Global Journal of Management and Business Research, E: Marketing, Volume 22 Issue 2

II. P roblem D efinition Organizations now a day apply customer- centric strategies worldwide to present an offering that targets the diverse needs of all customers. They aim to satisfy the customers' needs and provide value-added and exceed consumer expectations (Deloitte & Touche, 2014). An organization should adopt several sub- strategies that concern the internal and external operations by developing a clear, successful, and effective customer-centric strategy (Yohn, 2018). In addition, Morgan (2019) stresses the importance of customer-centricity by addressing the best hundred companies in the world. The author contends that "Customer-centric companies live and breathe their customers and are highly focused on providing amazing experiences. These companies are innovative, do good in the world, disrupt their industries, and are rewarded with growth and increased revenue. Brands that have superior customer experience bring in 5.7 times more revenue than their competitors" (Para 1). "Customer- centricity comes in many forms, ranging from adopting new technology to getting feedback to building relationships" (Morgan, 2019, para 3). All sectors of the economy apply customer-centricity including retail, healthcare, manufacturing, services, information and communications technology, agriculture, etc. Moreover, many firms from all countries worldwide seek to achieve the benefits of customer-centricity. Nevertheless, these firms are committed to introducing disruptive changes internally and externally. Lebanon is no exception since there is a lack of studies and knowledge in the Lebanese market. The Lebanese market is rich having many organizations competing for leadership in all different sectors. As a result, consumers have a wide choice of organizations and competing products to choose from them. Hence, there is of utmost importance to provide a unique service and value-added products to the consumers that adhere to the current era of consumer-focused and consumer-centric organizations. Developing a consumer-centric strategy is essential in the process of communicating the values of the services provided by different organizations. Determining the appropriate consumers' needs is essential for an organization to attract the right customers and exceed their expectations.Horn, Sloan, & Benjamin (2017) assert that "Consumers don't want products designed for people in other markets. They want products and services that fit their lifestyles, incomes, and cultural traditions" In short, "customers want companies to anticipate their needs through a maze of purchasing channels and technologies. When companies get it right, they can reap rich rewards through greater customer spending and loyalty" (p. 3). Hence, a continuously demanding and competitive market requires the adoption of an innovative consumer-centric strategy that capitalizes on different internal and external factors. Research covering customer-centricity in the Lebanese market is scarce. This study intends to assess and analyze the Critical Success Factors (CSFs) of a customer-centric strategy in the Lebanese market. III. S cope of the S tudy This study, as stated before, covers the customer-centric strategies adopted in Lebanese organizations. The researchers will assess the importance of human resources (HR), employee behavior, and other internal and external factors in determining the success of such strategies. The research objectives are as below: • Defining the standard internal and external CSFs of customer-centric organizations. • Analyzing the importance of HR strategies and policies in determining the success of customer- centric organizations. • Determining the best-practice economic model for a customer-centric organization. • Assessing the customer-centricity of Lebanese organizations. • Presenting the CSFs deemed important to determine customer-centric strategy outcomes in Lebanese organizations. The paper constitutes several sections: Section 1 contains the introduction and background. Section 2 discusses the relevant review of the literature. Section 3 elucidates the methodology, the description of the variables, and the data sources while section 4 is devoted to the empirical results. Finally, section 5 offers conclusions and remarks. IV. L iterature R eview a) Customer Centricity and Customer-Centric Organizations Gartner Inc. (2022) defines customer-centricity as "The ability of people in an organization to understand customers' situations, perceptions, and expectations. Customer centricity demands that the customer is the focal point of all decisions related to delivering products, services, and experiences to create customer satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy" (Para 1). Van den Hemel, & Rademakers (2016) provide a broad definition, "A business approach that places the customer's value-perception at the center of attention and takes it as the starting point for all organizational activities. Developing a strategy starts at the customer and flows back to the organization (as opposed to inside-out thinking; that is, from the organization to the customer). The aim is to create an optimal and distinctive fit between the value perception of the customer and the products/services offered. In this way, superior value is created for the customer, and captured by the organization" (p. 4). Alida (n.d.) stresses the fact that "it's a key part of aligning your organization around An Assessment of Customer-Centricity Success Factors: Context of the Lebanese Market 2 Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume XXII Issue II Version I Year 2022 ( )E © 2022 Global Journals