Training Magazine: Cognizant Academy’s Global Head Speaks About Helping Workforce Intuit Customer Needs

“Understanding customer needs is the most important aspect of successfully delivering projects,” says Hariraj Vijayakumar. “Customer satisfaction is a function of how well customer needs are understood and addressed in a timely manner by every employee.”

To achieve this goal effectively, Vijayakumar says, an employee must possess sound knowledge of requirements gathering and management techniques, good understanding of customers’ business domains, strong interpersonal skills, the ability to communicate effectively, and high levels of proficiency in managing customer expectations.

Cognizant uses a multifaceted approach to develop this kind of understanding, or empathy. “To meet this requirement, we use a combination of instruments: face-to-face meetings, audio-video conference calls, and e-mail. We continuously work with project teams and provide them with appropriate ongoing training,” says Vijayakumar.

“Several of our soft skill development programs enable our associates to inculcate a can-do attitude to build empathy for customers; create exemplary teamwork to offer the best-in-class solutions to customers; and imbibe a spirit of ownership and responsibility and of treating customers with respect. In every project, especially in ‘agile’ project management, great emphasis is placed on the systematic development of a product, focusing on specific customer requirements,” he says.

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