Eight significant differences between customer-focused and operationally focused companies

Customer-focused companies are more successful in the long term and have happier employees

Customer-oriented companies differ significantly from operationally oriented structures

Quite a few companies that claim to offer good customer service and to put customers at the centre of all actions and thinking are in reality entrenched in an operating mentality with rules and guidelines that allow little flexibility and thus prevent them from being truly perceived as a customer-oriented company. The companies that actually understand customer service and live customer orientation have a different focus. Here are some areas where customer-focused companies differ from operationally-focused companies.

→ Customer orientation ISO 9001

Empowering employees to make decisions

Employees in a customer-focused company have the freedom to make decisions for the benefit of their customers. Instead of strict rules, there are only guidelines and all employees who have direct customer contact are encouraged to find ways to make their customers really happy. As long as they don't do anything illegal or immoral, damage the company's reputation or cost the company money (and sometimes that's even okay), they are empowered to act in the best interest of their customers. In an operationally oriented company, employees must seek approval from superiors for anything outside the guidelines or rules. Quick decisions for the benefit of the clients are thus not possible in many cases!

→ Conduct employee surveys

Selection of new employees

In a customer-oriented company, applicants are not hired based on their skills alone. Potential employees must have a personality and core values that align with the company's culture, vision and mission, in addition to their technical, organisational and creative skills. Companies that focus on operations often hire employees based on skills alone, paying attention to education and experience without exception, without considering how applicants' personalities fit into the company culture.

Training and employee growth

A customer-oriented company recognises that employees need both technical and personal skills to rise above the average and invests time and money in soft skills training accordingly. In a business-oriented company, the training of new employees emphasises technical skills and product knowledge.

→ Measure and evaluate transfer strength

Leadership behavior and error culture

In any company, managers develop the vision for the company culture, and in a customer-focused company, managers also live this vision accordingly and lead by example. In an operationally oriented company, however, management may have a "do as I say, not as I do" approach. If their behaviour is not in line with the culture they claim to want to achieve, employees will be less motivated. Customer-focused companies also often have a more tolerant culture of making mistakes. Employees are not immediately sanctioned or experience hostility from colleagues and managers. They are encouraged to develop and colleagues as well as managers support their employees in doing so.

→ 360 degree feedback

People come first

The customer-focused company knows the value of its people and puts them first, creating a culture of happy, engaged and fulfilled employees who naturally deliver a better customer experience. An operations and process-focused company is based on systems, procedures and a focus on results, and the culture that develops from this does not always deliver the best customer experience.

Customer service is the job of all employees

In a customer-oriented company, customer service is the responsibility of all employees. There is no such thing as "I am not responsible"! The philosophy is gladly lived by all employees and all employees also feel good about being able to contribute to the success of the company through this form of customer orientation. In an operationally oriented company, customer service is shifted to a department, customers are forwarded and kept in queues.

Employees of customer-focused companies are more engaged

Employees who can and should be allowed to make decisions and participate in decision-making show a higher level of employee commitment. Identification with the company is higher than in process-oriented companies. In addition, acceptance of superiors is greater because they "take along" their employees and motivate them to think for themselves and can thus be directly involved in the success of the company. The employees are more motivated and willing to go beyond their performance limits instead of doing "duty by the book".

→ more about employee engagement

Customer-focused companies are more innovative

Those who do not think exclusively in terms of structures and processes are also more creative and innovative. In customer-oriented companies, all employees are encouraged to develop ideas and also to drive them forward, regardless of their position. Customer-oriented companies have innovation management that involves all employees and encourages them to work on innovations.

→ Innovation management with QuestionPro

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