A potent client retention strategy is driven by an equally potent human capital strategy. Otherwise, stakeholder churn rates negatively impact your organization’s and association’s ability to hold on to the customers you work so hard to win.
Yet far too many business models and hiring practices continue to segment and marginalize internal stakeholders into revenue generators or order-takers. Knowledge workers or manual workers. Technically- and engineering-focused or business-focused.
While perpetuating those models and that mindset is a convenient way to organize people, it is an anachronism. A vestige of mass-production mindset, where employees are cogs in a wheel rather than a vibrant and dynamic part of business growth and customer success.
A potent client retention strategy flattens the concept of customer acquisition and retention.
When post-acquisition stakeholders become essential to pre-acquisition dynamics, customers experience the full value an organization brings to their tables. Otherwise, no matter how well marketing and sales efforts attempt to convince clients otherwise, your organization “looks” like everyone else’s. Segmented. Siloed. Stuck. That model is so, well, “yesterday.”
Consider that in today’s digitally-connected workplace, machines and software interfaces collaborate seamlessly across organizational borders. Yet, these systems are not quite human. However, your employee stakeholders certainly are. Why not give them the latitude to collaborate seamlessly across the organization? Isn’t it about time to poke holes in those borders?
A potent human capital strategy incorporates stakeholders into an organizational whole, rather than procures them to fit into specific functions.
Regardless of the size of your organization or association, a potent human capital strategy underpins growth, expansion and sustainability. Consider what happens when the definition of “talent” includes all stakeholders and not just knowledge workers. Thus, you create a strong foundation for client retention.
Because you give all employee stakeholders an opportunity to learn how to collaboratively serve each other and your clients. While they concurrently are permitted to develop previously unexplored skillsets. Who wouldn’t want to work for your organization, with that type of human capital charter?
Consider what you CAN do. Instead of limiting yourselves by what you CAN NOT do.
One of the most potent stories I tell in my One Millimeter Mindset™ workshops and keynotes concerns the profitability resulting from moving past limitations imposed by organizational naysayers. Together.
A potent client retention strategy becomes translational and transformational. Not just transactional and compensation-focused, after all is said and done. To achieve a client- and stakeholder-focused outcome that is bigger than oneself, revisit whether your business models and hiring strategies are a vestige of the past, rather than a reflection of the future. Because the future is where your competitors – and future clients – are heading.
Take these additional next steps:
Planning your next team, corporate or association meeting? Searching for a one-on-one catalyst to get you unstuck? Engage me to present a One Millimeter Mindset ™ program! Delivered virtually or in-person. Contact me here.
I am an extroverted STEM professional and left-brain thinker specializing in professional innovation, cross-functional leadership and client retention. I catalyze professionals to translate across communication and collaboration disconnects. Become more professionally visible, cross-functionally relevant and strategically valuable to your organizations. Better serve each other first so you better serve your clients together. One millimeter at a time. My One Millimeter Mindset™ virtual and in-person speaking programs leverage Voice of the Customer design methodology and storytelling to move individuals, teams, departments and organizations one millimeter beyond yesterday’s tools and today’s professional comfort zones My playbook of cross-functional collaboration, Do YOU Mean Business? is available on Amazon.com. Contact me here.
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