2013 Predictive Consulting Group, Inc.

All rights reserved. Reproduction prohibited.

CHIEF CUSTOMER OFFICER COUNCIL
www.ccocouncil.org | (978) 226-8675 Page 1
Assess the Scene

by Curtis N. Bingham

2013 Predictive Consulting Group, Inc.
All rights reserved. Reproduction prohibited.
CHIEF CUSTOMER OFFICER COUNCIL
www.ccocouncil.org | (978) 226-8675 Page 2
Assess the Scene


Curti s N. Bi ngham
Founder and Executi ve Di rector
Chi ef Customer Offi cer Counci l
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Cver Lhe pasL number of years l've Laken my wlfe and Lhree Leenage chlldren on exLended backpacklng
Lrlps. We've hlked deep lnLo Lhe lnLerlor of ?ellowsLone, Lhe 1eLons, Lhe Wlnd 8lver mounLalns ln
Wyomlng, and mosL recenLly, Lhe 100 Mlle Wllderness ln Malne. 8ecognlzlng Lhe rlsk of ln[ury ln Lhe
wllderness, l aLLended a wllderness flrsL ald course. Cne key prlnclple was drllled lnLo me over and over
agaln: Assess Lhe scene. CfLen, Lhose flrsL on Lhe scene of an accldenL rush ln Lo help, [eopardlzlng Lhelr
own safeLy or worse, causlng greaLer harm Lo any vlcLlms. Slmllarly, cusLomer execuLlves and especlally
chlef cusLomer offlcers need Lo assess Lhe scene" before pushlng Lhelr agenda Lo creaLe a cusLomer-
cenLrlc culLure.
AlLhough we as cusLomer execuLlves mlghL be LempLed Lo argue LhaL creaLlng a cusLomer-cenLrlc culLure
should come flrsL and foremosL, ln slLuaLlons of hlgh sLress, lL ls lnevlLably shoved Lo Lhe back burner. A
physlclan can'L help you wlLh your dleL when you are ln a dlabeLlc coma any more Lhan Lhe flre
deparLmenL can Leach safe drlvlng hablLs whlle Lhey are exLrlcaLlng you from a wrecked car. !usL as Lhe
Llme for prevenLlve measures ls long before Lhe accldenL, aLLenLlon Lo culLure musL Lake place before
Lhe crlsls.
Powever, when a crlsls does arlse, effecLlve CCCs wlll choose Lhelr baLLles carefully, someLlmes pauslng
Lhe long game and helplng Lo puL ouL Lhe flres. 1he flrsL Lhlng Lhey wlll do ls assess Lhe scene Lo
deLermlne where ln Lhe company asslsLance ls mosL needed and how besL Lo provlde lL. Successful
cusLomer execuLlves wlll:
1. ldenLlfy Lhe mosL dlssaLlsfled cusLomers aL rlsk of churn Lhrough whaLever means posslble
(engagemenL measures, accounL Leam reporLs, escalaLlons, surveys, soclal medla, eLc.).
2. rlorlLlze and connecL wlLh Lhe hlghesL prlorlLy cusLomers Lo dlscover lssues and needs, be Lhey
urgenL or laLenL.

2013 Predictive Consulting Group, Inc.
All rights reserved. Reproduction prohibited.
CHIEF CUSTOMER OFFICER COUNCIL
www.ccocouncil.org | (978) 226-8675 Page 3
3. CaLher a cross-funcLlonal Leam Lo undersLand, assess, prlorlLlze, and resolve lssues. MosL
lmporLanLly, Lhe Leam musL close Lhe loop wlLh cusLomers, elLher lndlcaLlng LhaL Lhe lssues wlll
noL be addressed or provldlng a Llme frame for Lhelr resoluLlon and ulLlmaLely dellverlng on LhaL
promlse.
uurlng a sales crlsls, such as when revenue LargeLs are ln [eopardy, a chlef cusLomer offlcer mlghL [oln
sales calls Lo lend credence and credlblllLy Lo sales efforLs, or use cusLomer analyLlcs Lo deLermlne
cusLomers mosL llkely Lo upgrade or repurchase. As well, Lhe CCC could use deep cusLomer relaLlonshlps
Lo help accounL Leams reach furLher lnLo accounLs. Lven more valuably, Lhe CCC can use slgnlflcanL
cusLomer relaLlonshlps Lo engage cusLomers ln an efforL Lo smooLh Lhe acqulslLlon of oLher cusLomers,
perhaps leveraglng cusLomer references and referrals or cusLomer parLlclpaLlon ln oLher markeLlng
acLlvlLles. A 8 crlsls mlghL be addressed slmllarly, wlLh Lhe CCC leveraglng relaLlonshlps Lo enllsL
cusLomers ln smooLhlng over confllcLs and resLorlng LrusL ln Lhe company.
Aslde from Lhe obvlous beneflLs Lo Lhe cusLomer and Lhe buslness, CCCs who use Lhelr ln-depLh
cusLomer knowledge Lo help oLher execuLlves resolve crlses also galn valuable Larned AuLhorlLy LhaL wlll
help Lhelr efforLs long afLer a crlsls has passed.
As ls sald ln pollLlcal arenas, never wasLe a good crlsls." A crlsls ls hardly Lhe Llme Lo focus on creaLlng a
cusLomer-cenLrlc culLure. Powever, by undersLandlng and leveraglng cusLomers Lo weaLher a crlsls,
cusLomer execuLlves fosLer goodwlll and lay Lhe groundwork for an lncreased focus on cusLomers afLer
Lhe crlsls has passed. Cnce ln Lhe clear, CCCs are ln a much sLronger poslLlon Lo enllsL Lhe larger
organlzaLlon ln prevenLlng fuLure crlses.
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!"# %&'"&(&#)*
CulLure won'L change ln Lhe face of crlsls
Choose baLLles carefully
Lay Lhe framework for change
Pelp puL ouL Lhe flres flrsL

2013 Predictive Consulting Group, Inc.
All rights reserved. Reproduction prohibited.
CHIEF CUSTOMER OFFICER COUNCIL
www.ccocouncil.org | (978) 226-8675 Page 4
About CURTIS N. BINGHAM
1he flrsL Lo promoLe Lhe role of chlef cusLomer offlcer (CCC) as caLalysL for
compeLlLlve advanLage, CurLls ls recognlzed as Lhe world's foremosL auLhorlLy on
CCCs. Pe ls founder and LxecuLlve ulrecLor of Lhe Chlef CusLomer Cfflcer
Councll` and creaLor of Lhe CCC 8oadmap and Lhe CusLomer CenLrlclLy MaLurlLy
Model: groundbreaklng, proprleLary works LhaL asslsL companles achleve
cusLomer cenLrlc culLure and revenue growLh. CurLls ls a champlon of cusLomer
engagemenL as a crlLlcal growLh englne and flrsL Lo ldenLlfy engagemenL as Lhe
nexL evoluLlonary sLep beyond loyalLy. An lnLernaLlonal speaker, auLhor, and
consulLanL, CurLls ls passlonaLe abouL creaLlng powerful cusLomer sLraLegles and
LrusLed for hls buslness acumen, acLlonable lnslghLs, and commlLmenL Lo
measurable buslness resulLs.
About THE CHIEF CUSTOMER OFFICER COUNCIL
1he CCC Councll ls a powerful and lnLlmaLe gaLherlng of Lhe world's
leadlng cusLomer execuLlves from wldely dlverse lndusLrles. 1he
Councll helps execuLlves achleve ob[ecLlves fasLer and more easlly by
leveraglng besL pracLlces. lL helps valldaLe and reflne sLraLegles and
lnlLlaLlves Lo avold experlmenLlng aL cusLomer expense. Membershlp
ls by lnvlLaLlon only, and purposefully cross-polllnaLed wlLh Lhe mosL
forward-Lhlnklng companles, large and small, so as Lo help cusLomer
execuLlves dellver solld, cusLomer-cenLrlc buslness resulLs. lor more
lnformaLlon, emall lnfo[ccocouncll.org or call 978-226-8673.


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provldes a framework for undersLandlng where engagemenL emerges ln Lhe
buslness-cusLomer relaLlonshlp Lo provlde lLs greaLesL value.
ln addlLlon, you'll also learn how real world companles such as MeLLlfe, Cracle,
and 8loL Cames are engaglng Lhelr cusLomers and en[oylng boLLom llne
lmprovemenLs Lo revenue and shareholder value as a resulL.
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CCC Councll neLwork