What does the IT built around the customer really look like

Forrester have found that leaders in Customer Experience (CX) enjoy a average annual revenue growth (CAGR) of 17% compared to non-customer-centric organizations with a CAGR of only 3%.

Studies at Aberdeen Group and SAP show that organizations that have top practices for customer experience management have an annual profit growth of 527% compared to other organizations in the same industries.

It is clear that the customer experience is a matter of ‘make or break’, meaning it can simply justify the success of a company. When we think about the customer experience we look at aspects such as human resources, marketing and product, ie elements of the company with which the customer comes into direct contact. One thing we don’t tend to think about when talking about the customer experience is IT. This is a mistake.

Today, 55% of technology leaders spend more time learning about customer needs as a means of creating revenue-generating initiatives. 35% of the CIOs interviewed rated improving the customer experience as the most inspired business decision they made. ( 2019 State of the CIO )

This change is in sync with the evolution of the CIO role . which is less and less a simple technology provider and more and more a driver of the company’s strategy through the intelligent use of technology. 67% of CIOs say they are fully immersed in the company’s strategic activities.

Thus, a CIO has more and more the duty to place himself in the client’s shoes and to understand exactly what his needs are so that, through intelligent IT, he can fulfill them.

Our experience tells us that there are three clear reasons to build IT systems around customer needs:

• When IT people focus more on customer needs, a lot of resources are saved: The reason is that IT people tend to overcomplicate systems, focus too much on what they could do instead of looking at what customers need to do.
• Systems developed around the customer are more efficient and better used by employees: In order to truly understand customers, close collaboration is needed between the IT team and the employees involved in the day-to-day processes. They really understand those processes, and those who interact with customers know exactly where the ‘bugs’ are. Thus, the IT team can develop a system together with those who will use it, ensuring that it will be maximally efficient and used to its full potential.
• IT systems can even substantially improve the customer experience: When processes are well developed, efficient, and used to their full potential, the customer will be guaranteed. Digitization allows the organization to be closer to the customer at all times, and, in this way, the customer to be closer to the organization in turn. Customers will choose the company that makes their life easier, that requires less time and effort and that offers them increased comfort.

So, the next time we build an IT solution together, let’s do it for the client, so that it is for you.