Building and Leading Customer-Centric Organizations

Thank you for your interest in this program. The November 2009 session currently is filled to capacity. The Admissions Committee will consider additional applications should space become available. You may wish to consider applying to the June 2010 session in Paris, France.

In the face of growing competition, scarce resources, and more demanding customers, smart business leaders are striving to increase profitability by becoming more customer-centric. But few companies-even those with a deep understanding of their customers—really know how to achieve this.

Attaining true customer centricity requires a fundamental, enterprise-wide shift in thinking and reorientation of your value proposition. At the same time, your company must realign itself around the customer—moving away from a business organized around functions or products.

This program explores how customer centricity can offer a proven path to growth and profitability. By examining the strategies and resources needed to create a customer-driven organization, you will return to your company with a blueprint for building capacity and capabilities to drive innovation, profit, and growth in any environment.

What You Can Expect
Through lectures, interactive case studies, and small-group project work, you will learn how to align an organization's processes, incentive and control systems, leadership and culture, and formal organizational structures to attain customer centricity. Case studies will feature real-world examples of customer relations management from the banking, hospitality, retail, transportation, technology, insurance, and medical device industries. Designed for both individuals and cross-functional teams, this leadership development program provides you with the necessary tools and frameworks to implement change throughout your organization.

Your Course of Study
The program curriculum has been specifically designed by HBS faculty to address three critical and interrelated areas: why customer centricity is vital, what it takes to configure the ecosystem of a customer-centric organization, and how to manage the process of change to deliver on the promise of customer centricity.

Who Is Right for the Program
Designed for senior executives in business-to-business or business-to-consumer companies, this program is highly beneficial for individuals who have the authority to initiate change across the organization. A key benefit of the program is that participants will spend much of their time developing strategies to address their own company-specific challenges around customer centricity. With that in mind, we invite both individuals and cross-functional teams from operating companies to apply to the program.

Dates and Fees
November 30–December 4, 2009 Waitlist
Fee:$7,750

This program also is offered in Europe

The program fee covers tuition, books, case materials, accommodations, and most meals.

Programs, dates, fees, and faculty are subject to change.

In accordance with Harvard University policy, Harvard Business School does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, sex or sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, veteran status, or disability in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment in its programs and activities.