Adapting your operating model to win customers

VIRTUALLY every large company says it is becoming more customer-focused. Yet, many cannot truly delight customers because their operating model - how they organise and operate resources to execute the strategy - gets in the way.

Some companies are struggling to adapt their operating model to recent changes in the customer landscape. Digital technologies have led to new channels, each of which must work seamlessly with the others. That's made operations more complex. At the same time, these technologies allow for rapid, very public feedback from customers, which makes poor performance visible.

Providing the optimal customer experience requires more than understanding customers' needs and priorities. A company must also ensure that each element of its operating model - organisational structure, accountabilities, governance, ways of working and key capabilities - work together to meet those needs.