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Reinventing The Wheel For Agile Times Posted on : Jul 10 - 2020

As nations across Europe ease lockdowns, it is clear they are doing so while knowing that the novel coronavirus is here to stay. Businesses across the world have no choice but to prepare to reopen in a new abnormal. What can they do to reinvent the wheel and stay ahead? Focus on how to improve and implement agility across ops and work culture. Why? Because extraordinary times call for speed, nimbleness and adaptability.

This is what distinguishes tennis star Roger Federer. When the seven-time Wimbledon champion fell face down at the Center Court in 2016 while attempting a volley against Milos Raonic, many declared it an ominous sign. Just weeks away from turning 35, critics suggested his loss to Raonic proved he didn’t have the proclivities that being at the top of the game required: stamina, grit, agility and endurance.

But what happened next astounded fans and critics alike. Federer returned in fit form to compete in the Australian Open in January 2017, just six months later. He also beat Rafael Nadal with virtuoso in a thrilling five-set final that saw him demonstrate a level of aggression that Nadal was more often associated with.

I believe Federer’s incredulous return in the tournament personifies the qualities that businesses will need to embrace in hyper-agile times. Why? Because the new abnormal will see customer patronage shifting quickly. Firms will not be able to rest on old laurels. Instead, they will need to acquaint themselves with unfamiliar styles of "playing" so that they remain disruptive and at the top of the game every day, like Federer.

As a self-confessed agility evangelist, I have witnessed firsthand — even before the pandemic — the powerful effect that pivoting toward a nimble, digital-driven business model has on companies. When firms realize what it means to be customer-oriented, organizations adopt a 360-degree transformation, rewiring business approach, operations, work culture and IT architecture.

Such a transformation sets them up for sticky customer service in ways that help organizations meet customer requirements, however outlandish, when required. It also empowers digitally smart companies to predict what consumer cohorts may need next.

Let's take a closer look at companies that have undergone a similar transformation:

DBS Bank: Delivering Stellar CX By Embracing DX

Consider, for example, Singapore’s DBS Bank. Founded in 1968 by the government of Singapore to empower the country’s modernization plans, the bank struggled for years to make a mark as a customer-focused firm.

But beginning in 2009, the bank adopted an aggressive, end-to-end digital transformation strategy. This included introducing a process improvement program that erased 250 million customer hours "of waste" per year. Within a year of implementing this initiative, DBS saw its customer satisfaction ratings soar. View More