CCO Aptitude #5: Action, Not Banners and Coffee Mugs

The company will need to see substantive change to believe that the commitment is true and real and understand what it means in terms of things they should do. The CCO’s job is to keep it real.

There have likely been efforts that have come before this most recent proclamation to the customer. The corporate memory keepers have little patience for empty commitment to the customer. The CCO has got to get real change going. People will respond a lot better and will be pleased and relieved that they finally have some actions to take their cue from in terms of what they should do.

I’d like to have a big tote board for all the money that’s been spent in corporations on banners, coffee mugs, and various other trinkets that have been created to make the customer top of mind. One company I worked with had one of the oddest solutions I’ve seen.

Draped over employees’ chairs were fuzzy blue blankets with “CUSTOMER” printed on them in big block letters. “What are these for?” I inquired.

The answer: “To make sure that the customer is at every meeting. We pull up a chair for the customer and put this blanket over it so people remember the customer.”This is not the answer.

Take Action

It’s action that people want. It’s action that they’ll remember. It’s clear action that will finally signal to them that this is the real thing.