"Hello!  I am your customer. Do you see the world like I do? It’s simple really. Start with me, and everything else follows ... Together we can do extraordinary things ... "

Customer Genius

Start thinking and acting like your customers - from the outside in, rather than the inside out.

Customers are now in control of our markets, demanding that we do business on their terms. Their expectations are high, and loyalty is rare. They are individual and emotional, well informed and highly organised. They know what they want, and only accept the best.

Customers are the lifeblood of organisations, increasingly the most valuable assets. Products are commoditised and capabilities can be sourced. Insights and relationships are your competitive advantage. This requires you to think more holistically, and act differently.

In this new book, author Peter Fisk, a leading customer and business strategist, proposes a new “blueprint” for building a customer-centric business.

He describes how to ensure that the right customer strategies, based on deeper customer insight, driving more compelling propositions and distinctive experiences, engage those “wonderful people” we call customers. 

Order your copy of Customer Genius now on Amazon at 35% discount

    

10 building blocks, 30 practical tools, 50 inspirational stories

From Amazon to Banyan Tree, Quintessentially to Zipcars, we explore 50 of the world’s leading customer businesses ... the rise of Air Asia, and the collaboration of Boeing ... the segmented focus of Club Med, and the customer vision of Disney ... the fashion insights of H&M, and the imagination of Camper ... the innovation of Tata, and desire for the Nintendo Wii ... the realism of Dove, and personalisation of Build a Bear Workshop ... the culture of Singapore Airlines, and the tribal loyalty of Harley Davidson.

The “genius” of a customer-centric business is that it works from the outside in rather than the inside out. It attracts, serves and retains the best customers as its route to profitability and growth. It has a compelling purpose and enduring passion to make people’s lives better. It is a phenomenal place to work and delivers exceptional results.

Isn’t it about time you started doing business from the outside in?

Read Peter Fisk's Live Blog for news and ideas

See below for book contents, first chapter extract, and two-day masterclass

Contents of Customer Genius

Part 1: The Customer World

Track 1:  Hello! 

"I am your customer ... "

Track 2:  My world

Wonderful People, Global Village, Customer Tribes
Facebook , Air Asia, Banyan Tree

Track 3: My agenda

Emotional World, Customer Kaleidoscopes, The Customer Agenda
Baidu, Stenders Soap Factory, Camper Shoes

Track 4: My terms

Customer Power, Pull not Push, Outside in, Inside out
Livestrong, Progressive Insurance, Zipcars

Track 5: My business

The Customer-centric Business, Customer value, 10 Dimensions of the Customer Business
Amazon, Best Buy

Part 2: The Customer Business

Dimension 1: Customer Vision

Customer Purpose, Customer Brand, Customer Alignment
Lego, Aveda, Cemex

Dimension 2: Customer Strategy

Customer Profitability, Customer Segmentation, Customer Management
Nike Women, Club Med, Tata Motors

Dimension 3: Customer Insights

Customer Intelligence, Customer Immersion, Customer Insights
Dove Campaign for Real Beauty , H&M, Harrahs Casinos

Dimension 4: Customer Propositions

Customer Context, Customer Propositions, Customer Conversations
Whole Food Markets, Oxfam Unwrapped, Jimmy Choo

Dimension 5: Customer Solutions

Customer Collaboration, Customer Innovation, Customer Solutions
Heinz Tomato Ketchup, Smart USA , Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Dimension 6: Customer Connections

Customer Communication, Customer Networks, Customer Gateways
Wumart China, Zopa, Quintessentially

Dimension 7: Customer Experiences

Customer Journey, Customer Theatre, Customer Experiences
Nintendo Wii, Vom Fass, Build a Bear Workshop

Dimension 8: Customer Service

Customer Delivery , Individualised Service , Service Recovery
Disneyland , Singapore Airlines , Ritz Carlton

Dimension 9: Customer Relationships 

Customer Partnerships, Customer Communities , Customer Advocates
Harley Davidson , The Co-operative , New Balance

Dimension 10: Customer Performance

Value Drivers , Customer Metrics , Business Impact
Enterprise Car Rental , First Direct , GE
 
Part 3: The Customer Champions

Track 6: Leadership 

Inspiring People , New Business Leaders , Customer Champions
Eczacibasi , P&G , MAC Cosmetics

Track 7: Culture

Engaging your people , Aligning people and customers , Structures, symbols and stories
Pret a Manger , Innocent Drinks , Toyota

Track 8: Transformation

Creating a customer revolution , Making change happen , Inspiration
Avon , Skoda , Virgin

Appendix: The Genius Lab

Creating a Customer Business
10 dimensions, 30 essential tools, 150 practical actions

Order your copy of Customer Genius now on Amazon at 35% discount

Extract from Customer Genius

“Hello!  I am your customer.

Yes, a real person, a human being.

I have my needs and wants, to get through the day, and to achieve what I must.
But I also have my hopes, dreams and ambitions.

For too long you have treated me as a name or number.
You group me into what you call a segment, or sometimes just a mass market.

But I’m not prepared to tolerate that anymore.

I am me. Don’t treat me like somebody else.

Sometimes I might be very similar to others,
but I can also be very different and discerning.

In the old world, I realise I didn’t have much choice.
I needed you more than your needed me.

But things have changed.

Now I have the power. Now I’m in control.
You need me, more than I need you.

It’s time you started doing business on my terms.

In fact, why are you actually in business?
Just to make as much money as you can, from whatever you can?

Or to make a difference, to make my life better?

I don’t mind if you make money.
If you can do something more for me, I want you to succeed too.

You’ll be able to invest in creating an even better business
With more rewards for both of us.

Why don’t you learn a bit more about me? Come and listen to what I really want.

I’d love to tell you what I’m really trying to achieve.
Not just whether or not I want your latest gadget, gizmo or gumption.

Why don’t we get together and find a way to really solve my problem?
I’d even be happy to pay more if you can really help me find the right solution.

And what about that brand of yours?
Your name, your logo, and all those pretentious advertising slogans?

They’re all about you, and how great you are.
Actually, Im more interested in me, and what you can do for me.

Start thinking about my world.

Don’t sell me travel tickets, help me explore the world.
Don’t sell me running shoes, help me to run a personal best.
Don’t sell me potted plants, help me to create a magical garden.

Stop bombarding me with your smug (but highly creative, you tell me) campaigns.
Telling me what you want to sell, when and how you want to tell me.

I’m not here just to prop up your sales targets.
I have got a life you know. I will buy things, but in my own time, on my terms.

Worst of all are all those unsolicited mail shots and phone calls.
They interrupt me and frustrate me. And eventually make me hate you.

When I do want something, I expect it to be easy.

Come to me, or to places convenient for me.
Rather than making me go to places convenient for you.
And at times to suit me.

I expect what I’ve seen online to be in your stores, or to be available by phone.
And to be able to take it back to any of your places, if I don’t like it.

But I want you to be open and honest about what the deal is.
None of those hidden clauses or additional costs.

Sometimes I wonder if you’re trying to trick me, and whether I can really trust you.

And when I do decide to buy something from you, please don’t call me Sir or Madam.
I’m me.

Don’t just follow a process or a script. Try and learn something about me.

And whilst we’re on the subject of stereotypes, please don’t say goodbye
with one of those fake “have a nice day” smiles,
which I know you have already done a thousand times today already.

If I can get any book or music delivered to my door in 24 hours
Then why shouldn’t I expect a new car, a new washing machine, and new home to be just as quick?

And if you treat me with you the best service when I’m a big cheese at work
Then I don’t expect to come back later and be treated like trash as an individual.

Treat me well as an individual and I will tell all my friends how good you are
And I might even switch to you as a corporate customer too.

Treat me as a human being. And be a yourself, not a corporate clone.

I know you get rewarded for satisfying me. But frankly I expect much more than that.
I demand 100% satisfaction, and 100% of that so-called delight too.

Every time I talk to your people. Every time I experience anything to do with you.
It should be right, it should be excellent, it should be perfect.

However I don’t want the same every time. Life’s too short and a bit boring.
To be honest, I’d sometimes like you to surprise me!

Which brings me to something that a friend of mine tells me that you care about a lot...
Loyalty.

Whether I really want to come back again. And do. And buy more. And tell others.
So you give me a plastic card. With something like a 1% discount.

Hmmm. To be honest I think loyalty is something that has to work both ways.
If you trust me, care for and do more for me. I might just do likewise.

But a relationship is perhaps asking too much of me.
Do I really want a relationship with a big anonymous company? I think not.

I know you invested millions in those customer relationship management systems.
But all I get is yet more pieces of direct mail. About what and when you want.

I’d much prefer to get to know other people who share my passions.
For travelling. Or running. Or gardening. Real people like me.

The best thing you could do is help me build relationships with other people in my world.
Help us to share our experience and opinions, even about you.
Help us to share our ideas and interests, and to do what we love most.

I’m then happy to buy your products. And delighted to be part of your community.
And you might even find the things I say and share, are valuable to you too.

Surely measuring how strongly I feel about you, and intend to do more with you
Are much better, forward-looking indicators of your success, than your financial history.

And one final thing about people – the real people, the human beings who work for you.
I know they work incredibly hard, but I wonder what life is like for them

So what makes them tick? Want to do more? To even surprise me?

I want to support a company that cares about its own people too. It cares about who makes its products, and the impact it has on people all around the world. Because I bet they care a lot more about me as a person, than me as a product.

If you give them time, and encourage them to know me, maybe they can create a much better solution to my needs, which I’d be happy to pay more for, and therefore better results for your business too.

When you think about it. I know you’re a real person just like me.

But when you go to work you put your blinkers on.  You restrict yourself to some artificially defined sector.

Whilst I see a bigger, more exciting, more connected world. You become a slave to short-term, transactional thinking. Whilst I think without limits.

You follow conventions and prejudices of your own making. Whilst for me, everything is possible.

It’s simple really. You’ve just got to see my world.

Do business from the outside in. Not the inside out.

Start with me, and everything else follows. We can be real people together. Happy supporting each other. With so much more opportunity. And more fun.

Together we can do extraordinary things"

Order your copy of Customer Genius now on Amazon at 35% discount