Customer Centricity as an Operating System: Jim Tincher, CCXP on Legrand | AV’s Approach

In a recent LinkedIn post, Jim Tincher, CCXP discusses how true customer centricity is embedded into a company’s operational DNA, using Legrand | AV as a prime example. He highlights a profound difference between organizations that merely talk about customer focus and those that genuinely live it.

Tincher, CCXP, shares an observation from his visit to Legrand | AV, where he and his colleague, Diane Schnitker, interviewed various team members. He notes that a striking pattern emerged: virtually everyone they spoke with, from engineers to marketing professionals, had recently interacted with a customer. This was not an isolated event or a special assignment, but a commonplace occurrence.

“Every single person we talked to — engineers, operations, marketing, not just the CX team — had recently spoken with a customer. And nobody thought it was unusual.”

Embedding Customer Contact into the Company Culture

Tincher, CCXP, emphasizes that this deep integration of customer interaction is not a program or a temporary initiative, but rather the fundamental operating system of the company. He credits Laurie Englert, Legrand’s VP of Customer Experience (now North America CMO), for fostering this culture to such an extent that employees proactively validate new ideas with customers before bringing them forward internally.

From Talk to Action

The core of Tincher’s argument rests on the distinction between companies that claim to be customer-centric and those that demonstrably are. He posits that the latter group has cultivated customer contact as a daily habit, rather than an infrequent or annual event.

“The difference between a company that talks about customers and a company that grows through customers is this: the second one made customer contact a daily habit, not an annual event.”

As Jim Tincher, CCXP, explains, this consistent engagement allows for a more nuanced understanding of customer needs and market dynamics. It moves beyond theoretical customer-centricity to practical, actionable insights that drive business growth. In his view, this approach ensures that customer feedback is not just collected, but actively informs product development, service improvements, and strategic decisions.

The ‘Operating System’ of Customer Centricity

Tincher, CCXP, uses the analogy of an “operating system” to describe Legrand | AV’s approach. This suggests that customer considerations are woven into the very fabric of how the company functions, influencing decision-making at all levels. This is in stark contrast to companies where customer experience is siloed within a specific department or treated as a separate project.

“That’s not a program. That’s not a quarterly initiative. That’s the operating system of the company.”

According to Jim Tincher, CCXP, this deeply ingrained customer focus at Legrand | AV is what sets it apart. It’s not about having a customer experience team; it’s about every employee understanding their role in serving and learning from the customer. This perspective offers valuable lessons for any business looking to genuinely enhance its customer-centricity and leverage it for sustainable growth.