Simon T Bailey’s Blog

I recently attended an executive retreat sponsored by EFI Inc., based in Vero Beach, Florida. (Visit www.efi-inc.com for more information on one of the foremost authorities on Executive Education.) Michael Treacy, Professor of Management at MIT Sloan School, was one of the speakers at the retreat. He asked a thought-provoking question: “Why should customers do business with you?”

Answers to his question produced even more thought-provoking questions: Is it the fact that you keep your word? Or do you always deliver a consistent and timely product/service? What makes you and the company you work for attractive to customers? Are you the benchmark in your industry? Is your company innovative or just maintaining the status quo? If you were told that your job, product, or service would be outsourced and that you had three months to find another gig, what would you do? Are you an employee or a supplier that the company would fight to keep?

I see two issues emerging from these questions. First, the knowledge worker of the 21st century will have to answer this question on a daily basis: “What am I doing in my current role to remain viable, cutting-edge, and valuable?” The second issue is that employers will have to turn up the volume on “LOVE” for talent. Otherwise, employees will vote with their heart and feet. Leaders create the experience for employees and employees create the experience for customers. That’s reason enough for customers to do business with you.

-Simon T Bailey

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