Business Agility Transformation - The “WOW Factor”

“The goal as a company is to have customer service that is not just the best but legendary.”

— Sam Walton

In today’s VUCA world and highly competitive business environment, bringing the “WOW factor” into your business gives a distinct competitive advantage. If you can WOW your customers, you can turn them in to advocates or raving fans and in turn have loyal customers. 

Bringing this into your business involves the element of surprise to make the customer glad they did business with you. The “WOW” comes from surprise.

However, let’s assume this WOW means something else. No less of a surprise but something that provides consistency, delivers an experience that not only satisfies and delights customers but at the same time, truly engages employees. 

In the game of rising above your competitors, it’s a two way street.

In this case our WOW means - Ways of Working.

Not forgetting that objective of creating raving fans out of customers, what does this mean from the company perspective?

The WOW consists of the following:

• The Operating Model
• The Organisation Structure
• The Mindset, Values and Principles of the people. (This is a key tenet of psychological safety)
• The practices and behaviours
• The leadership style

Creating the capability and competence to optimise the five elements of the Ways of Working is a huge step towards achieving Business Agility. This in turn is manifest in an organisation demonstrating the following:

• Alignment
• Transparency
• Respect for People
• Relentless Improvement

These are the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFE®) Core Values

An organisations’ “WOW Factor” really needs to be built upon foundations that represent trust, respect, transparency and authenticity; and above all, this WOW needs to have the customer firmly at the centre of everything.

“The most important single thing is to focus obsessively on the customer. Our goal is to be earth’s most customer-centric company.”

— Jeff Bezos