Building a strong company culture is not an easy thing. It requires a strong set of values that drive and guide the actions of every employee in the business at every level. Simply knowing those values isn’t enough, every employee must embody them, which requires training and reinforcement that starts on the very first day (if not before) you start working for a company.

I was fortunate to work for MBNA, a company that knew exactly how to do this very effectively. My experience of living that culture while working there for 18 years had an impact on me even after I left. One of our core precepts was “Think of Yourself as a Customer” and it’s one that I continue to practice with all of clients here at Creative Options of DC.

What exactly does it mean to “think of yourself as a customer”?

First and foremost it means to go beyond just finding out what a client needs, but also understanding the environment they work in and the challenges that they and their team are currently facing, as well as what may be coming in the future. My experience at MBNA working in a fast pace setting while multi-tasking provides me with empathy and a deeper appreciation of the challenges our clients are up against. It’s always my goal to become a trusted advisor who will support their needs both now and in the future.

Here are just a few of the things we do:

• Form partnerships with our clients and apply our business experience from MBNA to create strategic tools such as budget reports, which enable them to run their business in the most efficient and cost effective way.
• Operate as an extension of your team to help clients manage growth spurts, loss of an important team member, a new department, or project startup.
• Check in to see how our consultants are doing after placement and offer our additional support to ensure your team’s success.
• Provide clients my personal cell phone number and encourage them to contact me via text, call or email anytime with questions, issues, or to request a new placement.

We continue MBNA’s philosophy to “Think of Yourself as the Customer” at Creative Options of DC each and everyday. We have found it creates a win-win; our clients truly appreciate our efforts and it’s very rewarding for us.