How it compares to today

This conflicts with our traditional idea of shops and services expecting customers to endure the hassle and costs of driving, parking, queuing, waiting. In addition, the inconvenient opening hours, not least of banks, further conflicts with customers most convenient times and locations. Customer will want to do more from home, or in familiar environments.

How customers will change

Customers want things on their terms, not on yours: when, where and how they want it. They will want their whole experience with your company to be seamless, consistent and tailored. They will not expect to go to different points for different services, to give information more than once. They will expect companies to be ready to meet their needs.

How businesses must change

Businesses will have to break down their silo structures, work more flexibly and more aligned to customers. With partners, they must develop whole experiences for customers which are tailored to their needs. To be meaningful, differentiation must span this hold experience, as must the consistency of branding and service levels.

How it compares to today

People seek to simultaneously combine not just two lives - but multiple home and multiple business lives - perhaps through home working, flexible hours and dual tasking. They get frustrated by the 'wasted' hours you spend commuting to work, in long meetings, and in trying to juggle time with your family and focus on your work.

How customers will change

Customers want tools to help them work and play more effectively, and to reduce the stresses of their multiple lives. They seek total solutions to their needs, rather having to seek each component themselves. They want to work more flexibly and live more flexibly. They want one-stop shops, ready advice, ongoing support, and an immediate response.

How businesses must change

Companies will need to tailor offerings and tailor approaches to the needs of customers : communication, pricing and distribution. They will offer more comprehensive solutions by working with other suppliers. IT, multimedia, remote technologies, and online media will all help. Solutions will increasingly be tailored to meet both business and leisure needs.

How it compares to today

The customer experience becomes so routine and predictable. Every supplier is very similar. Lots of imitation, little real differentiation. Few surprises or real choices to make. A machine could do it. Routine tasks can be a fun, combining lottery tickets with your gas bill, free video game in cash machines, or live entertainment as you wait in a queue.

How customers will change

They will choose to shop at retailers who do something a little different, more fun than others. They will buy products which meet their aspirations, more than they needed. Perhaps even, realise their dreams. Some buy five Swatch watches when they only need one. And they will appreciate the surprise, the unusual and the unexpected.

How businesses must change

'Loyalty' schemes must become more effective. They must encourage changes in behaviour, not just retention. Rewards should tailored and aspirational if they are to get customers to buy more of the same and other items, pay more, and tell their friends. A Caribbean holiday is probably a greater incentive than a minimal discount off the bill.

How it compares to today

Ever been to Disneyland, or played with a child's new toy, or watched a children's cartoon - and enjoyed it - even if you didn't admit it? Everybody has a child inside them. Even the chief executive or the bank manager. If you can connect with the things inside each person then you find a strong bond, an emotional lever, and a source of creativity.

How customers will change

Customers want products which are simple, fun and easy to use. Swatch revolutionised Swiss watchmaking with simplicity and fun. The design and functionality of many products seems to get stuck in a me-too trap until somebody arrives with an obvious but bright idea. Until Dyson, all vacuum cleaners had dust bags: only a child would have asked why.

How businesses must change

Everybody has a child inside, bursting to express itself. Don't stifle this. Encourage this creativity in your staff and with customers. Develop less formal work environments, and ask more silly questions. Consider things through a more simple, less knowledgeable perspective. It might sound silly, but it might produce an innovation and breakthrough.

How it compares to today

Knowing customers as individuals is a common goal. Information about who they are, their needs and preferences, transaction interactions. This knowledge helps companies to treat customers more personally. For example, Amex tailor offers to the unique items on each customer's bill. However elsewhere, personalisation is rarely more than a PIN number.

How customers will change

Customers want to be recognised and treated as themselves, and they will appreciate approaches and facilities which are human. They want simple, personal interactions, in natural environments. They don't want to talk to computerised voice systems, but to real people, with feelings, with intuition, and a sense of humour.

How businesses must change

Businesses must embrace a deep insight into the needs and preferences of each customer to focus on the things which matter most and build relationships with their best customers.. Service staff must learn to be themselves, and to bring the best out in themselves, so that service is more personal, empathetic, spontaneous and genuine.

How it compares to today

Have you noticed how many traditional pillars of our society are have lost their directions - building societies, specialist retailers, public utilities - and are seeking new roles? The outcries against executive pay are further symptoms. Most companies are now moving to flatter, less hierarchical structures, and more empowered ways of working.

How customers will change

Customers do not care about internal organisations. They do not care about functional boundaries, job titles or seniority. They want you to be responsive to their needs and expectations. They expect competing businesses to work together if it is in their interests. Tradition and heritage also count for nothing, unless it offers some practical benefits.

How businesses must change

Organisations must do business through their customer's eyes, aligning themselves to their customers needs. They must have humility, a social conscience, earning customers on their own merits. Enterprise structures, working with partners, and business networks will help. As will federated business units with fast and devolved decision making.

How it compares to today

Customers are just beginning to realise how much power they have as companies begin to encourage complaints, to refund most purchases, and to go to great lengths to sort out problems. Sometimes anyway. Other companies are still oblivious to such actions and see complaints as bad, mistakes should be hidden, and no mercy shown.

How customers will change

The good news is that delighted customers tell about 5 others. The bad news is that dissatisfied customers tell 10 or 12. The worrying news is that there is an increasing number of 'terrorists' who try to tell as many people as possible. Customers want to easily express their views, to vent frustrations, and to receive explanations or even compensation.

How businesses must change

Companies must make it easy for customers to talk, be ready to listen, and value what they say, eg through carelines and user groups. They must value complaints as opportunities to learn and improve. All staff must be ready and able to solve problems fast and effectively, and use them as positive opportunities to learn and increase customer loyalty.

How it compares to today

We spend far to much time thinking about the past or planning the future. What about today? Now? We forget to make the most of today : the people you meet and things you do. We spend far more planning to do things than actually doing them. 'Whatever you can do or think you can do - begin it because boldness has power genius and magic in it'

How customers will change

Customers want businesses to be responsive to their needs. If they have a need for a new product they do not expect to wait years for a solution. Nor to wait weeks for a reply to a letter. They expect companies to be fast and effective in their work. They expect companies to learn from their, to constantly improve and innovate products and services.

How business must change

Businesses must wake up to the here and now. Be constantly watching, listening and anticipating the needs and the changes in their markets. They need the agility, both structurally and culturally, to change fast and simply to external change. The business should be alive and buzzing with ideas and energy, constantly wanting to improve and do better.

How it compares to today

So why do we come to work? Why does our company do what it does? Do you prefer to be a slave to the balance sheet or add some genuine value to our world? Isn't there more important things that businesses could achieve? Do we spend too much time thinking about ourselves, rather than those around us? Do we really contribute to our community?

How customers will change

Customers seek ways in which they can work with businesses, but at the same time help society. Witness the rise of the Co-operative Bank, with strong ethical values and donating a proportion of all card spending to the customer's good cause. Ben and Jerry's, the hip American ice cream company have done this, with a personal commitment from the two men.

How business must change

The stakeholder company recognises that it serves employees and the wider society as much as shareholders, and customers. It sets balanced goals and measures its business against how well it supports these stakeholders. Society may be local, or global, specific causes related to its area of business, or causes chosen by staff and customers.

How it compares to today

Men think only of business, and of themselves. They are risk averse, find it difficult to express themselves, particularly their feelings. Macho and competitive. Are these the best attributes for a contemporary business? Why is it that the most useful discussions and best ideas are developed at the coffee machine rather than in the formal work space?

How customers will change

Customers respond increasingly negatively to companies who in only pursue financial goals, indulge in high executive pay, and are fiercely competitive. They prefer companies who are open, expressive, imaginative, more daring in their approach, more sharing in their attitudes, and don't have an ego. These are more female attitudes.

How businesses must change

Companies appear less soulless and intimidating, more like a warm and familiar corner shop. Culture and values should reflect these more female qualities. Less hierarchical, managers as coaches, leaders as team players, everyone sharing in company successes, recruiting and encouraging people to be like this, less formality, more personality: this is the way forward

How it compares to today

Do you have one 'work voice' and another voice, manner and style when you get home? Does your sense of humour not come out until the evening? We say these things because conformities says we should, rather than what we as individuals. For some reason we think we have to be somebody different at work.

How customers will change

Customers will respond best to service which is personal, flexible, spontaneous and genuine. They appreciate people for who they are, staff who are themselves rather than trying to be a corporate clone, in what they say, the way they behave. Not every customer responds well to 'Can I help you, Sir' or feels good about 'Have a nice day, Madam'.

How businesses must change

This means giving staff the freedom and responsibility to do things in their own ways, to make their own decisions. With this must come accountability. Encourage staff should be themselves, and to bring out the best in themselves, recognising that everyone is different and thereby creating more natural empathy with each customers.

How it compares to today

Rules and policies were made for a standard life. Standard customers with average needs, met by standard companies with average service. They are inflexible, untailored and predictable. Homeworking is great, but can produce a monotone life. Imagine staying at home to work, going to office for fun. A more pleasurable work hard -play hard approach to life.

How customers will change

Customers will seek companies and offers which allow them the occasional escape from routine, rules which can be flexed to meet their needs. They appreciate companies who make special efforts, to solve a problem or meet an unusual needs; more tailored and flexible, perhaps the occasional surprise. Functional and entertaining, practical and fun is a style to aim for.

How businesses must change

Empowered staff have the freedom and responsibility to judge for themselves what will delight a customer, perhaps going the extra mile, beyond their own job roles, sometimes breaking rules and making their own judgements. Manuals cannot prescribe this. Customers will be their inspiration, and also provide the measures of their success.