“Culture eats strategy for breakfast,” wrote Peter Drucker. Exactly. Everybody has heard this quote. And whenever somebody mentions it, heads nod, many vigorously. But do we really believe it? How hard do we work to put this insight into practice? Do we even know what culture means?
Marketing has some important evergreen principles. One principle is this: just because a brand-business is customer-focused does not mean that customers come first. Customers come second. Customer-focused employees come first.
Change happens all the time. Today, it is almost impossible to keep aware of everything that changes around your brand. Customer behaviors change. Attitudes change. Competition changes. Competitive strategies change. Technology changes. Devices change. Distribution channels change.
Company cultures will need to change if AI is to thrive in them. After all, powerful AI can ultimately upend work practices and jobs.
Problem Detection is one of marketing’s most effective strategies. Profitably solving and satisfying customer problems is the aim of marketing. So, marketers tend to focus problem detection on customers. But, as brand-business’ know, having motivated, committed, proud and loyal employees is a most critical factor in brand-business success. Recent research from Deloitte, the global services group, re-confirms the fundamental principle that loyal employees generate loyal customers.
