“Strategic direction is more important today. It's about providing a framework for managers to navigate through the fog of complex chokes. No company can avoid this."

– C.K. Prahalad –

PoS May 2014 | Employees: the trim tabs of organisation

Dear friend,

Last month we purchased a refrigerator from a large and reputed Indian retail chain. When we paid, the salesperson informed us that particular model was not available but assured that it would be delivered in just a few days.

It took numerous phone calls, countless broken promises and an intervention from the Managing Director of the chain before the refrigerator was delivered, after three weeks.

Employee behavior & strategic advantage

Wouldn’t it be great if employees honoured promises? Would it not create competitive advantage for the firm?

All too often firms concentrate on concrete features of a product or service to build competitive edge. They ignore that employee behaviour – I will call it action values – can create customer preference.

The truth is customers buy from people. They assess an offering’s suitability on the basis of what they hear from the seller’s employees. When they perceive people are reliable, they gain a favourable impression of the product.

 To identify and leverage trim tab of your organisation, get in touch.