E-NEWSLETTER | SEPTEMBER 2007
Feature Article:

Developing Customer Focused Organizations

-- By Greg Baker, President and CEO, Advance Consulting

With all of the things that companies are doing today to become more customer focused, you don’t often hear what that exactly means to the organization.  I would like to offer some perspective on what makes an organization customer focused, and some tips on what you can do to help your own organization improve in this area.  In particular, how do we develop customer focused organizations that support business operations and the people that deliver customer focused products and services? 

I like to think about customer focus as understanding “who works for who”?  In a customer focused organization, leadership works for everyone in what is commonly referred to as the ‘line of sight’ to the customer.  It holds standards that say, “If it doesn’t serve the customer then why are we doing it.  So if a process is developed and it doesn’t add value to the customer then why are we using it?  If our people don’t have the tools and training to deliver on customer expectations then why aren’t we providing them?

I am a big fan of the tales of King Arthur.  In the movie First Knight, King Arthur offered Lancelot a seat at the round table, and the honored leadership position of First Knight.  He said, “I offer you a life of service.”  I will never forget those words.  They reminded me that leadership is a life of service.  There are three roles a leader plays in building a customer focused organization. First, actively build a culture that motivates and encourages employees to behave and create with the customer in mind ---to understand and satisfy the needs of their customers.  Second, remove obstacles to affect necessary change and support their people in adopting new skills and methods.  Third, listen to and communicate with their people about the customer.  An organization is only customer focused when everyone is modeling the behavior.

At Advance Consulting we have helped many organizations in their pursuit to become customer focused.  We can help you develop and implement your customer focused operation.  For more information on how we can assist you, please contact us at (831) 372-9444 or email us at advanceinfo@advanceconsulting.com.


Skills Corner - Leaders as Coaches

In today’s complex business environment, effective leaders and managers recognize the importance of developing their employees’ capabilities.  Developing others requires leaders and managers to apply their coaching skills.  When leaders and managers coach others, they challenge and support their employees in achieving higher levels of performance while increasing their self-confidence and capacity to take effective action.  A strong coach empowers others to be successful by:

  • Setting goals.  This is a continuing process that involves defining and redefining goals as situations, roles, and business conditions change. In weekly or monthly meetings, focus your employees by asking them “What high impact activities will you work on in the next week/month?”
  • Providing a positive environment.  Effective leaders encourage creativity and allow employees to take risks.  Challenge each person to go the next step with a project or task.  Ask them to identify where they could add additional value and encourage them to take that step.
  • Delivering useful feedback.  Productive feedback is necessary to cultivate and increase performance.  Remember when providing feedback, ask for permission first.  Make sure it is a good time and the person is open to hearing the feedback.  Be specific about the facts, behaviors and implications of the action taken and let the person know you want to support them in using the feedback productively.
  • Recognizing, appreciating, and celebrating achievements.  These simple acts are what provide the atmosphere of encouragement that develops confidence and builds on strengths.  Remember to let the person know why you appreciate what they did.  What were the implications of their work and how did it enhance the image of the group or the person?

When a leader or manager coaches others to their full potential, they will realize many benefits.  The benefits impact both the individual and the organization.  The individual is better able to make decisions on their own, work collaboratively with others, and solve business issues.  The organization reaps the benefits of increased productivity, reduced turnover, and creation of a high-performing culture.


Give Us Your Feedback

We’d appreciate hearing your thoughts and suggestions on how we can shape our newsletter to better meet your needs.  Let us know what topics you’d like to see covered.   Please contact us at advanceinfo@advanceconsulting.com, or call us at (831) 372-9444.


In This Issue:
Customer Focused Organizations

What’s New at Advance Consulting?
Coaching for Workshop

Our latest addition to family of training programs is the Coaching for workshop.  This one-day program is specifically designed to give managers and mentors the tools and skills needed to coach their teams in applying . 

We have learned through our work with hundreds of organizations over the years that when managers take responsibility for driving the reinforcement of consultative skills following the Workshop, the results are extraordinary.  Coaching participants as they try new skills and approaches with their clients is one of the most effective ways to help them achieve lasting behavioral change and optimize results.  And from a business standpoint, that maximizes your training ROI across the board!

This program is offered to managers and mentors in conjunction with or following the rollout of Workshop to individual contributors.  Participants will:

  • Develop their skills in coaching others, including the use of assessment tools and powerful feedback techniques.
  • Learn to apply coaching skills to reinforce the concepts, models, and tools learned in Workshop.
  • Use planning tools to set up a system for observing and coaching others.
  • Learn how powerful questioning and listening can be when working with people to help them develop long term, deep, and solid business relationships.

Call (510) 888-1914 or email us at advanceinfo@advanceconsulting.com to learn more about Coaching for .

About Us

Advance Consulting Inc., a premier management consulting and professional development firm, serves corporate and government clients in the U.S. and abroad.  Established in 1990, Advance Consulting specializes in the transformation of people, teams, and organizations as they aspire to create their “Enterprises of the Future” with the ability to adapt and thrive in the turbulent and challenging global business environment.  We work with our clients to build aligned consultative cultures by addressing the organizational, operational, and individual issues that are integral to an organization’s success in achieving desired business results.