The Payoff

What benefits does agility offer to your operation?

The five steps that make up the foundation of our approach are customer centric, and clients often wonder what the cost might be to follow our guidance.  After all, while we may want to impress our customers, there has to be a payoff for it to be a viable objective.

Each client and each situation is different.  Your payoff depends on where you are now and what needs to happen to become more agile.   In our experience, while the investment may vary, we often see a payoff in the following areas:

• Reduced operating expenses – Yes, it is possible to substantially improve customer satisfaction and reduce costs at the same time.  Keep in mind that our guiding principle (The ultimate expression of service is to value your customer’s time) not only reduces the customer’s time investment, but will often reduce the organization’s as well.  Improved workflow design and better planning are the steps that will produce these results.
• Increased revenue – We take a very broad view of the term “efficient”.  A short call, or a short visit to a store, does not help improve the life of a customer if another visit is needed (either to you or to a competitor) as a logical next step (e.g., to buy the tie that goes with the business shirt).  Understanding the true need behind the inquiry or purchase will help to drive higher revenue in the short term.  In the long term, whether for a sales or service operation, it will generate a higher level of customer loyalty.
• Improved customer satisfaction – Time matters to your customers.  Being “easy to do business with” translates to more satisfied customers.  Not only will they buy more, but as they move from “satisfied” to “impressed”, they will tell others about you.
• Improved employee satisfaction – Everyone wants to work for a winner.  Your phone agents, salespeople, and customer service professionals spend half or more of their time with your customers.  All of this work time is infinitely more pleasurable when the customer is happy.  If you want to improve morale, becoming the most respected business in your industry will get you a whole lot further than another pizza party.