This episode of Marketing Deep Dives by Denyse explores the advantages and disadvantages of implementing a customer-first business strategy. 

Advantages include improved customer satisfaction, increased sales, enhanced brand reputation, and better decision-making, illustrated through examples like Amazon, Apple, and Zappos. 

However, disadvantages include increased costs, a potential short-term focus, difficulty measuring success, and the challenge of balancing customer and business needs, as Southwest Airlines, Kodak, and McDonald's have demonstrated. 

The discussion concludes with recommendations for companies considering this approach. 

Denyse emphasises the need for a thorough assessment, clear metrics, employee training, interdepartmental collaboration, and a long-term perspective. 

Denyse shares several examples of companies that have successfully adopted a customer-first strategy for further inspiration, such as Salesforce and Airbnb.

Customer - First Strategies  Advantages & Disadvantages

This episode focuses on implementing a customer-first strategy within an organisation. 

The discussion defines customer centricity, explains its importance for business success, and provides seven actionable steps for leaders to adopt this strategy. 

These steps include gaining a deep understanding of customers, fostering a customer-focused culture, leveraging data, and consistently seeking feedback. 

Denyse highlights the numerous benefits, including increased loyalty, revenue growth, and improved employee satisfaction. 

In conclusion, Denyse emphasises the importance of continuous improvement to maintain a customer-centric approach.

Customer - First Strategies For Leaders

This episode argues that a customer-first strategy is crucial for business success in the post-pandemic era. 

It highlights the increased importance of customer connection and engagement, driven by consumers' higher digital media consumption and a greater sharing of experiences online. 

The discussion shares statistics demonstrating the strong correlation between superior customer experience and increased profitability, while also acknowledging challenges such as marketers' struggle to translate data into actionable insights and the need for improved market research capabilities. 

In conclusion Denyse advocates for a company-wide commitment to customer-centricity, emphasizing the significant return on investment such a strategy offers. 

She promotes C3Centricity's services as a solution to assist companies in implementing a customer-first approach.


Customer-First Strategies for Post-Pandemic Success

This episode outlines seven common reasons companies fail to implement a customer-first strategy successfully. 

Lack of executive leadership and company-wide buy-in are highlighted as critical failures. 

Denyse emphasises the need for clear roles and responsibilities, visible leadership, and an understanding that a customer-first approach is an ongoing process, not a one-time project. 

Furthermore, she stresses that the significant potential for increased profitability and customer retention outweighs the perceived high cost of implementation. 

Finally, Denyse encourages companies to overcome these obstacles to achieve greater success and profitability.

Seven Reasons Customer - First Strategies Fail

This episode presents nine essential elements for creating a customer-centric website that thrives online. 

Emphasis is placed on prioritising customer needs, from intuitive site structure and easy contact options to comprehensive product details and engaging content. 

Denyse advocates for transparency, security, and a responsive design across multiple devices. 

User-generated content and valuable, updated information are highlighted as key engagement strategies, encouraging customer interaction and building brand trust. 

Denyse concludes by suggesting a website audit to improve customer experience.

9 Essentials Of A Great Website

This episode presents six essential components of a customer-first strategy applicable across various industries, focusing mainly on hospitality and consumer packaged goods (CPG). 

Denyse's core argument emphasises shifting from a return on investment (ROI) model to prioritising customer engagement and building relationships, even with potential future customers. 

She suggests leveraging user-generated content, prioritising value over price, fostering innovation and partnerships, understanding that loyalty is constantly earned, and facilitating open dialogue with customers via multiple channels. 

Denyse encourages proactive engagement and rapid response to customer needs to ensure sustained growth and customer satisfaction. 

She concludes with a call to action, encouraging readers to explore Denye's services and resources.

Six Essentials Of A Customer - First Strategy

Let’s extend a warm welcome to Prof. Venkatesh Shankar as he joins us on our podcast.

Prof. Venkatesh Shankar is the Harold M. Brierley Endowed Professor of Marketing and Academic Director, The Brierley Institute of Customer Engagement, Cox School of Business, Southern Methodist University.

He is also the Chair of Marketing Accountability Standards Board Advisory Council. His areas of specialization include Digital Business, Marketing Strategy, Innovation, New Product Management, Retailing, Services Marketing, Pricing, International Marketing, Branding, Mobile Marketing, and Artificial Intelligence. Prof. Shankar has a Ph.D. in marketing from the Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management and has corporate experience in the areas of marketing and international business development. He has worked in diverse countries. Recognized as an American Marketing Association Fellow and among the top 1% of marketing scientists globally, he brings expertise in customer engagement, digital business, marketing strategy, and retailing.
He has been a visiting faculty at Stanford University, MIT Sloan School of Management, INSEAD, Singapore Management University, SDA Bocconi, Chinese European International Business School, and the Indian School of Business. He is co-editor of the Handbook of Marketing Strategy and the author of Shopper Marketing. He has served as a Research Fellow of Northwestern University’s Retail Analytics Council.

In this episode, Prof. Venkatesh Shankar shares profound insights from his research on “Creating a Customer-Centric Culture: Empowering Teams to Drive Engagement.”

This topic delves into the significance of cultivating a customer-centric culture within organizations to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. It highlights the role of empowering teams by providing them with the tools, training, and autonomy needed to prioritize customer needs effectively. By fostering collaboration, encouraging innovation, and aligning goals with customer expectations, organizations can create meaningful engagement and long-lasting relationships with their customers. The focus is on actionable strategies, such as leveraging customer feedback, promoting accountability, and embedding customer-first principles into every aspect of the business.

This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. For more information, please visit www.globalmanagementconsultancy.com.

Disclaimer:

A. The background music used in this video is the property of its respective developer and is protected by Copyright. Although it is a free version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy and Deepak Bhatt do not hold the rights to this music.

B. Prof. Venkatesh Shankar has graciously permitted us to share his groundbreaking research, “Creating a Customer-Centric Culture: Empowering Teams to Drive Engagement,” on the Business Talk Podcast Channel. Stay tuned for an inspiring episode filled with actionable insights! The uploaded video contains copyrighted material; therefore, any modifications to graphics, music, or the presence of the author or host are strictly prohibited.

Empowering Teams for Engagement: Prof. Venkatesh Shankar’s Research-Backed Strategies

The episode uses Swiss police speed cameras as a case study to illustrate the benefits of a customer-first strategy. 

It contrasts the negative customer experience of traditional speed cameras (permanent, temporary, and laser) with the positive response to cameras providing immediate feedback, like a smiley face for drivers under the speed limit. 

Denyse argues that focusing on a positive customer experience, rather than solely on revenue generation, leads to better outcomes and brand loyalty, applying this concept to businesses beyond law enforcement. 

The discussion concludes by promoting Denyse's C3Centricity customer-centric business consulting services.

Customer - First Strategies  Lessons From Swiss Police

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Phil Klaus, a globally recognized leader in Customer Experience Strategy and a foremost authority on Ultra High Net Worth Individual (UHNWI) research. In this episode, Dr. Phil Klaus will share valuable insights from his research on "Measuring Customer Experience: How to Develop and Execute the Most Profitable Customer Experience Strategies."

To explore how businesses can effectively measure customer experience (CX) and implement strategies that not only enhance customer satisfaction but also drive profitability. This episode will provide actionable insights for leaders, marketers, and CX professionals looking to align customer-centric approaches with measurable business outcomes.

Prof. Phil Klaus, ranked among the World’s Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University for six consecutive years, is a global authority on customer experience. He is the Chairman of the PK Customer Experience Institute, founder of Dr. Phil Klaus Advisory in Monaco, and creator of Lexden Luxe, specializing in Ultra High Net Worth clients. A Professor at the International University of Monaco, he is the bestselling author of Measuring Customer Experience and a leading CX influencer. His award-winning research and thought leadership, featured in Harvard Business Review and Forbes, shape industry standards. A sought-after keynote speaker, Prof. Klaus continues to redefine excellence in customer experience strategy and education.

This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. For more information, please visit www.globalmanagementconsultancy.com.

Disclaimer:

A. The background music used in this video is the property of its respective developer and is protected by Copyright. Although it is a free version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy and Deepak Bhatt do not hold the rights to this music.

B. Dr. Phil Klaus has generously shared profound insights from his research topic, "Measuring Customer Experience: How to Develop and Execute the Most Profitable Customer Experience Strategies," during his appearance on the Business Talk Podcast Channel. The uploaded video contains copyrighted material; therefore, any modifications to graphics, music, or the presence of the author or host are strictly prohibited.

Measuring Customer Experience: Dr. Phil Klaus Reveals Proven Strategies for Profitability

In a world where products and organizational design often take centre stage, Helge Tennø —a long-time strategist and innovation advisor focused on customer-centric transformations— makes the case for redefining and delivering customer value.
In this episode, he challenges the conventional reliance on engagement and sales metrics and highlights the importance of measuring real customer value, driving behavioural and strategic change - thus linking customer impact directly to business success.
Using a customer-centric four-stack framework that aligns Experience, Data, Strategy, and Culture, he offers a wealth of insights on rethinking organizational design and navigating the future of AI-driven customer experiences.

As a prolific writer and practitioner voicing customer-centricity for over two decades, Helge has guided several organizations worldwide in creating meaningful value for customers.
In this conversation, he helps us visualize what it means to step out of purely product-centric perspectives, outdated measurement systems, and rigid internal structures. 
Taking real-world examples, he explores how organizations can build a clear chain of measurement, tracking the real impact of engagement, behavioural shifts, and ultimately, business value. 
This episode is not missing, as we also touch upon the future of customer centricity, which breaks free from traditional customer journeys –  and captures the complexity, helping organizations become intuitive and human-centred.
Join us as we refocus on what truly matters: placing customers at the heart of every organization.

Key Highlights
👉 Customer-centricity is not just a mindset shift but a structural transformation, requiring organizations to embed customer needs into strategy, measurement, and ways of working.
👉 Traditional customer journeys often fail to capture complexity—organizations can instead explore designs that suit their specific requirements and aid their decision-making.
👉 Ownership in a customer-centric organization must evolve—teams should focus on owning customer outcomes rather than just products to drive meaningful impact.
👉 Rethinking measurement is crucial—organizations must stop assuming that more engagement equals success and start tracking behavioural change and long-term value creation.
👉 AI and modularization will redefine customer interactions, potentially enabling customers to self-configure their own experiences—but most businesses lack the right data to support this shift.
👉 Innovation should be embedded within daily operations, rather than being treated as a separate function or ceremonial event, to drive continuous transformation at scale.


Topics /chapters
(00:00) Bringing Customers Back to the Heart of Business
(00:56) Introducing Helge
(03:41) The importance of being a customer-centric organization
(06:37) Key Elements of a Customer Centric Transformation
(09:54) Line of Sight between Employees and Value
(13:57) Evaluating True Value
(17:15) Orchestrating Business Value in Complexity
(21:59) Driving Ownership in a Customer-Centric Organization
(26:44) Enabling Customer Based Metric System
(30:44) Technology and Modern Tool Integrations for Data Analysis
(34:57) AI and customers self-designing their experiences
(44:50) What’s the space for simplicity, aesthetics, and design?
(49:15) What’s the rebundling that’s going to put customers in the center?
(53:19) Keeping Leaders Grounded in the Chaos
(57:32) Breadcrumbs and Suggestions

Episode recorded on Jan 21, 2025

Find out more about the show and the research at Boundaryless at https://boundaryless.io/resources/podcast

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Music
Music from Liosound / Walter Mobilio. Find his portfolio here: https://blss.io/Podcast-Music

#114 - Bringing Customers Back to the Heart of Business - with Helge Tennø

MARKETING DEEP DIVES by DENYSE is a Podcast for CPG Executives wanting to attract, delight and retain more consumers.
In each episode Denyse shares her tips, tools and ideas gathered from her more than 30 years experience working in over 125 countries around the globe.
Denyse is: 📈 Advisor to Fortune 100-Inc 5000 | 🚀 Strategist for mid-sized CPGs | 👨‍💼👩‍💼Leadership Coach | 🎤 Keynote Speaker | 📚 #1 Best-Selling Author | 🌍 Former Global Head of Consumer Excellence at Nestlé

Welcome to Business Talk, your go-to podcast for the latest trends, insights, and thought-provoking discussions in the business world. Whether you're a business professional, entrepreneur, researcher, or academic, our episodes will challenge you to rethink conventional wisdom and inspire actionable ideas.

Brought to you by Global Management Consultancy, we are committed to driving innovation and excellence in the business community. All content Copyrighted 2024 by Global Management Consultancy.

For more information about our past and upcoming podcasts, please click here:https://www.deepakbbhatt.com/businesstalk

Boundaryless helps global customers with Business Strategy and Organization Design for the age of Ecosystems.
We do it by creating openly accessible frameworks and by supporting a community of organizations, institutions, and individuals through workshops, training, and consulting services. 

In this space we host all our audio recordings, including the Boundaryless Conversations podcast, a show focused on exploring the future of large scale organising by leveraging on technology, network effects and shaping narratives. We explore how platforms can help us play with a world in turmoil, change, and transformation: a world that is at the same time more interconnected and interdependent than ever but also more conflictual and rivalrous. 

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New tracks tagged #customercentricity