I recently spoke with a prospective client who told me that his organization was aiming to be the “Nordstrom” of their industry. In my position, I hear this a lot.
To be clear, getting to be the Nordstrom of any industry does take intentional focus and action. It is also not easy to achieve.
What I find when I work with clients to dig deep into their true identity and culture, they are not built to be “Nordstrom-like.” You know the biggest reasons?
- They are not prepared to be rigid, yet flexible.
- They are not prepared to dive into how their leadership culture impacts employee performance.
- They are not prepared to require accountability based upon a common purpose.
- They are not prepared to make the entire organization responsible for customer experience.
- They are not prepared to see the very real connection between their leader’s behavior, their front line’s commitment and organizational performance.
- They are not prepared to put crazy energy behind recognizing profitable, customer-centric behaviors.
It is much tougher than Nordstrom makes it look to be “Nordstrom-like.” It has taken them many years to be the kind of organization that others envy.
Is it possible to move in their direction? Absolutely! Will everybody land in that coveted spot? Absolutely not!
Is the destination worth the journey? You betcha! Rome was not built in a day. Want to know how your organization stacks up? Sign up here for our free consultation. For a great book on this subject, read The Nordstrom Way to Customer Service Excellence.
Get prepared for a fun ride!
Make it an others-centered life!
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Thank you for reading. I hope I struck a nerve and provided some fuel for you to be the catalyst to move our organization toward a truly customer-centric culture. Please do Share with whomever you think might benefit.
