Customer Value Alignment

Click on a segment of our Business Improvement framework for information about each of our Capabilities.

The first of the five Lean Thinking principles is “Specify what does and does not create value from the customer’s perspective”. To then use this as the driving direction for change and the business improvement journey.

The InteLog Customer Value Mapping process is proposed as the underlining development path for the Customer Centric Organization strategy for the business.  This will determine the current customer relationship and performance and identify projects that will underpin the Customer Centric focus.

Typically organisations use InteLog Customer Value Mapping to:

• to drive change in the business
• align measures and KPI’s to customer value
• Incorporate customer value in business strategy and policy
  deployment

There are four fundamental elements to the methodology, which are:-

• Customer Value Understanding

To ensure that the customer value statement is clearly documented, quantified and understood by all the key stakeholders.
• Survey Validity and Integrity

To ensure that survey validity and integrity is maintained throughout the development of the survey document and delivery of the process.
• Opportunities And Actions Implementation

To ensure that the core elements of any opportunities and actions are prioritized against the project objectives and the company’s business plan; resulting in the creation of a documented implementation plan and formation of Action Teams
• Customer And Employee Communication

To ensure that there is communication to the customer and employee regarding the survey process and its findings, and the resultant outcomesThere are a number of interfaces the company has with the market. The focus of this survey is with the existing customers.

The contact with the existing customers has been defined as the five moments of truth which are:

• Communications
• Pricing
• Transaction
• Products
• Support

The way that your company understands the value, and importance, your customers’ places on each of these relationship interfaces determines the perception of your company. The processes used to capture and act on the feedback from customers will determine the strength and quality of the relationship, and the level, and type, of business between the parties. This information and knowledge should enable your company to align their value stream to the customer.

The first major benefit of the InteLog Customer Value Mapping is that it is NOT just another survey and it is communicated to the customer as being a relationship building process involving the staff of the business.  It has the following characteristics:

• All functional areas of the business are involved – a full
  cross-functional process.
• The team develops the survey document with Intelog
  facilitation.
• Two team members conduct each interview – one
  conducting the quantitative survey and the other
  capturing the qualitative information and inputs.
• The results are fully processed so that the
  quantitative and qualitative information is aligned
  and presented by market segment, geographic area,
  product type and customer rating etc.
• The team then reviews the results and with management
  prioritise the improvement projects that are aligned to
  the voice of the customer and the company strategy and
  policy.

Intelog provides the framework, methodology and tools to support the team. We also facilitate the development of the survey document, the training of the team members in interviewing, the processing of the data, its assessment and the selection of projects and their prioritisation.

The results of this approach have been most rewarding for the company and the individuals. One significant result is that there is more positive view and understanding of the customer across the business and the importance of delivering a quality outcome to the customer. Also there is a better appreciation of the importance of quality.

Involvement in this process will result in further tangible benefits:

• Organisational Alignment: All sections of your company
  will have an agreed view of customer service priorities and
  operational necessities
• People Development: Through their involvement in the
  process staff will become more confident and adept at
  team inter-effectiveness
• Ownership: Management will have broken the paradigm
  of top-down orders to self-motivated achievement
• Process Skills: An enhanced understanding and
  applicability of this process to other parts of the
  organisation or to periodic repeat studies

These are essential skills in tomorrow’s effective organisations where initiating and managing change will be internally facilitated and driven.