Enabling clarity so that people serving brands can maximize their influence in the marketplace
Empathy is the cornerstone of a successful customer experience strategy. It underpins every decision made in the customer journey, from addressing pain points to implementing solutions that ease customer frustration. Without empathy, even the best-laid plans can fall apart when challenges arise.
Recently, the CEO of Nigerian Airline Air Peace Allen Onyema expressed concerns over international competitors lowering their prices to frustrate them out of business. This scenario prompts the question: Is price the only way to compete? Instead, focusing on what customers truly value—be it more generous luggage allowances, empathetic customer service, local delicacies, or unique concierge services—can differentiate an airline in a crowded market.
The confluence of self-leadership, nurturing support systems, and adeptly handling detractors equips us with a robust framework for personal and professional development. These are not mere strategies but foundational pillars that sustain us through the transitions of life and propel us towards our envisioned growth.
Support systems serve as the bedrock for realising our dreams, providing invaluable assistance and guidance at every stage of our journey. Let us dissect the three key types of support systems.
Let us start with the forming System. These are the individuals who recognise our potential even before we do. They spot our talents and abilities, often offering opportunities that propel us towards our goals.
In our prior discussion concerning self-leadership, we delved into the essential pillars assisting individuals through arduous periods. Our attention now turns to detractors, those who may impede our path to success. This exploration will reveal the identity of detractors, methodologies for engagement, and strategies to adeptly navigate around them.
How does one identify detractors? Manifesting in various guises, each presents unique challenges and requires specific strategies for navigation. Discerning their motivations and behaviours is crucial for mitigating their impact.
The wisdom shared in the Book of Proverbs holds true – “As a man thinketh, so is he.” Your journey begins with your mindset. Shed limiting thoughts and beliefs that shackle your potential. Athletes like Michael Jordan, the late Kobe Bryant, and Tiger Woods attribute their success to a mindset that perseveres through temporary pain and delays for gratification. These athletes were not necessarily the most naturally gifted; their mindset was simply different. The self-led must shift from a survival mindset to one focused on making a lasting impact and witness the transformative power of your thoughts.
Amidst prevailing uncertainties today, many grapple with discovering their purpose, achieving ambitions, or simply regaining stability. This juncture demands introspection and the exercise of self-leadership, which I interpret as the deliberate process of managing one’s internal fortitude to uplift oneself, leveraging available resources for support throughout the journey. Within this article, I aim to explore three pivotal aspects: oneself, one’s support system, and potential detractors.
quality, price, brand recognition, and convenience … pivotal factors influencing consumer choices this season, underscoring the need for retailers to balance these elements adeptly. The art of storytelling also comes into play here; where intelligent, relevant, and accurate content creation can sway undecided shoppers. Why? Because many will be making choices based on emotionally driven impulses. However, it takes a retailer that has invested in customer knowledge to execute this excellently in time for Valentine 2024, which is just around the corner.
Being customer-centric translates to loving your customers, treating them with the empathy and regard you would appreciate being shown, or indeed, as they wish to be treated. This involves a thorough analysis of customer journey maps and the design of systems, products, and processes informed by their feedback. At D&I Consulting, we uphold the belief that outcomes are more heavily influenced by our actions than by external circumstances. It is a recurring observation that businesses experiencing stagnation or decline often exhibit a prolonged neglect of customer-centric practices, leading to challenges in attracting repeat and new business.
The recent announcement by Lagos State’s Commissioner for Environment, banning Styrofoam boxes and single-use plastics with immediate effect, caught many by surprise, especially those in the informal sector. However, for entities in the formal sector like fast food chains and supermarkets, this should have been an anticipated development. These businesses had a prime opportunity to spearhead the sustainability agenda, but instead, they found themselves reacting to the state government’s decision.