CIO OPINION
Companies need to bring this crisis mindset into the new normal and continue to nurture and prioritise innovative ideas .
Most ideas take months , if not years , to get approved if it needs to navigate most companies ’ internal approval procedures . You also have meetings , roadmaps and politics on top of approvals – all before testing a core concept of a project . By creating an atmosphere that enables multiple ideas to be tested and validated quickly , you ’ re able to rapidly scale what works .
Create a consumer-centric business by empowering your teams
‘ Get closer than ever to your customers . So close that you tell them what they need well before they realise it themselves ’. – Steve Jobs
This quote encapsulates the point that by understanding customer needs , you are able to improve your odds for successful innovation . There ’ s no better time than now to make sure that all aspects of your business are putting the customer at its centre .
Creating a consumer-centric business starts from the top . Gone are the days where leaders passively use customer research and data – and instead become more actively immersed in customer connections . In doing so , they can understand customer behaviours and use their insights and observations to shape a better business strategy . By starting with the most influential people at the top , it can then trickle down to the rest of the organisation .
However , as previously explained , it ’ s crucial for your teams to be empowered to have the level of autonomy to put your customer-centric values in practice . They should be trained and given the practical tools to create a more personalised experience for customers .
Finally , in order for your entire organisation to be driven by customer needs , every area of your business should have a single view of customer data .
Often , this type of information – customer interaction on sites , purchases and engagement with content – are isolated in different siloes . Linking this data together creates the insightful narrative that helps organisations discern habits and needs .
The innovative enterprise of the future
The pandemic has shown that companies are capable of making radical changes under extreme pressure . The shift to homeworking at the beginning of the pandemic happened at speeds previously thought impossible . Companies need to bring this crisis mindset into the new normal and continue to nurture and prioritise innovative ideas . COVID-19 will not be the last crisis in the coming years – companies simply cannot afford to return to old ways .
By focusing on the specific tactics explained in this article , CIOs can help foster an innovative enterprise that will be able to withstand the test of time , as well as bring continuous innovation to a world that shifts faster and faster . p
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