Employees First, Customers Second

Employees First, Customers Second

From the CEO of the indian multinational HCL Technologies, a testimony on how releasing the pent-up energy in the organization is a key factor to effective change.

 

Author(s): Vineet Nayar

Publisher: Harvard Business School Press

Date of publication: 2010

Manageris opinion

Vineet Nayar is the CEO of HCL Technologies Ltd., one of the fastest-growing Indian IT service multinationals. This unconventional leader writes his book in the first person to share his experience with other leaders who must, like him, push their company ever further.

How can you avoid resting on one’s laurels? How can you play your cards right, even in the most difficult times? For Vineet Nayar, the only solution is to fully liberate the energy of the organization. Solutions or technologies, often commoditized on the market, can no longer make the difference. The true value for the customer lies in how employees sell the solution, provide service, and get fully attuned to customer needs. It is illusory to believe that establishing an umpteenth service quality policy will do the trick. Companies must be willing to transfer a real share of continuous improvement responsibility to all of their customer-facing employees.

Without resorting to clichés, Vineet Nayar shares very concrete initiatives that he and his leadership team have put in place to trigger this transformation. He also honestly recounts the difficulties and failures he has encountered. To be read like a story from cover to cover.