The Intersection of Customer Desire and the Almost Possible
Rising Customer Expectations
Customers have become accustomed to one-click, nearly instant gratification. It is tempting to believe that the specialty gas industry is somehow immune to this cultural “Amazon effect.” Because our products have technical applications, long lead-times, rigid quality criteria, and specialized packaging, we could imagine our fortress as impregnable to influences from consumer culture. But, we believe such a mindset imposes our expectations upon the customer, instead of the other way around. With a heightened awareness of what truly world-class logistics performance looks and feels like, our customers are now comparing us to a new mark. A huge opportunity awaits the specialty gas provider that views the market through the customer-centric lens of the perfect order.
The Danger of Narrow Thinking
It is axiomatic in our industry that product quality is a non-negotiable entry-level competence. By and large our industry does an exceptional job of delivering products that meet stringent specifications. Focusing exclusively on product specification, however, risks ignoring other key aspects of the customer experience. Operational excellence at all stages of the order cycle is rapidly becoming foundational. As Tomkins International recently noted, “The ability to execute the perfect order will be the price of admission — failing in execution will result in not being given an opportunity to participate.”
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