What is a Customer Champion?

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The role of the Customer Champion has to be more than acting as a conduit for the customer. They have to ensure that change is meaningful, impactful, and long term. If the role is simply to develop some customer focused messages around the organization such as placing notices above the door reading “think of yourself as a customer”, or printing on pay slips “only the customer can make this happen”, it is not enough. Touches like these have a role to play as part of an overall strategy, but without the strategy being embedded in the company, they quickly become just background noise that don’t give the required outcome of an organization of customer-focused employees working towards improving the customer experience and increasing customer loyalty. They have to be Customer Service winners – genuinely customer-focused employees focused on and empowered to improve the customer experience at every stage. “Think of yourself as a customer” is the only the starting point of successful implementation.

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The importance of the Customer Champion or Consumer Champion as the voice of the customer

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For many years there has been an acceptance of the need for top management to provide support for any customer focus strategy in order for it to be successfully implemented. There has however been less recognition for there to be a Customer / Consumer Champion, or team of Customer / Consumer Champions, to ensure that senior management commit to results in an enterprise-wide action plan. The Customer Champion not only has to act as the Voice of the Customer within the company, but has to have authority to work across the organisation, to ensure that the Customer’s Voice is not only listened to, but understood and acted upon. In short, they must have the power to bring the concept of “think of yourself as a customer” alive.

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Our definition of a Customer Champion

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All of these characteristics have been present in successful teams that we have been involved with. However, the balance between them will obviously vary between companies and across markets, but a combination of the above should ensure an increased chance that a company is likely to deliver its promise of improved customer service, a better customer experience and improved customer loyalty.

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Conclusion

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In conclusion, as companies increasingly state a desire to be customer focused, the customer is increasingly being asked to provide feedback. The company that will get the best customer feedback is the one that is seen by the customer as listening, acting upon it, and this is demonstrated most clearly by communicating back. Essentially it is being seen as valuing the customer’s input, showing a genuine interest in the customer experience and using that knowledge to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty – the vital role of the Customer Champion.

The combination of these factors will lead to an improved customer experience which will build customer loyalty, which in turn will deliver improved commercial performance, which ultimately was the goal of a customer focused strategy.  

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The Good News is that our Business Consulting Team is well versed in the art of Customer Championship, so you don't have to sweat. Get in touch with us for a quick review of your Business free of cost.

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Hey! You don't have to trust our word. See what our existing customers have to say about us!! 

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