Customers reaching disconnection point with remote counterparts?
In the wake of the global pandemic, every organization has been forced to transition to remote work. This seismic shift has brought about a unique set of challenges, particularly for non-customer facing teams, who risk becoming internally focused and creating silos that isolate the customer. Such a lack of customer focus could be damaging to the organization in the long term.
However, companies are recognizing that physical presence is not necessary for all aspects of work, and much can be completed remotely. Many are offering a choice to employees, with hybrid work arrangements (coming to the office once or twice a week) being popular. This flexibility offers an opportunity for non-customer facing teams to maintain focus on customer needs in a hybrid work environment.
Key strategies include active and inclusive communication, clear alignment on customer-centric goals, structured hybrid scheduling, strong leadership and culture, the use of technology to bridge gaps, embedding customer insights and feedback, and hiring individuals who excel in self-management and asynchronous communication.
Active and inclusive communication is essential to keep all employees informed and engaged across locations, ensuring remote workers feel connected and valued just like in-office colleagues. Leaders should emphasize a strong connection between employee experience and customer experience. When employees understand how their work impacts customers, they stay customer-focused even without direct contact.
Structured hybrid scheduling promotes focus without isolation or burnout by balancing remote deep-focus work with in-office collaboration sessions. Managers must cultivate strong relationships with hybrid teams, fostering trust, accountability, autonomy, and alignment on priorities that include customer needs. Supportive management correlates with higher engagement and retention, which benefits customers indirectly.
The use of technology to bridge gaps is crucial in a hybrid work environment. Implementing tools that support seamless collaboration, task management, and information sharing regardless of location makes customer data and insights accessible to non-customer facing teams. Teams should also have regular access to customer data, feedback, or frontline insights to maintain awareness of customer challenges, even if they don't interact directly.
Inviting non-customer facing team members to customer meetings can provide them with a live experience of customers and help them understand how to serve them better. Examining the impact of decisions on customers can help keep the customer in focus and align solutions with customer needs.
As big bosses at companies like JPMorgan, Meta (Facebook), and Google consider a return to full-time office work, the importance of maintaining a focus on customers in a hybrid work environment cannot be overstated. Non-customer facing teams can maintain focus on customer needs in a hybrid work environment by fostering strong communication, culture, and collaboration anchored in technology and leadership support. This holistic approach ensures alignment with customer needs despite physical distance from customers or frontline teams.
Interestingly, many employees have expressed a preference for continuing remote work even after offices resume full-time. Companies such as Facebook and Twitter initially decided to allow employees to work from home permanently. Remote work in the US has decreased from a peak of over 50% during the pandemic, but still remains at around 28%.
In conclusion, the hybrid work era presents unique challenges for non-customer facing teams, but with the right strategies, these teams can maintain a strong focus on customers and help their organizations thrive.
- In the hybrid work environment, non-customer facing teams can use technology to access customer data and insights, ensuring they remain aware of customer challenges and needs.
- To maintain focus on customer needs, non-customer facing teams should be encouraged to attend customer meetings and examine the impact of decisions on customers.
- Companies must emphasize a holistic approach in the hybrid work era, fostering strong communication, culture, and collaboration anchored in technology and leadership support to align solutions with customer needs.
