September 28, 2016
Last weekend, I attended APICS 2016 in Washington DC, and one of the keynote speakers was Bill McDermott, SAP’s CEO (pictured below with Abe, APICS’s CEO). He gave a motivating talk about a variety of topics. One of the key themes is that customers (consumers) rule! And, if you think about it, one set of customers includes your employees. Thus, you need to know what both think and want!
One of his stories from his younger career is when he was sent to lead the worst performing division of Xerox. Listening to his employees and customers turned it from last to first in one year. Talk about powerful!
In essence, all businesses should be concerned about what their customers – both up and down the supply chain (including consumers) – want. The better understanding you have of demand, the more successful you’ll be in exceeding expectations – with the opportunity to do so at the lowest cost, driving win-win profit.
One tip to implement this week:
So, this week, start asking your customers and employees what is important to them. You might not even have to open your mouth – start listening to what is said AND what isn’t said. I guarantee you will learn something new that could prove invaluable. Look for win-win opportunities. How can you make sure they become raving fans without spending a dime?
Once you talk with a group of customers, look for trends. What do you see and hear? And, how about your employees (and peers)? I’ve yet to meet a client with happy customers and unhappy employees. What does that tell you?