Think Customers: The 1to1 Blog

According to the study "Customer Experience Maturity Monitor," however, the philosophy of trust and the ideal of a customer-centric culture exceed the actual practice of both. More than three quarters of respondents to the study said that their companies motivate employees to treat customers fairly, yet only 62 percent provide employees with the necessary training, tools, and level of empowerment to earn customers' trust. And although 76 percent of respondents said that their companies believe that trust is tied to the financial success of its business, only 60 percent said that whether a proposed action could potentially increase or decrease customer trust is used as a guideline when making business decisions and 42 percent said employees can do what's right despite the pressure to make current period numbers.

Even in the face of that pressure, most respondents' companies are retaining their customer-focused culture. More than two thirds of respondents said that their companies consider the impact business decisions have on the future value of their companies, and nearly 70 percent said that their companies take the customers' point of view when making business decisions. However, only 60 percent understand the equity of their customer based and treat different customers differently.

The "Customer Experience Maturity Monitor" study primarily examines how extensively customer experience capabilities deliver business impact. To learn more about the study and its findings, check out the article "Customer Centricity a Work in Progress," view a PDF of the results, or listen to a webcast featuring Martha--available beginning November 12--that reveals and discusses the full survey results.