile and a Zollipop in their hands.” It is simple, easy to understand and almost relatable to by anyone who has ever had a lollipop in their life. Even a ten-year-old will understand that kind of customer-centric approach!
In fact, that’s the first tenet of customer-centricity. Writing a heavy tagline with truckloads of jargons and repeating “you…you…you..” will not make the cut. Your customers should understand what you are doing and why you are doing it. That is half the problem solved. Rest all you require is a great product or service and customers would be ready to pull out their wallets.
A positive emotional connection
Elon Musk. the name alone conjures thoughts of daring entrepreneurship action including the recent step down from the CEO chair. But, there is something unique about him that is hard to see from any other world-class entrepreneurs. Of course, there could be entrepreneurs who could be doing it. But, the way Elon does it makes customers feel that they are the center of his Universe.
How exactly does Elon Musk practice customer centricity? He watches out for customer complaints/feedback online and acts on them with urgency. Recently a customer tagged Elon on a tweet asking ideas to solve a third-row air conditioning problem. Elon responded to it in less than an hour with a perfect solution. Here is the trail of those tweets.
Put the kids in the rear of my in-laws’ Tesla S & went for a 20 min drive. Air was set as cold as possible, but the kids were dehydrated & drenched in sweat after the drive. Turns out there’s no air circulation back there.@elonmusk Any ideas? Love the car, but that’s dangerous
— Matthew Feinman (@mattfeinman) March 6, 2018
If a Billion dollar company CEO can act with such care for customers, definitely all of us can. That’s how a positive emotional connection is created. No amount of promo codes, discounts, and offers can beat that.
(Tesla Stock)
Repetition is the mother of learning
Practicing a customer-centric culture on a case-to-case basis can be quite unproductive. That is why it is better to identify instances where your organization is lagging or excelling at customer service. Spot areas where customers are liking your product’s approach. Find out the highlights of your service that draws more customers or retains existing ones.
Once those highlights are identified, automate them. Thanks to modern-day technologies like Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and the likes it is possible to turn manual actions into automated processes. It not only saves time but also keeps your customer service on point. Thus, customer centricity will spread throughout your organization as a culture and not as a boring manifesto.
David Ogilvy once said…
“Your customer is not a moron, she is your wife..” Ogilvy’s quote hits a home run about customer centricity. If you treat your customer as someone who is personally related and necessary for your business, then customer centricity is something that will come to you naturally.
All the successful new-age entrepreneurs have understood that secret formula to success. That is what is enabling them to push the envelope to new heights. And, that is what would enable any entrepreneur irrespective of age, race, class, or whatever make their dreams come true.
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