Your customers have everything they need at their fingertips. They can shop how and when they choose, and easily compare you to your competitors. Has your organization adapted? Do you strive to be fully customer-centric? If you want to keep up with customer demand and keep moving your business forward, it's critical that you put customers first.

Megan Totka, the chief editor for ChamberofCommerce.com, says the most common barrier to customer centricity is the lack of a customer-centric organizational culture. In this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, we discuss Totka's top tips for developing a customer-driven company.

Develop a solid and clear brand promise. Customers don't have as much loyalty and trust in brands as they did in the past. This makes the customer experience even more important. Create a strong and clear description of exactly what you can provide for your customers. This evokes emotion and inspires people to feel more connected to your business.

Keep learning and growing. Customers expect you to provide the latest offerings and if you don't, you can lose them to a more relevant business. Totka says it's critical to ensure your business is constantly improving and evolving.

Engage employees. If you want to drive high levels of customer satisfaction, ask employees. They can provide valuable input on improvements and changes that can make a difference for customers.

Focus on the most profitable customers. All customers should be treated the same, but they're not actually created equally. When you study your loyal customers, you can identify what drives their buying behavior.

Ensure seamless customer access. Make it easy for customers to contact you anytime and in any manner they prefer. They don't want to wait on hold or repeat their story many times before their issue is resolved.

Build solid relationships with customers through data. Use techniques such as predictive analytics to understand customer preferences and life stages and patterns of customers. When you understand how to provide your customers with real value and engage with them directly, you can grasp what they expect from your brand.

Shift from products to enhanced experiences. Products are important, but the experience that surrounds them is what creates emotional memories for customers. Take time to personalize your services.

Increase urgency and speed. Speed is an integral part of building customer loyalty. Show your customers you value how important their time is and they'll reward you with their loyalty.

Measure what is important to your customer. Create a feedback system that enables customers to offer their opinions on what is working well and where you can improve. Use this data to revamp your current strategy.

As a leader, recognize that culture and strategy go hand in hand. Use the suggestions above to cultivate a customer-centric focus within your team. Your customers will see that you prioritize running a business that values its customers.

Source: Megan Totka is the chief editor for ChamberofCommerce.com. She specializes on the topic of small-business tips and resources. ChamberofCommerce.com helps small businesses grow their business on the web and facilitates connectivity between local businesses and more than 7,000 chambers of commerce worldwide.