There’s a big difference. One listens. The other follows. One builds with the customer in mind. The other builds with the customer at the table.
In this edition of Todays Shake-Down, I’m diving into a real-life experience that exposed the gap between customer-centric and customer-led strategies and why that gap matters more than ever.
I’m sharing my experience here, across my social channels, and directly with the financial institution through their review platform. It’s time for organizations to step beyond surface-level service and embrace truly customer-led strategies—where listening turns into action and customers have a seat at the table. I’m sharing my story with you, my social channels and with the financial institution through their review platform. Its time organizations step out of their comfort zone and consider more customer led strategy’s.
The Setup: A Simple Task Turned Saga
Three days. Multiple channels. Countless interactions. All to reset a password.
What started as a routine login attempt with my bank turned into a frustrating journey through error messages, authentication failures, and conflicting instructions. I tried online. I called telephone banking. I visited the branch. I was bounced back and forth, each touchpoint offering a smile but no solution.
The irony? My bank offers customer-enabled features designed to empower users. Yet when those features failed, the support system collapsed into confusion.
The Friction: Where Strategy Falls Apart
The issue wasn’t just technical. It was strategic.
Telephone banking said go to the branch.
The branch said call telephone banking.
Neither could align on process or resolution.
This wasn’t just a breakdown in service it was a breakdown in experience design, and it begs the question: Are we truly listening to customers, or just smiling at them while they struggle?
Customer-Centric vs. Customer-Led
Being customer-centric means designing with the customer in mind. Being customer-led means designing with the customer at the table.
Customer-centric: “We think this is what you need.”
Customer-led: “Tell us what you need. Let’s build it together.”
In my case, the organization was friendly, but not responsive. Empathetic, but not empowered. Helpful, but not aligned.
The Opportunity: Co-Creation in Real Time
This experience reinforced why I do what I do. My business is built around livestreaming events that bring customers and leaders together in real time.
Customers share their stories.
Businesses listen and respond.
Insights are captured and acted on.
Surveys, NPS scores, and CSAT metrics are useful, but they don’t tell the full story. Real-time conversations do.
The Takeaway: Experience Is a Strategy
Customer experience isn’t just a department. It’s a strategy.
If you want to be customer-led, involve your customers. Invite them to the table. Let them co-create the journey.
Because in a world where trust is earned and loyalty is fleeting, the organizations that win aren’t just talking about their customers they’re talking with them.
Drop your thoughts in the comments. Let’s shake things up together.
