One Size Doesn't Fit All: It's true for jeans AND your IT maintenance program.

Leading companies and consulting firms agree that we are officially living in the "Age of the Customer." Everyone from legacy brands to startup companies are working tirelessly to deliver on customer expectations of seamless experiences in this ever-changing digital environment, all the while, looking to engage the customer more than ever with their brand. With time being a commodity, personalization serves as the force that engages customers quickly.

Salesforce, a leading technology company, and host of Dreamforce, an annual event showcasing trailblazers in technology and customer experiences, summarizes this "new age" well: "Today’s customers are more powerful than ever, with the ability to shift markets and define a company’s success in a matter of seconds. They’re not looking for products, features, or gimmicks; they’re looking for a complete and effortless customer experience. They don’t just want to solve problems; they want to build a faster, smarter future — and they’re disrupting entire industries in the process."

For example, Sephora is leading the personalized and seamless customer experience with integrated on-line and off-line strategies. Sephora didn’t do customer-facing technology for technology’s sake. They embraced their customers with an understanding of their wants and needs. Through the ability to try on different looks via their app, they’ve delivered for their tech-savvy customers resulting in increased sales.

We know you are working hard to adapt your businesses, shift your strategies, and drive business results in this new era. We also know you’re a customer too, living in this age of the customer.

So, what does it mean? It means, just as your clients aren’t engaging you the same way they have in the past, you likely aren’t approaching your business partnerships the way you might have in the past. Today's buyers are completing extensive research online, reaching out to peers to get recommendations and share ideas, and consuming industry materials to understand best practices – leading buyers to enter conversations with a strong point of view. According to research and advisory firm, Forrester, as many as 90 percent of buyers head into conversations [with potential business partners] already armed with information that will inform their buying decisions.

With information available to buyers online, market research shows what customers are really looking for, especially in B2B relationships, is a true partner. In fact, a recent October 2017 study from the Aberdeen Group showed that 77% of buyers want to work with vendors who will support the company's goals and function more like strategic business partners.

We, at Bailiwick, are excited about this trend. Why? Because these are the types of relationships our company was built upon. At our core, " We are curious problem solvers, fascinated with your business and how technology can accelerate you to greater success. We are constantly trying to better understand you and your business. We help you succeed. That is our purpose."

In the quest to better understand our customer's business needs, we discovered a need for strong partnership in maintenance services. In talking with our customers, we learned the maintenance buying process is often fragmented leading to different program structures with a range of coverage & response times, differing payment structures, and varied decision processes. This makes managing these varied solutions challenging both internally and externally.

As a direct result of our continued partnership with customers, Bailiwick is excited to expand our Total Site Care^SM maintenance solution that enables consistent operational productivity for our customers. Our mission is to provide customized maintenance solutions that reduce complexity by providing reliable resolutions, consistent in-field technician presence, and customized team support to fit your organization's needs.

To truly be a strategic partner, Bailiwick recognizes there is no one-size-fits-all approach to maintenance. To make a true impact in your business, we seek to understand your current state of maintenance services and the related systems and processes. By diving in and assessing this information, we will build a solid understanding your business. Informed by these learnings, we will utilize our technical expertise and cross industry knowledge of best practices, to craft a maintenance program that will be unique, and highly-tailored to fit your business needs.

The result: more first-visit success in resolving pains and issues the first time, less wasted money with supplier finger-pointing and happier sites (happier site = happier customers!).

For more information on how Bailiwick can help you transform your maintenance solution, please visit us at www.bailiwick.com/solutions/total-site-care

Bobbie Cummins pioneers marketing and communications strategy; passionately exploring new and uncharted territories in brand development, stewardship and advocacy. She has led the marketing and communications strategy development at Bailiwick for the past five years and on her best days she is driving strategies that build closer connections with their clients. (So, every day is a best day!) When away from work, Bobbie enjoys traveling with friends and family, exploring new and exciting places.