Supporting our customers becoming more sustainable
“Encounters are inspiring and important,” writes Lindström’s CEO Juha Laurio in his blog post. During his recent travels, the discussions around the world’s economy and the current events affecting it have led to discussions surrounding sustainability, which, according to him, is never a bad thing.
In all relationships, the key ingredient in making them meaningful is interaction, really focusing on the people you meet, ideally face to face. The past few years have been hard in that respect, as we’ve had to rely on computer-assisted meetings, but gradually things are returning to the new normal. I too have been able to get around to meeting people again IRL during this year – September especially was a busy one for me as I was exploring our facilities in India, Croatia, Slovenia, and Serbia. This is actually one of the things I like the most about my job: meeting people from different backgrounds and being inspired by them in different ways.
During these travels, I have gotten the chance to meet up with old friends as well as make several new acquaintances. However, even though we are all different, there are a few key topics that I find interest all of us. For one, the world’s economic situation and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with all its implications for business everywhere has been a topic in most of the discussions. Both local and global news and trends are shaping the world – or at least how we view it.
Another topic on everyone’s lips is sustainability, which is closely connected to everything. There are companies that have begun to opt for a more sustainable approach in their ways of working due to rising energy prices; their viewpoints are changing slowly but surely, but for some – like Lindström – it has always been a part of their DNA. Before, it felt like I was the only one in the room bringing up the topic, nowadays you can almost certainly rely on it being brought up during the first few minutes of any discussion.
When meeting our customers, they are always eager to know more about how we can help them be more sustainable. Knowing that we have a solid background on the topic and are always on the search to make our work even more sustainable, they keep pushing and encouraging us to do more! As a result, we offer services that are designed to serve their needs and interests in a sustainable manner, helping them focus on their core business.
One concrete example of this is our online service portal, eLindström. It is a practical example of how we help our customers behave sustainably every day – and to potentially cut down on excess costs in the making. Within the portal, you can, for instance, check that you have just the right amount of workwear – not too little or too much – in use. Keeping up stocks of useless workwear actually benefits no one: it is costly for the customer, it takes up excess space and it is a waste of natural resources. The online service can also help ensure that the garments are washed and maintained regularly in a sustainable manner, helping the customer meet their stringent quality standards with proof points to show.
Because at the end of the day, I as well as all the other leaders out there, we want our employees to focus on their customers and serving them, on building these relationships – not on what they are wearing and when it has been washed and so on. We want to support our customers making the most out of each interactive moment they have with their customers, but with respect to the planet as well. We care about both of these things and want to see our customers shine in a manner that will ultimately be sustainable.
During Customer Experience Week (or CX Week for short), we want to celebrate the relationships we have with our customers. This week is all about thanking them for inspiring and motivating us in different ways.