Carlzon

Carlzon is primarily associated with Jan Carlzon, a Swedish businessman best known for his transformative leadership as the CEO of Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) from 1981 to 1994. The term often refers to a business philosophy emphasizing decentralization, empowering employees, and focusing on customer satisfaction at every point of contact.

Specifically, "Carlzon's approach," or simply "Carlzon," can encompass the following key principles:

• Moments of Truth: Carlzon emphasized that each interaction a customer has with a company (the "moment of truth") is critical in shaping their overall perception of the brand.
• Decentralization and Empowerment: He advocated for delegating decision-making authority to frontline employees, trusting them to resolve customer issues and make improvements independently. This stemmed from the belief that those closest to the customer are best equipped to understand and address their needs.
• Market-Oriented Strategy: Carlzon focused on understanding and responding to the needs and preferences of the target market, rather than solely relying on internal operations.
• Reduced Hierarchy: He worked to flatten organizational hierarchies, fostering a culture of open communication and collaboration between employees at all levels.
• Customer-Centric Culture: Carlzon strived to create a company culture that prioritized the customer experience above all else, emphasizing service quality and responsiveness.

The impact of Carlzon's leadership at SAS is widely regarded as a successful example of organizational transformation. His ideas, often documented in his book "Moments of Truth," have influenced business leaders and management practices worldwide. Although the specific context was the airline industry, the principles of empowerment, customer focus, and decentralized decision-making have proven applicable across various sectors. The term "Carlzon" can therefore represent a management style or philosophy built upon these foundations.