Customer Journey in the Construction Industry - How to get business benefits by solving customer needs!
Many industries face challenges when it comes to differentiation. It is no difference in the construction industry, a sector where the companies often are homogenous and put relatively small emphasis on running their business based on customer need. This article by Karin Movin is about combining customer needs with business benefits - that’s the challenge!
The construction industry has enjoyed strong growth, but this, as we know, will not last forever. When the business cycle turns down, the construction industry is likely to face change and consolidation. It’s hard to predict who will be a winner, but the company I will tell you about below believes the way to success will go through satisfied customers and by developing customer values.
The company is growing on the back of a strong market, which in turn require a change in structure and operations. More people join the company, new projects are taken on, which also means that a new culture is coming in meeting the old culture. Structure is, of course, a must, but it should not be allowed to be rigid – it has to be flexible and able to adapt to new conditions. Commitment is required to succeed, but also a strategy that is anchored not only by management but by all employees, and especially those who meet customers or who are involved in influencing how customers meet the company.
Photo by Dakota Rooos
For a longer period, I have worked as a consultant with the assignment to implement working methods designed to increase customer satisfaction for a medium-sized company in the construction industry. The company has a track record of scoring high on customer satisfaction for many years, but their top position vis-a-vis its competitors have been shrinking as a result of market changes. Now, they want to develop the business. My assignment has been aimed at differentiating the company in a homogeneous market as a way to create new revenue flows.
The Customer Journey has been the tool that we worked with to establish a platform, a visual model that everyone in the organization could relate to. The platform has stirred curiosity and interest in how the customer experiences the company and its services, interest that has spread throughout the organization and increased customer focus at all levels. New insights have stimulated change and resulted in increased commitment to the customer’s situation and experience, which in turn has lead to changes in systems and working methods, increased flexibility and greater creativity to finding solutions.
A clear process that combines the business idea with customer needs helps identifying potential and creates commitment and understanding. It increases cooperation between different projects, spreads the tradition of good customer relations in the growing organization and facilitates growing together.
The Customer Journey is a well-functioning control system that can energize and lend support to a change process.
The platform, the Customer Journey, gives the possibility to make the many small decisions that are required to drive change and development. The Customer Journey does not by itself solve the problems the company has and to be successful the tool requires business understanding. However, The Customer Journey is a well-functioning control system that can energize and lend support to a change process.
By Karin Grute Movin - March 12, 2018
Karin is a freelance Customer Experience consultant with a broad experience in managing customer centric transformation.
karin.movin@value-driven.se