Know your customer

I was at biopharmaceutical company Amgen in California last week for Mission Week, where patients take the stage and tell the staff how their treatments are being administered. The stories shared by patients were incredibly moving and gave employees an insight into how their work was transforming lives.

One patient, Michelle, thanked the team for their ‘culture of community and connection’, whilst another, Jay, thanked employees ‘…for their empathy and compassion and for giving him a new life 10x better than before.’

It was inspiring and motivating for all (including myself, even though I played no part in the results being felt by patients).

Many organisations keep the customer on a slide or reduce their feedback to a number. Amgen puts people on stage and that really matters for culture. An employee who hears one of these stories, views their work – regardless of how ‘close’ it is to the patient – in an entirely different way than they did before.

People’s behaviours change when they can see the results in front of them. If they’re left at a distance, they may never feel or see the impact of their work.

Understanding your customers is one thing, truly knowing them is something else. When did your organisation last put its customers in front of you?