What's nimbility? “If people in your organization understand[customer needs] and you are ready to respond, your organizationhas nimbility. If not, you have the opposite trait, which we cancall 'numbility.'”

During the past 10 years, we entered “the age of the customer,”but the basic principles of nimbility are more important thanever.

Empowered associates. A core element is keepingdecision-making authority at the front line of service. Think howyou feel when a store clerk tells you they can process a returnright at their register versus telling you to go to the customerservice area in the back of the store. Empowered associates havebeen a cornerstone of online commerce — now it has become astandard for all retail to live up to.

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Technology is an enabler, not a service.Service enabling systems are tools, not services. Customers areinterested in personal treatment in a tech-driven, impersonalworld.

Awareness that each customer is unique. Therehas been an evolution toward voluntary plans and away from“one-size-fits-all” benefits, which no longer meet the needs of anincreasingly diverse workforce. Each customer has their own story,needs, and viewpoint.

Profit and financial success elements are outcomes, notgoals. An organization's goals should be customercentered. Simply measuring and striving for financial successmisses the point: An empowered team dedicated to customer serviceis the cornerstone of great businesses. Durable customers who bringalong their friends build long-term success.

Nimbility fosters change. “The most likely tosurvive is not the strongest or most intelligent, it is the mostable to change.” Credit LSU Professor Leon C. Megginson for thisstatement often attributed to Charles Darwin. Customers follow theclassic change curve, with some adopting early and others resistantto the end.

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Businesses with nimbility keep old techniques (paper enrollmentmaterials) while introducing new options (web-based enrollmentsystems, text-based options, etc.). It's important not to throwaway old methods too fast, because a substantial percentage ofemployees will be slow to change.

What of “numbility”? Businesses with numbilityare tone deaf to the voices of customers. They provide servicethat's just enough to move on to the next call. Too often, theirmeasurement of success in service is based on numbers: How fast isa phone call back off the line? How quickly is there a response toa text or email?

Efficiency can be mistaken for effectiveness.Even worse, number-centric management can place a serious strain onstaff efficiency, because they know their performance is measuredby metrics instead of outcomes — and they know what customers wantis positive outcomes.

Build an attitude of responsiveness and nimbility into yourorganization's business culture and you and your staff members willexcel for customers. You and your staff will have the nimbility —the nimble ability — to provide the highest level of service.

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