Technology by itself is not the real disruptor. Not being customer centric is the biggest threat to any business explains Helen Christopher, Manufacturing Ambassador for CIM in the South West. Helen is Marketing Manager (UK & Ireland) and European Marketing Coach at Bürkert Fluid Control Systems.

Steve Jobs, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Apple Inc. said; “You have to start with the customer experience and work backwards to the technology”. His reasoning was that people fear technology; but they don't need to understand it; they need to understand people and other resources”.

Bürkert has been learning for and from our customers for more than 70 years now. This enables us to always think that crucial step ahead and around the bend. For your added value. In order to remain successful in the future, we need flexibility within our organisation and we need to keep our learning constantly up to date.

We put customers at the centre of our business, and we need transparency in our workflows, functions and processes. This is the only way that we, as a team, can achieve our common goal.

As society changes, we need to focus on certain areas. State-of-the-art technology and superlative quality are essential for inspiring and convincing customers.

Points to consider:

1. If professional marketers don’t put the customers at the centre, who will?
2. There are no panaceas, customers and colleagues will all need different things.
3. You have to have empathy with your customers and your customer’s customers. You have to make life easier for them.
4. Always look for systems driven marketing solutions that follow clear processes.
5. Always be ready to respond appropriately to the “How hard can Marketing be?” views of your colleagues, who have many other pressures to contend with.
6. Don’t forget how important the implementation stage of your marketing plan actually is.
7. Be diligent with your choice of controls and measures and make sure you use them constructively.