Customer Focus Inventory - Take part in an experiment?

[ccochran]

Hello, all:

How would you like to take part in an experiment? I've developed a tool called the Customer Focus Inventory, and I need to generate some numbers from actual companies. The intent of the Inventory is that it provides a benchmark of how focused on your customers you are, according to some pre-defined criteria. If you get a 2-3 minutes, please print this out and complete it for your own organization. Here's the info I need (if you feel comfortable giving it):

Your Score
Type of organization: Are you manufacturing or service?
Number of employees

The Customer Focus Inventory is the first chapter of a book I just finished writing. All the subsequent chapters provide the tools that help you become more customer focused. Of course, it's my version of customer focus, and it's not necessarily correct. At any rate, please take a crack at the Inventory.

Craig

 

[ccochran]

Example of results

In order to break the ice, here are the numbers I got from the Customer Focus Inventory, using what could possibly be my own organization. Please note that I said *possibly* my own organization:

Score: 8
Type of org: Service
Number of employees: 141

Okay, nobody should feel at all ashamed or intimidated now. Yes, that score was an "eight." No, I didn't forget the zero on the end.

Craig

 

[qualitygoddess - 2010]

The Score

Score: 16
Type of company: service
# Employees: 10

And we're considered by most customers to provide the "best solution" for their needs. We have a dozen or so competitors all over the world in a technology that is constantly evolving.

 

[ccochran]

Goddess,

Thanks for giving it a test drive. A 16 on this inventory is looking like a pretty high score. I'm impressed.

What did you think about the content of the tool?

Craig

 

[gpainter]

Based on where we stand at present:

-5
Manufacturing

341 app


May we have a peek at the first chapter??

 

[qualitytrec]

Score: 7
Type of org: Manufacturing
Number of employees: 8

I have to say that answering some of the questions depend on exactly what I am feeling or thinking about at the time. I wonder what the repeatability and reproducibility is for this type of "gage".

 

[howste]

Maybe I'm overly optimistic, but here we go:

Score: 46
Type of org: Service
Number of employees: 7

We are a small, very customer-focused organization. Each of us has direct contact with customers every day. We all realize that our survival depends on customers being not only satisfied with our service, but delighted.

 

[ccochran]

Markasmith,

Like any subjective tool of this type, the repeatability and reproducability is not strong. It gives you a flavor for where your organization might be. Thanks for completing it.

Howste,

Wow! That's by far the best score recorded. I'm ready to become a customer of yours.

All-- remember to let me know if any of the items on the inventory seem screwy.

Craig

 

[C Emmons]

I am looking over this inventory and realized how I answer these questions may differ from how someone sitting right down the hall might answer. I am the MR and directly involved in alot of these areas. I think I am going to get a few other people in my company to complete as well then post the individual scores. You now have my interest peaked to see how they will match up.

 

[howste]

Wow! That's by far the best score recorded. I'm ready to become a customer of yours.

All-- remember to let me know if any of the items on the inventory seem screwy.

We'd be happy to have you as a customer!

These two questions seemed a little bit focused on manufacturing companies:
27. Customer tours in our facility are a regular occurrence.
We don't really have tours, but since we regularly host public training courses at our facility, I thought this one applies.
28. Our personnel often visit customer locations to observe our products in use.
Auditing and consulting are always done at our customers' locations, in addition to frequent onsite training courses. I also think that this qualifies as "observing our products in use." I personally spend more time at customer locations than in my own office.