(published in the Financial Services Forum’s quarterly magazine, Argent)

Since the credit crunch began, all consumers have really wanted to see is the headline ‘Bankers take responsibility for financial crisis’. The whole financial services industry has come under sceptical scrutiny.

Against that background, is it surprising that a claim to be ‘customer-centric’ elicits a gale of hollow laughter amongst consumers? But keep making the customer the heart of your business. If you don’t get up every morning, thinking of how you can better serve your customers, then you may as well stay in bed.

Just don’t alienate them by telling them that you are a ‘customer-centric’ organisation. Never let internal ideas inadvertently become external communications.

Your customer-centricity should be obvious from the way you serve them.

Don’t say it. Be it.

Tags: Argent, bankers, credit crunch, customer centric, customers, Financial Services Forum, responsibility