Experiencing Change

Change needs to be reinforced at every turn – in what you say, how you look, and what you do. But at the end of the day, all of these efforts will amount to little if your most important constituents – customers, prospects, partners, and employees – do not experience your organization in an entirely new way. It is in their experience where your organization will begin to be seen as a more valuable provider, partner, and employer.

What can you do to facilitate an experience that is different, better, and more valuable? Here are some ways:

• You say your products are easier to use. Are they? Is the interface smooth and simple or have you simply put lipstick on a clunky solution?
• You say your pricing is better. Is it or have you masked the complexity with a cosmetic, first-level change? Have you stripped out the countless pricing permutations delineated in your pricing book in favor of something that can be captured on one page?
• You say you deserve to be positioned in the top-right leadership quadrant by analysts who cover your space. How have you earned such merit? Have you invested behind product and thought leadership that talks to the issues and problems customers experience or are you continuing to pontificate the finer points of your solutions?
• You say you want to speak or publish an article. Do you have something of substance to say – perhaps even a little controversial – that people will find interesting let alone valuable?
• You say there’s a better way than how the big dogs are doing it. Do you have the proof – either through a breakthrough research study or in clear performance measures from customers who have trialed and benefited from your better way?
• You say you have made a renewed commitment to customer service. Do you touch your customers first in all communications? Do you treat current customers as your franchise? Do you do more than simply measure their satisfaction?

These are the kinds of experiences you need to drive so your core constituents can feel – and then believe – positive change is happening.