In the strategy work we do, we ask our clients to consider input from customer and employee conversations by asking themselves two questions. These two questions help pinpoint vital areas of opportunity, especially when it comes to creating customer and employee loyalty. 1. Can you describe the organization that, if it existed, would put you out of business? Imagine if your customers (all of them) called to tell you they were no longer going to be doing business with you. Sounds terrible, doesn’t it (don’t worry, this is just an exercise)? How would they describe their experience at the new organization? What would your customers say about that organization? What about the care given to them and their needs? What if they were so excited about this hypothetical organization that their excitement and enthusiasm made you think about leaving you, too? What if your employees found this organization? What would your employees say in their resignation letters about why they are going to work there? How would it feel to see the passion in their eyes ignited upon an opportunity with this company? What ignited the spark that helped them find their passion again? What if working for that company sounded good and you wanted to go with them, too? Make sure you describe this hypothetical business with detail and thought, because right now, one of your competitors is passionately pursuing that vision. The lessons and thoughts that come out of this process are everything from earth shattering to ridiculously simple, but they help you define how you can be the best organization in your field. And that’s relevant to creating loyal customers and employees who are passionate about your brand. This, of course, leads us to question number two. 2. What do you need to do to become that organization before someone else does? You’ve considered the worst. You listed the best. And now it’s time to take action. After compiling all the characteristics of the hypothetical company that could put you out of business, start sorting the attributes of that business by how important they are to building loyal customers and employees. Write down what your business needs to do to adopt each one of those vital practices. How will you get there from where you are now? What will you need to get there? Set a timeline and stick to it. Develop action plans and initiatives that elevate your business to the level of that hypothetical competitor. Getting Where You Need To Be At RAZR, we use mountain climbing as a metaphor for business. Getting from point A (where you are now) to point B (where you want to be) is something we use with our customers to help them determine how they can run a business with lasting, loyal customers. This exercise helps our customers determine what mountain might be next in their range and helps them assess the crew, tools and drive they need to complete the climb.