Dennis Geelen: Are you Truly Customer-Centric? You May Not Be

What does it really mean to be customer centric? It’s more than just polite customer service or occasionally asking customers what they think of you. It’s an ongoing mindset that is backed up by processes, structures, and tools to continue staying in lockstep with your customers - and engaging their input and needs to drive business decisions. My guest today, Dennis Geelen, shares his formula for customer centric success. We also discuss why some businesses have thrived during the pandemic while others have failed, why data and customer centricity are not the same thing, and tips to help your organization become more customer-centric.  Key Takeaways:The questions you ask of your customers should be in the context of what they are trying to do, not just their thoughts on your products or services.When collecting data, you need to understand if you are doing it to add value for the customer or just to grow, sell, and maximize your quarterly profits.Find a way to go through your customer’s journey with your company and see what you learn from that process. "It's so important to have customer centric innovation as your foundation because you don't know when the next disruptor is coming along." —  Dennis Geelen  About Dennis Geelen: Dennis Geelen is the author of the best selling book The Zero In Formula and the Founder of Zero In, a customer experience and innovation consulting company. Dennis has spent the past 20 plus years helping several companies in various industries change, grow, and prosper. He brings a strong background in strategic planning, innovation, and customer experience, combined with his passion for helping companies and giving back to communities. Dennis lives in Lindsay, Ontario with his wife Cindy and their dog Duke and two cats (Peanut and Chica).  Connect with Dennis:Website: www.zero-in.ca (Find the customer centricity assessment tool here, mentioned in the episode)Twitter: https://twitter.com/dennis_geelenLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennis-geelen-5a95703/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dennis.geelen.9Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dennis.geelen/Book, The Zero In Formula - https://www.zero-in.ca/the-zero-in-formula Mentioned this episode:Competing Against Luck by Clayton Christensen - https://www.amazon.com/Competing-Against-Luck-Innovation-Customer/dp/0062435612The Trusted Advisor by David A. Maister, Charles H. Green, and Robert M. Galford - https://www.amazon.com/Trusted-Advisor-David-H-Maister/dp/0743212347  Don’t forget to download your free guide! Discover The 5 Business Benefits of Empathy: http://red-slice.com/business-benefits-empathy  Connect with Maria: Get the podcast and book: TheEmpathyEdge.comLearn more about Maria’s brand strategy work and books: Red-Slice.comHire Maria to speak at your next event: Red-Slice.com/Speaker-Maria-RossLinkedIn: Maria RossInstagram: @redslicemariaTwitter: @redsliceFacebook: Red Slice

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Failed product launches. Furious customers. Dysfunctional teams. Many of the problems we face in the business world (and frankly, society) stem from the same root cause: Lack of empathy. Speaker, author, strategist, and empathy advocate Maria Ross shares keen insights and inspiring interviews that prove empathy and compassion are the new paths to market-winning performance. Leveraging both inspiring stories and hard data, Ross connects empathetic leadership, cultures and brands to innovation, engagement, and bottom-line results. You’ll walk away with actionable strategies to amplify your impact, and learn how compassionate business tactics can transform your organization from the inside out. The Empathy Edge podcast provides a quick dose of motivation, wisdom, and practical actions that executive leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers can use right now. Ready to infuse YOUR organization with more empathy? Tune in to learn why cash flow, creativity, and compassion are not mutually exclusive.