Information is power!

Sure, if you share it correctly.

Imagine if teachers kept all the information for themselves. Nothing would be passed on to the students, and once those teachers are gone, the information (knowledge) would disappear with them forever. That’s certainly not a workable concept of power.

Hoarding information meant to enrich others, is nothing short of eating the poisoned apple.

Think of the Dead Sea. Water flows into the Dead Sea, feeding it with oxygen and nutrients, but there is nothing flowing out. No way for the Dead Sea to share/distribute/pass on these nutrients. As a result, there is no life here, no fish and no plants – it is in essence a dead ecosystem.

Unfortunately, the concept of ‘information is power’, is just as desolate in many businesses today.

Digital Transformation and the ‘People Factor’!

The core reason to ‘digitally’ transform is the need to have a holistic and connected approach towards customer-centric optimization. Basically, to create optimized customer experiences that are simple, enjoyable and engaging for the customer at each touch point.

Sure, the exploding attention for customer experience shows that organizations are starting to place greater importance on customers as a central focal point. And businesses are starting to optimise their processes and business functions around the customer in this digital landscape. Yet, few can say that they have truly done so successfully.

But why?

Because most organisations believe that processes and systems are the biggest challenge companies face with Digital Transformation, when in fact this couldn’t be further from the truth. Success or disaster during this transformation process almost always come down to the ‘people factor’.

That’s right. We’re straight back at the poisoned apple.

Optimization efforts have occurred in a disconnected and ‘silo’ manner for all too long. In today’s increasingly connected and complex customer environment, this simply isn’t feasible anymore.

Who does the Customer Experience belong to?

We need to remember that the customer experience doesn’t belong to just one department. After all, the customer doesn’t belong to just one division.

Although involvement will vary from business to business, ideally multiple divisions will need to work closely together to create a successful customer-centric information ecosystem, where this may include – IT, Marketing, Sales, Customer Service and of course, Management – to name a few.

Who is the Customer and why is the Customer Experience so important?

Everyone is a customer in today's connected business reality – buyers, employees, investors, partners, suppliers and other stakeholders – they are all customers.

Whether it’s in their capacity as consumers, individuals or workers, these people and the ways in which you engage with and empower them with valuable information - is the key to future business growth.

And, as the importance of the customer experience continues to grow, so too does its impact on the bottom-line of organizations. In fact, customer experience is at the top of the corporate agenda in nearly every industry.

Today’s digital landscape demands that all areas of your organization and ecosystem need to be interlinked and aligned with the optimization of customer experience(s) as the drivers of revenue.

“The customer isn’t king anymore - everyone is a customer in today’s rapidly changing environment - and the customer is dictator.”

Finally, a Customer-Centric Ecosystem where Information is Power!

Achieving success requires that all internal barriers, personal priorities, potential conflicts, overlapping channels and everything that is a hurdle to change, is resolved.

It’s time to drop the ego.

Instead, a mindset of collaboration is a must.

The simple truth is that the customer journey is dictated by today’s digital consumers, and businesses need to deliver organization-wide optimized customer experiences at scale. To thrive, companies need more than to adopt a mindset, but also a means of information sharing – creating a customer-centric ecosystem, where information is indeed power!

Need help creating a successful Customer-Centric Information Ecosystem?

About eMSDigital Group

At eMSDigital we believe in doing what we love and loving what we do. This is why we empower our clients daily with the tools, strategies, and guidance needed, to prepare their business for the future. Our passion to help amazing brands prosper - together with our award-winning solutions - has earned us a reputation as a leader in all things ‘digital experience’. If you want to be the envy of your competition, need help moving your B2B business online, or have any questions about creating the perfect digital experience for your customers, we’re just a click away :)

About the Author

Kobus van den Berg is the visionary founder of eMSDigital Group, a global B2B 'Enablement' powerhouse driving revenue growth, elevating CX, and revolutionizing buyer-seller engagement since 2010. Inspired by his wife and son, Kobus is a firm believer in the power of doing ‘good’ business to the benefit of all parties involved, as he strives daily to pursue the elusive balance between work and life. Kobus is a dedicated Espresso enthusiast and master mead-maker, with dreams of retiring on a family wine farm to keep himself busy with the finer things in life.

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