Magnetic Circle: Customer First

Are businesses talking enough about customers? Our take: not nearly enough. In a world marked by ever-shifting trends, technological leaps, and changing circumstances, navigating change effectively and efficiently is a challenge. The answer? Customer centricity.

Staying close to customer needs, even during rocky weather, will help leaders and their businesses weather the toughest storms.

Here are our crowd-sourced learnings. Join the circle.

• Data doing good for our communities and the planet. Unilever has teams of analysts to process a dizzying amount of data from consumer behaviour and turn the insights into good for customers, communities and our plant. The aim: to understand customer wants and needs better to provide the best products and services possible. [link] Credit: Andy G
• Amazon starts with the customer and works backwards. Be customer not competitor obsessed. Amazon famously ‘experiment, experiment, experiment’ with the customer at the heart. They’ve completely reinvented customer expectations on convenience. [link] Credit: Clare
• Meta’s ambitious launch of the (Meta) Metaverse was driven by a belief that this was what customers needed. However, as the initiative unfolded, it became evident that it didn’t meet expectations, and the reality was that users didn’t actually want it. [link] Credit : Jacob
• The online U.S. bank SoFi is on a mission to reshape the banking landscape. Operating on a membership basis, they have built a community where people can connect and learn from one another, encouraging open discussions about money matters. [link] Credit: Gem
• ‘Ello to smart nutrition. Elo uses blood samples and Apple Watch data to personalise supplements, allowing users to track and make adjustments based on their results. Smart Nutrition recommendations are driven by an in-depth analysis of the biochemistry, personal goals, health history, and activity levels, and are constantly evolving to reflect the consumers’ changing needs. [link] Credit : Mireille
• Meet the award winning customer-centric pharmaceutical company. Bristol Myers Squibb earned the top spot for innovation in 2021 and is consistently recognised for its customer-centric approach. Their recent establishment of a state-of-the-art R&D facility reflects their commitment to enhancing customer service. Additionally, investments in employee satisfaction and professional growth further contribute to their customer-focused endeavours. [link] Credit: Mark
• Ocean Bottle empowers people and groups to take action. Every Ocean Bottle sold funds the collection of 1,000 plastic bottles before they go into the ocean. By recognising the need for communities to come together to drive change, Ocean Bottle helps people to make tangible impact by doing something positive for people and the planet. [link] Credit: Aidas
• Apple took a different path in the VR market by prioritising human interaction. Instead of immersing users entirely in a device, Apple Vision Pro enhances real-world experiences with the. [link] Credit: Jacob
• Adobe’s “Experience-athons” drives customer centricity and makes employees feel more valuable. Employees get to test new products and services first-hand, while product teams observe their experience and gather feedback. Adobe found that when employees had a chance to use the new products, they developed a better understanding of what it’s like to walk in the shoes of the customer. As well as making a positive difference to the customer experience, employees reported feeling more valuable to Adobe. [link] Credit: Huw
• Airbnb wants to be right there when you’re all set for your next adventure. But here’s the deal: sometimes hosts aren’t sure what cool stuff to shout about in their listings, and guests might not even realise what they secretly love. So, Airbnb decided to get tech-savvy and started using AI tools that scan host pics and listings. These nifty tools then dish out recommendations to potential guests based on their past habits. It’s like having your own travel buddy who knows you better than you do! [link] Credit: Dan
• Realising a sustainable future for cocoa. Mars Cocoa are putting customers and communities at the front of their work to reimagine what an equitable, sustainable future looks like for cocoa. No easy task in an industry that’s known for inequity and being unsustainable. They are changing how they think and work with an entire supply chain and the people in it — always with customer at the centre. [link] Credit: Prudence

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Curators: Mark & Gem

Magnetic is a design and innovation company that helps design better futures. We’ve worked with global businesses to build capabilities, products, services and transform organisations. To find out more, get in touch: hello@wearemagnetic.com.