When you hear how companies should strive to be customer-centric, do you nod your head or roll your eyes at what’s quickly becoming yet another hollow corporate buzzword?

There’s definitely truth behind the jargon – catering to customers before shareholders is key to building a reputation and thriving well past the next quarter. The question is, how do you build a business based on actual customer struggles and needs without getting mired in performative corporate box-ticking?

Here are five practical, no-nonsense strategies that turn “customer-centric” from a quaint slogan into a way of working your company actually practices.

Ditch the Guesswork

Customers are people, which you wouldn’t necessarily conclude if buyer personas and other analytics were all you had to go on. Distilling people into their core consumer traits is important for marketing to the right ones. It’s also a strategy that partially misses the point if left alone.

Want to know what customers really need? Then go ahead and ask! Not just through surveys, but through genuine conversations with individuals. Interview a handful of them every quarter and have them share their experiences.

It’s the perfect opportunity to uncover friction points you wouldn’t otherwise be aware of. You can dismiss concerns as opinions if only one or two people mention them. However, issues that keep coming up form a pattern you shouldn’t ignore.

Provide Crucial Information Upfront

Unless yours is a B2B company dealing with customers who insist on technicality and precision, corporate jargon in marketing does more harm than good. People only want answers to a few core questions:

• How do your products benefit me?
• Why should I go with you and not the other guy?
• How much time and effort will using this cost me?

Answer these questions clearly, and organic engagement will follow.

For example, prospective clients will gloss over a vague feature like “seamless setup.” But replace that with “setup takes 3 minutes and 2 easy steps” and you’ve got a winner.

The trick is to anticipate the most likely questions and answer them succinctly either on your website, in promotional materials, through explainer videos, or via a dedicated FAQ section, as well as through technology advice resources.

Automate Away Friction

Customers still highly value human support, but that doesn’t mean you can’t leverage automation to provide a better experience for them. Tools like parcel management software show how the right technology can eliminate friction at every touchpoint, from order tracking to delivery updates, without replacing the human element customers still value. 

Let’s take onboarding. It’s a make-or-break phase during which users might be overwhelmed and not sure how to proceed. Good onboarding should inform them what comes next, what steps they can take, and where to look for more help if they’re still stuck. All of this can be automated without coming off as intrusive.

For example, the automated customer onboarding process can start with a thank-you email that also outlines what happens next and prompts the recipient to log in or take another action. It’s also better to slowly introduce core functions and advanced features as the user gets a hang of things.

Automated prompts can guide them through simple workflows or even pop up contextually to help avoid common missteps. Combine this with an easily accessible option of reaching out to human support, just in case. Doing so creates a strong first impression and an environment that naturally builds confidence.

Communicate Clearly and Honestly

Want to instantly hurt your brand and reputation? Then be disingenuous when interacting with customers, especially online. People have become proficient at recognizing delay tactics and non-commitment disguised as vague and generic statements. If their business is as important to you as such messages claim, be transparent.

People are willing to excuse a lot if it’s presented honestly. Expecting delays? Let customers know upfront and explain why. The same goes for things like changes in pricing, retooling features, etc. The fear is that this will make your company look unprofessional or incompetent. In reality, many customers see vulnerability and accountability as signs that a company is authentic and will, if the follow-through is adequate, respect you more as a result.

Let Customer Experiences Inform Your Development Strategy

None of the above will shift the needle if the insights you gain by analyzing and interacting with customers don’t inform every aspect of how you do business.

For example, let’s say that users keep repeatedly pointing to a flaw. Addressing it creates a knock-on effect that benefits everyone. Customer support clues product management and R&D in, resulting in a more complete and competitive product. If it also coordinates with marketing, you can tailor promo content to only offer realistic expectations. That, in turn, lightens the load on customer support since fewer people feel stuck or misled.

Conclusion

Customers neither experience nor particularly care about the finer points of your strategy. Rather, they want a smooth experience with as few delays or bottlenecks as possible. Whether your company can truly call itself customer-centric is ultimately reflected in your ability to quickly resolve issues and make a better product if and when customers present you with legitimate complaints.