Why do we love some companies? Why do we remain loyal to certain brands and products? It’s because we form a connection with the brand and have "strong faith that the brand will give you what you need,” explains Howard Tiersky, CEO of FROM and author of “Winning Digital Customers: The Antidote to Irrelevance.”
Brands that are able to adapt to the digital changes necessary to thrive in current economic conditions and thus maintain loyalty are those that have incorporated strong leadership and values into their brand. The book gives a detailed blueprint of all aspects to consider during a digital transformation.
There are three primary factors across “loved brands,” says Tiersky, who has worked with many manufacturing companies throughout his career. They are:
--They meet the needs of their target customers extremely consistently.
--They periodically do things that delight customers beyond their expectations and needs.
--They “stand for” something that resonates with their customers.
And the role that digital plays in all of this is central. “If you aren’t delivering an excellent digital experience, you are also quite likely not aligned with customers' values.” And how companies perform this task is directly related to how agile teams understand and respond to customer trends and expectations. An example Tiersky provides in the book is using a future state journey mapping tool that offers ideas on how to generate “big ideas and a lot of ideas.”
One key process is to allow teams the freedom to envision, which involves a concept he calls ideation. It’s a process to generate product ideas. And one aspect is to include diverse team members.
He offers a list of diversity that is necessary:
- Geographic
- Functional
- Gender
- Age
- Job Level
- Company
- Personality
Part of building a diverse team is infusing the company with new ideas. Creating a space where everyone can express these ideas is based on building a trusted space. Trust can also be applied to how employees perform their jobs. As a result of the pandemic, many people had to work at home and figure out a work structure that worked for their particular circumstances. Companies had to trust employees in a manner that many hadn’t done before. But the results were good says Tiersky. “I talked to many companies and the consensus was that they have seen increased productivity, as a result of working at home. More freedom leads to being more resourceful and that tends to lead to better results.”
While employees and teams are adjusting to new working conditions in the new digital age, what hasn’t changed is good leadership. “Strong leadership has remained constant through the ages,” says Tiersky. “It’s about the connection with people, giving them something to believe in and something to trust. Then you bring together the right teams and give them the resources and freedom to meet the challenges.”
It’s this structure that will allow manufacturing companies to transform their businesses to meet the demand of a digital structure, satisfy their customers and compete in the marketplace.
