{"id":7148,"date":"2014-06-25T12:42:16","date_gmt":"2014-06-25T11:42:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adrianswinscoe.com\/?p=7148"},"modified":"2014-06-25T12:42:16","modified_gmt":"2014-06-25T11:42:16","slug":"are-you-committed-to-putting-the-customer-at-the-centre-of-what-you-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adrianswinscoe.com\/2014\/06\/are-you-committed-to-putting-the-customer-at-the-centre-of-what-you-do\/","title":{"rendered":"Are you committed to putting the customer at the centre of what you do?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Are<\/p>\n

A friend of mine recently sent me an article (Why everybody should think they are the Chief Customer Officer \u2013 reflections on building a customer focused business<\/a>) from David Thodey, CEO & Executive Director, Telstra<\/a> that he had found on LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Telstra is Australia\u2019s largest telecoms and media company covering everything from building telecommunications networks to providing mobile telephony, internet access and pay TV services. In Australia, they serve just under 16 million mobile\/cellphone customers, have nearly 8 million fixed line customers and provide fixed broadband services to just under 3 million consumers.<\/p>\n

In the article, David was reflecting on the progress that Telstra have made \u2018to put the customer at the centre of everything we do\u2019 and the lessons that they have learned along the way.<\/p>\n

David listed out his first lesson as \u2018Leaders<\/a> need to show a genuine commitment\u2019. He goes on to explain that:<\/p>\n

\u201cLeaders need to be seen talking to and about customers, asking questions, listening to their stories, making a difference. Real change comes from real actions.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Actions always speak louder than words and I think that most, if not all, people would probably agree with that.<\/p>\n

However, thinking about this and taking it one step further, leaves me wondering how many leaders in firms are, actually, performing \u2018real actions\u2019? In other words, how many leaders are \u2018walking the talk\u2019?<\/p>\n

How many are out talking to customers on a regular basis, listening to their problems, helping them, serving them and making a difference to them?<\/p>\n

For example, when was the last time that you saw:<\/p>\n