If you own or manage a business and your decision making is still based on what you want, and are all about putting yourself before the customers – then it is time to hang up the boots and set your status to retired. In today’s society, we live in the Age of the Customer, and in the Age of the Customer, businesses base decisions on the outside-in concept.

The best part about being human is the ability to possess and express our emotions; engage with me and I feel important, surprise me and I become intrigued, impress me and I become loyal. The outside-in concept focuses on the voice of the customer (VOC) and how businesses should tailor messages to evoke emotion, establish loyal brand ambassadors and stimulate referrals – multiple global studies are discovering word of mouth advertising is the most effective channel to market your business.

In an everyday example, we will look simply at company car parks. More often than not, the boss of a company has an allocated parking bay right next to the front door – forcing customers to park further away. What sort of message is this sending? That the company is more important and more valuable than their customers?

Of course, the industry closest to our hearts is telephony. All of the IT-driven software featuring Artificial Intelligence (AI), hunt groups, and IVRs are 100% about YOU, not the customer. This software has been implemented to make life for businesses easier, with a complete disregard of the repercussions for callers.

Captivate Connect has developed a system used by businesses globally, allowing them to shift their focus outside-in. It is imperative to consider your business and its touchpoints from the perspective of the customer. What do your target audience desire and need? How can we enhance their experiences through the audio channel?

It is time for self-centredness in business to end and for businesses to start thinking outside-in!