| Coordination is vital when it comes to offering | | | | as “guests”. |
| effective customer solutions. Establishing structural | | | | A client’s decision to engage the service of a |
| mechanisms and processes to harmonize | | | | company is often predicated upon the latter’s |
| information and activities across departments will | | | | ability to deliver value-added benefits. To meet |
| allow employees to improve the scope of their | | | | this objective, Verztec is a firm believer of |
| product offerings. In most companies, individual | | | | developing the capability of her staff. Not only |
| units concentrate on perfecting their products and | | | | does this take the form of defining a clear career |
| processes—they give little thought to how their | | | | path for employees adroit at delivering |
| offerings might be more valuable when paired | | | | customer-focused solutions, it ensures that |
| with those of another unit. | | | | enough people in the organization have the skills |
| Verztec encourages a culture of sharing and | | | | to do so. |
| cross-departmental coordination to deliver | | | | Verztec personnel are expected to align tasks |
| products and services in synchronized ways that | | | | and information around their customers’ |
| effectively address the requirements of her | | | | needs. Existing culture encourages and rewards |
| clients. Verztec Project Managers are expected to | | | | members of staff, even those in units distant |
| attend meetings with potential clients to sound out | | | | from customers, who go beyond providing |
| their requirements, following which, subsequent | | | | standard customer support to addressing specific |
| internal meetings are organised between relevant | | | | problems. As a result, Verztec personnel can |
| personnel from different departments to | | | | offer innovative solutions to suit the needs of |
| strategize how workload can be streamlined to | | | | their clients. |
| achieve top-class deliverables. | | | | A good illustration was when Verztec was |
| Under certain circumstances, Verztec Project | | | | approached to transcribe and translate the |
| Managers might even coordinate meetings | | | | contents of several audio tapes for a corporate |
| between Verztec personnel and their clients so | | | | client, Verztec Project Managers were quick to |
| that instructions can be conveyed directly and | | | | come up with a cost-effective alternative—to |
| feedback incorporated instantaneously. | | | | conduct interpretations directly from the tape. In |
| While coordination mechanisms can assist | | | | the interpretation session, they were thus able to |
| departments in focusing on customer’s needs, | | | | solicit instantaneous feedback from the client |
| they do not necessarily inspire a willingness among | | | | regarding terminologies and stylistic preferences. |
| members of competing departments to fully | | | | This shortened the production process and |
| cooperate and make oftentimes time-consuming | | | | ensured that the deliverables were in accordance |
| and costly adjustments in the interest of | | | | with the client’s expectations. |
| customers. Quality of a product or service, for | | | | To foster the development of boundary-spanning |
| example, can suffer when production personnel | | | | skills and cultivate a cadre of employees who |
| resists the advice of sales personnel, who are | | | | could grow into managerial positions, Verztec |
| seen to be more aware of their clients’ | | | | encourages individuals to explore the organisation |
| requirements and demands. Such insularity breeds | | | | structures and workflow processes of different |
| stagnation since excellence is defined by meeting | | | | departments. In understanding the way the |
| internal standards rather than achieving customer | | | | various departments work, members of staff will |
| satisfaction. | | | | be better equipped to advise their clients on the |
| A counter to this would be the promotion of the | | | | solutions and services that the company can |
| intangible aspects of culture, including values and | | | | offer. |
| the way the company communicates them via | | | | To stand out in a commoditized market, |
| images, symbols and stories. Touting service | | | | companies must understand what companies truly |
| accomplishments in addition to product | | | | value. The winning formula of customer-centric |
| accomplishments through company lore can shift | | | | companies is their set of values that put the |
| people’s mindsets. Verztec employees | | | | customer first. These values are then reinforced |
| broadcast a focus on customer’s needs via | | | | through cultural elements, power structures, |
| the company’s mission statement and via | | | | metrics and incentives that reward |
| linguistic convention—customers are regarded | | | | customer-focused, solutions-oriented behaviour. |