What does it really mean to create a customer-centric culture? We hear companies say it all the time. Almost every claims to have it. But what does it really mean and how do you know if you really have it?

Culture is a powerful and interesting beast. I’ve had the opportunity to observe and operate within many corporate cultures. I’ve learned that corporate cultures cannot just be decreed from the top as cultures get their power from all of the people within them. While CEOs and other leaders can be influential in culture development, they can also be completely enveloped by powerful cultures that are driven from all levels of the organization and formed over many, many years.

That said, I believe there are certain dynamics that drive cultures, and we can influence and shift cultures by focusing on these key areas.

Without further ado, here are what I believe are the four key facets of a truly customer-centric culture:

1. Faith
   Customer-centric organizations believe almost religiously that sales and profits are the by-product of great customer experiences. They are unwavering in their belief that intense focus on creating the best experience for their customers is the ultimate way to grow their businesses. All businesses need to create profits, but truly customer-centric organizations focus on the customer and not on directly “driving sales.” They believe the best way to improve sales is to view them as an outcome of great customer experiences rather than something that can be directly affected.
   
   I once had the opportunity to meet with Yahoo and Google in back-to-back meetings regarding potential partnerships with my company at the time (I know, dated reference), and the two discussions could not have been more different. The Yahoo team was very focused in determining how the partnership would increase Yahoo’s revenues while the Google team interrupted us immediately when we began to discuss revenue. They said they were only interested in opportunities that would enhance the Google experience for their users. Period. I didn’t take this to mean they weren’t interested in growing their business. They simply believed that Google’s purpose was to help people find all the world’s information, and they would maximize their revenue by delivering on their purpose in the best way possible for their users.
   
   

2. Fortitude
   Relentless focus on the customer experience is not easy, particularly for public companies. Truly customer-centric organizations constantly have their faith tested by both external and internal forces who are looking for short-term sales or profits, even if those sales and profits might come at the expense of the customer experience. Customer-centric organizations focus on the value of a customer engagement cycle that relies on great customer experience as an engine that drives retention and positive word of mouth.
   
   There will always be pressure to run short-term promotions to goose sales. It’s not that customer-centric organizations don’t run promotions; it’s just that they run those promotions in context of their larger purposes in service of their customer. They focus on earning sales and loyalty rather than buying sales and loyalty.
   
   

3. Employees first (even before customers)
   It may seem counterintuitive to say customer-centric organizations put their employees before their customers, but in my experience this is true and this may actually be the most important of the four keys I’m discussing here.
   
   It’s a bit like when we’re instructed by flight attendants to secure our own oxygen masks before helping our children secure theirs.
   
   All employees play a part in the experiences we provide our customers. Some have direct contact with our customers and others make daily decisions that ultimately affect the experiences our customers have with us. Their attitudes about their jobs and the company can make or break the experience they provide for our customers. This is sort of obvious for front line staff like store associates and call center agents, but it’s also true for site developers, delivery truck drivers, mid-level managers, executives and, frankly, janitors. Even those not on the front lines are constantly making decisions that affect our customers’ experiences.
   
   Truly customer-centric organizations therefore provide absolutely great career experiences for their employees so their employees pass along the greatness to their customers. While decent salaries are certainly a factor, money alone is not enough. An “employees first” approach means employees are treated with great respect. They’re trusted with the authority to deliver on clearly defined accountabilities. They’re also given clear direction and clear guidelines and fully supported when they make decisions that improve the customer experience. And, this may sound counterintuitive, but the customer is not always right. There are scenarios where the customer is clearly out-of-bounds and truly customer-centric organizations know when to support an employee over the customer.
   
   

4. They talk the talk and walk the walk
   Most retail organizations profess to be customer-centric. Those that truly are customer-centric talk about customer experience internally exponentially more than they talk about it externally. Strategic and tactical discussions always center around improvements for the customer.
   
   These organizations measure the success of their businesses by metrics that represent the perceptions and voices of their customers. They spend a lot of time and effort ensuring these voice of customer metrics are credible, reliable and accurate, and they focus on them incessantly. These metrics are the first metrics that are discussed in weekly staff meetings from the executive level to the front line level. Bonuses are driven by these metrics, too, but the regular discussion of the voice of customer metrics and the drive to improve the experience is what separates customer-centric organizations from companies that discuss sales first and customer metrics later, if ever.
   

Are these attributes ideals for a perfect world that aren’t rooted in reality? I don’t think so. Organizations such as Trader Joe’s, Patagonia, and Southwest Airlines attribute their success to such thinking, and based on some of my experiences with them they seem to be living up to the promise.

Is it easy? No way. While earning loyalty may not yield the immediate sales results buying loyalty can, the longer term efficiencies gained through providing great customer experiences can more than make up for the difference.