Stephen Bohanon, founder and chief strategy officer at Alkami, a leading cloud-based digital banking solutions provider, emphasizes the importance of being truly customer-centric in a B2B technology-forward organization. While terms like “customer-focused” and “customer experience” are trendy, he believes that brands benefit greatly when they align their values with the needs of their customers.
Bohanon stresses the importance of investing in products and people in a B2B technology company, as this ultimately impacts the customer experience. He believes that leadership should define the ideal customer experience from top to bottom, guiding each team on how they contribute to customer success through clear communication and guidance. Building a strong relationship with customers and understanding their needs is essential, especially in industries like software and technology where consumer expectations are high.
Recruitment plays a vital role in maintaining a customer-centric culture within an organization. Bohanon suggests embedding company culture and viewpoints into the interview process, ensuring that candidates understand their roles and responsibilities. By creating an employee orientation team that trains new hires on the customer journey and involving representatives from different departments, including leadership, organizations can reinforce their commitment to providing exceptional customer experiences.
Maintaining a customer-centric culture requires intent and accountability from leadership. Bohanon believes that executives should lead by example by getting involved in day-to-day operations and showing a willingness to prioritize the customer experience across all departments. Establishing a standard that extends to team members and individual contributors is essential for sustaining a customer-centric approach as the organization grows and strategies evolve.
Demonstrating corporate accountability is crucial in underscoring a customer-centric methodology. Bohanon emphasizes the importance of taking accountability promptly and earnestly, as this can transform potential challenges into strengths. Developing a dedicated infrastructure to cultivate the company’s values from the start is key to long-term success. By prioritizing the customer at every stage and ensuring that individual roles support this intent, organizations can create an environment where everyone thrives.
In conclusion, while many companies profess a customer-centric culture, Bohanon believes that true implementation requires planning, execution, and dedication from leadership. Cultivating this mentality from the beginning and consistently nurturing it as the company evolves can lead to positive results for customers and employees alike. By creating a customer-centric environment designed for everyone to thrive, organizations can enhance their success in today’s fast-paced and technology-driven market.
