Start Reverse: Pioneering Customer-Centric Innovation Since 1987

10 Innovative Companies to Watch in 2024

In a world obsessed with moving forward, the key to success sometimes lies in looking backwards. This counterintuitive approach is the cornerstone of Start Reverse, a company founded by André Wiringa in 1987 that is revolutionizing the way organizations approach customer experience and team engagement.

Wiringa, a seasoned hospitality veteran with a career spanning iconic brands like Holiday Inn, Marriott, and Hilton, brings a wealth of experience to his role. His journey from hotel management to transformational consulting has been anything but conventional. “I realized that to truly innovate, we needed to flip our perspective,” Wiringa explains.

The REVERSE Philosophy, the foundation of Start Reverse’s approach, is deceptively simple yet profoundly effective. By starting with the desired outcome and working backwards, companies can create more meaningful connections with both customers and co-workers. This method has proven particularly powerful in enhancing customer experiences and nurturing cultural transformations within organizations.

Wiringa’s book, ‘START REVERSE,’ has become a blueprint for leaders seeking to break free from traditional linear thinking. His insights, honed through years of hands-on experience and academic pursuit, offer a fresh perspective on leadership and strategy.

Alongside co-leader Denis Drossart, Wiringa is steering Start Reverse towards new horizons. Their combined expertise is helping organizations across industries reimagine their approach to business, proving that sometimes, the best way forward is to start in reverse.

Let us learn more about his journey:

Elevating the Customer Experience

In 1987, André Wiringa, an experienced professional in the hospitality industry, recognized the shortcomings of conventional service approaches. His extensive experience illuminated the need for a more customer-centric perspective, inspiring him to develop the revolutionary Reverse Thinking philosophy.

Wiringa’s innovative approach shifted the focus from mere products and processes to the heart of the matter: the customer’s experience. He understood that every interaction, no matter how small, had the power to shape a brand’s relationship with its patrons. By ensuring that each touchpoint reflected the company’s dedication to its customers, Start Reverse set out to create truly memorable and meaningful experiences.

The ultimate goal was transforming customers into loyal advocates and co-workers into passionate brand ambassadors. By prioritizing the needs and desires of those they served, Start Reverse aimed to build lasting connections and foster a sense of community around their brand.

Through the Reverse Thinking philosophy, Start Reverse has continued to evolve and adapt to the changing needs of its customers. By placing the customer experience at the forefront of their business model, they have consistently delivered exceptional service and created a loyal following of advocates who champion their brand.

Principles of Reverse Thinking in Business Strategy

Reverse Thinking is founded on several fundamental principles that set it apart from traditional business strategies. At its core lies a customer-centric focus, prioritizing the customer experience above products and processes. This approach ensures that every decision and action taken by a business is aimed at enhancing how customers interact with and perceive the brand.

A key aspect of Reverse Thinking is its emphasis on purpose and identity. This principle involves defining a compelling purpose and a unique brand identity that resonates deeply with both co-workers and customers. By establishing a clear and inspiring purpose, companies can align their efforts toward a common goal, fostering a sense of unity and direction within the organization.

Another crucial principle of Reverse Thinking is the cultivation of emotional connections. This strategy seeks to create deep emotional bonds through meaningful and memorable experiences. Such connections transform customers into loyal advocates who are not merely satisfied but genuinely delighted by the brand.

Consistency in delivery is also essential within the framework of Reverse Thinking. This principle ensures that every customer touchpoint consistently fulfills the brand promise. By maintaining this consistency, businesses build trust and reliability, making customers feel valued and understood with each interaction.

In contrast to conventional strategies, which often address product development, marketing, and customer service as separate entities, Reverse Thinking emphasizes the holistic integration of the customer experience across all aspects of the business. This comprehensive approach not only enhances customer satisfaction but also strengthens brand loyalty and advocacy, ensuring that the entire organization works cohesively to deliver exceptional experiences.

Transforming Customers into Advocates

Start Reverse transforms customers into loyal advocates by implementing the Reverse Blueprint, a strategic framework that aligns a company’s internal culture with the desired customer experience. This approach creates a cohesive and compelling brand narrative, guiding organizations on their Reverse Journey. At the heart of this journey lies the development of the Blueprint, which acts as a guiding north star for the company’s cultural and experiential strategies.

The Reverse Blueprint is fundamentally divided into two essential components: Brand Essence and Brand Experience.

Brand Essence: Brand Essence captures the very soul of the organization. It encompasses the company’s purpose—its ‘Why’—the activities and services it offers—its ‘What’—the identity of its people and organization—its ‘Who’—and the methods by which these activities are executed—its ‘How.’ This element delves deep into the core values and motivations that drive the company, forming the foundation upon which all other strategies are built.
Brand Experience: Brand Experience represents the practical application of the Blueprint, focusing on the desired customer experience. It serves as the compass that guides how this experience is crafted and delivered. This includes defining the specific behaviors that co-workers should exhibit to enhance the customer experience. Moreover, it emphasizes the importance of creating a stimulating culture and environment that not only encourages these behaviors but also supports them. Leadership behavior plays a foundational role in shaping this culture and bringing the envisioned experience to life.

For instance, Start Reverse collaborated with Accor Hotels to develop the “One Brand Blueprint,” a strategy that ultimately earned the company recognition for the most innovative HR practice. Similarly, their partnership with Intersport led to significant improvements in customer engagement and sales, with trained stores achieving 33% higher sales than their untrained counterparts. Through the implementation of the Reverse Blueprint, companies can not only enhance their internal culture but also cultivate a loyal customer base that advocates for their brand.

Transforming Team Members into Brand Ambassadors

Start Reverse cultivates its team members into passionate brand ambassadors through high-energy experiential programs designed to enhance self-awareness and improve team dynamics. These programs emphasize the importance of individual behaviors and their influence on customer experiences, fostering a deep sense of ownership and pride among colleagues.

As a result of this transformation, team members engage in consistently exceptional customer interactions, becoming enthusiastic advocates for the brand. The overall outcome is a marked increase in customer satisfaction and loyalty, as team members deliver experiences that delight, inspire, assist, and acknowledge customers.

Empowering Brands through Reverse Blueprints and Leadership Development

Start Reverse collaborates with companies to develop Reverse Blueprints, a comprehensive guide that aligns all stakeholders towards a common goal. This blueprint clearly defines the brand’s purpose and outlines the intended internal and external experiences, fostering relevance, sustainability, and a strong employer brand. Additionally, Start Reverse provides practical applications and leadership development programs to embed these strategies into daily operations, ensuring long-term success and adaptability in a fast-paced business environment.

Start Reverse’s approach is built on the principle of empowering clients to lead their programs independently. Consistency emerges when practices evolve into habits, and this transformation requires full commitment from the organization. The firm equips organizations with the right tools and prepares them to drive their transformation, with Start Reverse’s support.

Through their collaborative efforts, companies that initially had low engagement have become market leaders for outstanding customer experience and co-worker engagement. However, consistent success is only achieved when individuals are committed, and organizations are willing to invest the necessary time and resources into this transformative process.

Innovative Strategies of Start Reverse

Start Reverse employs a range of innovative strategies to enhance the overall customer experience across various industries. One of the cornerstone strategies is experiential learning. Through interactive and engaging training sessions, Start Reverse promotes team collaboration and improves customer interactions. These hands-on experiences enable co-workers to grasp and implement the principles of exceptional service, resulting in more satisfying and memorable encounters for customers.

Another significant approach utilized by Start Reverse is customer journey mapping. The organization meticulously identifies and optimizes every customer touchpoint to create seamless and delightful experiences. This thorough analysis ensures that each interaction a customer has with a brand is consistently aligned with a well-defined blueprint, making it both enjoyable and efficient, ultimately boosting customer satisfaction.

In addition, Start Reverse designs tailored programs that resonate deeply with the demographics and preferences of customers and guests. By crafting unique experience programs, the organization addresses the specific needs and desires of various customer segments. These personalized strategies ensure that each customer feels valued and understood, significantly enhancing the enjoyment of shopping, the satisfaction of hotel visits, and the memorability of other customer experiences.

Collectively, these innovative strategies contribute to making every customer interaction more enjoyable and memorable, fostering greater loyalty and advocacy among patrons.

Inspiring Success Stories in Leadership and Innovation

Several remarkable success stories highlight the impact of effective leadership and innovative practices across various industries:

Mazda Motor Corporation: Start Reverse played a pivotal role in Mazda’s cultural transformation throughout Japan. This initiative led to the training of 1,400 leaders in Reverse Leadership, which significantly enhanced the customer experience.
Accor Hotels: Accor Hotels introduced the One Brand Blueprint, a strategic framework that garnered recognition for the most innovative HR practice in the industry. This initiative underscored the company’s commitment to excellence in human resources.
Intersport: Intersport successfully guided Dutch retailers to achieve a notable increase in customer engagement and co-worker satisfaction. As a result of this guidance, trained stores experienced a remarkable 33% boost in sales, demonstrating the effectiveness of their approach.

Measuring the Effectiveness of Start Reverse’s Interventions

Start Reverse employs a multifaceted approach to assess the efficacy of its interventions. By utilizing a range of metrics, the organization meticulously monitors progress and impact over time, ensuring that its efforts yield tangible results.

Key Performance Indicators

Start Reverse relies on several key performance indicators to gauge the success of its interventions:

Net Promoter Score (NPS): This metric serves as a barometer for customer loyalty and satisfaction. By asking customers how likely they are to recommend the company’s services to others, Start Reverse can gauge the overall sentiment and identify areas for improvement.
Co-worker Engagement Score (eNPS): Regular surveys and feedback loops enable the company to assess the level of engagement and satisfaction among its co-workers. This metric is crucial in ensuring that the organization maintains a positive and productive work environment, which directly impacts the quality of service delivered to customers.
Customer Satisfaction Ratings: Start Reverse places a strong emphasis on collecting and analyzing customer feedback to evaluate the overall satisfaction with the services provided. This metric helps the company identify areas where it excels and pinpoint opportunities for enhancement, allowing for continuous improvement over time.

By meticulously tracking these metrics, Start Reverse ensures that its interventions remain effective, customer-centric, and aligned with the company’s core values of innovation and excellence.

Transforming Leadership: The EPIC Program

Start Reverse’s EPIC Leadership program is meticulously crafted to elevate managers into Empowering, Purpose-driven, Inspiring, and Coaching leaders. This transformative initiative encompasses several key components:

Leadership Activation Programs: These workshops are dedicated to cultivating a compelling vision while empowering managers to inspire their teams. By fostering a supportive and motivating atmosphere, participants learn to effectively coach their colleagues, thereby driving enhanced performance and engagement throughout the organization.
Practical Applications: The program emphasizes real-life applications, enabling managers to seamlessly integrate EPIC leadership principles into their daily operations. This hands-on approach ensures that the learning experience is practical and impactful.
Profound Implications: The implications of the EPIC Leadership program are significant. Organizations that embrace this model witness a remarkable transformation in their workplace culture, resulting in heightened co-worker engagement, improved customer satisfaction, and superior overall performance. By aligning leadership behaviors with the desired customer experience, these organizations can create a consistent and memorable brand identity.

Distinctive Approach to Start Reverse

Start Reverse occupies a unique position in the market, distinguished by its innovative philosophy centered around Reverse Thinking. This approach fundamentally redefines traditional business strategies by prioritizing customer and guest experiences above all else, rather than allowing products and processes to dictate the direction of the business. By placing the customer at the forefront of all activities, Start Reverse guarantees that every interaction is both meaningful and memorable.

At the heart of Start Reverse’s methodology lies a people-first ethos. This principle emphasizes the importance of addressing customers’ and co-workers’ needs and experiences. By transforming co-workers into enthusiastic brand ambassadors, Start Reverse fosters an environment where co-workers are motivated and equipped to deliver exceptional customer experiences.

Furthermore, Start Reverse champions experiential learning over conventional training methods. This dynamic approach encourages open discussions, cultivates self-awareness, and enhances team collaboration. By engaging co-workers in hands-on experiences, Start Reverse ensures that learning is not only comprehended but also effectively applied in real-world situations.

Reinventing Relevance: The Start Reverse Approach

Start Reverse is changing the game in business transformation. They believe people matter most. Their method is straightforward but powerful: touch one life at a time to spread a new way of thinking. This “Reverse Thinking” shapes better leaders, learners, and team players.

Genuine care for people drives everything they do. Start Reverse knows that helping just one person can set off a chain reaction, changing whole companies and communities. This focus on people means every plan and solution they create prioritizes human well-being and involvement.

The company has worked in many cultures worldwide. It takes time to understand what makes each brand special. By respecting different cultural backgrounds, Start Reverse ensures that its ideas work well in various places. This global outlook helps it tailor its approach to each brand’s unique needs and values.

Even though they work with many different brands and cultures, two things stay the same: Reverse Thinking and the Reverse Blueprint. These tools help align a company’s inner workings with how customers see it from the outside. The result? A workplace that feels more united and purposeful, connecting deeply with both workers and customers.

By sticking to their people-first beliefs and using Reverse Thinking everywhere they go, Start Reverse brings lasting, meaningful change to brands and communities worldwide.