I have always believed that software and technology can take an organization only so much closer to customer centricity. The real difference will start kicking-in when you have a focussed people orientation to change attitude and behaviour.
Amongst many areas of change management, one area where every organization might want to focus is creating a culture of taking an initiative. Jeffrey Phillips has a great post on this:
...I find in many organizations that the culture forbids taking the initiative. Instead the mantra seems to be that individuals should follow the corporate dictates and not stray too far from what they've been instructed to do....
When there's a lack of initiative, however, there's quite possibly a lack of employee growth. Most people want to take on more responsibility and learn new things. How can they possibly do that while working in the same job, in the same environment, never taking any risks. Often, taking the initiative is a great way to demonstrate some new thinking or some undiscovered skill.
As managers, we should celebrate when our reports take initiative and generate great work. When a person who works for you takes the initiative, it means you've fostered an environment where people are willing to spread their wings and use all of their skills and talents. What could be better for the firm?