Three questions leaders need to ask themselves to find success in 2023

Joanna Swash Group CEO of Money token. Moneypenny handles outsourced phone calls, live chat and digital communications.

This time of year is the perfect opportunity to step back and evaluate your business and your plans. What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges you have faced and will face? And how do you lay the foundation for a successful 2023?

Here are three questions to consider:

1. How do you create an even better customer experience?

We all know how important it is to provide a great customer experience. From my perspective, the best way to do business is to put your customers at the center of what you provide, listen to them and their needs, and then provide solutions. This can help you stand out from the crowd and build loyalty and longevity.

However, delivering a solid experience is about much more than, say, a seamless checkout process; it’s about creating memorable customer experiences that exceed expectations.

Think about speed: how can you speak to customers faster and better? We live in an always-on business world where customers want answers now, so how can you meet this expectation? Can you hire dedicated team members; provide multiple channels for contact, tutorials and FAQs; or harness the power of technology?

With all of the above, how do you manage to maintain that personal touch? I call it “personalized manufacturing,” and it relies heavily on leveraging good, high-quality data about your customers. Then develop and provide solutions and recommendations based on what that data tells you.

2. How do you approach ESG?

I have written before about the crucial meaning of actions, not words. This applies to all parts of a business, especially if you want to connect with your wider community, new hires and society at large.

Paying lip service to green credentials, for example, just won’t cut it. Both potential employees and customers want to know more about your company. What do you stand for? Environmental, social and corporate governance goes beyond profit; it’s about doing good business. Customers become increasingly savvy when your talk doesn’t match your actions, which can cause irreparable damage. So, how do you go about it?

The answer lies in connecting your purpose and values ​​to your culture so that everything is aligned. Whether you’re creating a cutting-edge new office building that recycles rainwater, engaging yourself and your company in political liaison to change the landscape, or diversifying your approach to recruiting, it’s a simple concept: do what you say you do, and realize that ESG is not a fancy marketing tool to build your brand. It’s a better, more sustainable way of doing business.

3. What is your plan for your people?

Hiring the right people for your business is no easy task. It takes time and investment to find those people who have the right attitude and fitness, can be retrained and have a connection with the company and can thrive. Get it right and the rewards are long lasting and immeasurable. Get it wrong and not only have you lost time and money, but you’ve also damaged the team balance.

We all get it wrong sometimes, but you have to learn from this, and now is the time to radically change your plan for your people. People will always be your greatest asset, and the rise of technology will only enhance them.

In my experience, top executives don’t want to be complacent. They want to be challenged, motivated, connected, valued and driven to get the best out of themselves. And by doing so, they not only make themselves better, but they also make your company better.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach here, just as no two people are the same or have the same motivations, perspectives or experiences. When personalizing your approach to customers, the same solution applies to your people. Show them what they are worth and that you believe in them. Invest in their development and give them a place at the table.

Finally, leaders have a lot to do, but this is a time to plan for the future and prepare your business to turn on a dime and thrive in whatever 2023 has in store.

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