What Customers Crave and How SDS Delivers
Inspired by the insights of Nicholas J. Webb’s “What Customers Crave”
In What Customers Crave, author Nicholas Webb challenges us to reimagine customer engagement. Success comes not through gimmicks or short-term campaigns, but through deeply human experiences delivered at every interaction. At Strategic Data Systems (SDS), this philosophy is more than theory. It guides how we approach every client conversation, project kickoff, and long-term relationship.
Understanding What Your Customers Dislike and What They Truly Value
Webb reminds us that great businesses succeed not only by knowing what customers want, but also by understanding what frustrates them. At SDS, we listen closely. We recognize when a client is worn down by the generic staffing model. We hear when they’ve been let down by consultants who start building before they understand the context. And we know how draining it is to work with vendors who never truly learn your business.
This is why SDS leads with listening. We focus on learning not just what our clients need but also how success looks in their world. That understanding shapes our work, from staffing strategies to sprint retrospectives.
Defining Brand Attributes With Intentionality
Webb emphasizes that businesses must define their brands with clarity and consistency. For SDS, three values define our identity:
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Empowering: Through programs like Ascend IT and blended teams, we help clients and professionals grow long after the engagement ends.
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Trustworthy: We honor deadlines, uphold agreements, and communicate with transparency.
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Innovative: We stay current with modern tools and practices while focusing on practical, measurable results.
Know Your Ideal Customer and Solve Their Real Problems
SDS does not chase every opportunity. We work best with organizations that value long-term thinking, collaborative partnerships, and tailored solutions. Whether assisting a financial institution in modernizing its order systems or helping a mid-sized company explore artificial intelligence, we do not just fill roles. We embed ourselves in teams.
We start by asking key questions:
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What is holding your business back?
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Where do you want to grow?
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What keeps your leadership team up at night?
From there, we design solutions that fit. That is the SDS difference.
A Full Ecosystem of Services That Support Growth
Webb’s concept of a product ecosystem aligns closely with how we have designed our service offerings. SDS is not just a consulting company. We are an ecosystem for your success.
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Custom Software Development: Applications built with performance and purpose.
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Professional Staffing Solutions: Highly skilled professionals embedded seamlessly into your teams.
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Cloud and Data Consulting: From strategy to execution, we guide you through modernization.
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Ascend IT: Our apprentice program prepares the next generation of talent.
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AI and Analytics: We help you safely and smartly unlock value from your data.
Each offering supports the next and grows with your business needs.
Creating Delight Through the Details
Customer delight is not about grand gestures. It is about exceeding expectations in small, consistent ways. Take the SDS Principal Consultant Program, for example. These seasoned experts lead technical efforts and also serve as trusted client partners. Or consider the moments when we step in to solve problems before clients even ask. These touches build long-term relationships.
Why SDS?
In a crowded industry, SDS delivers what customers truly value. We build relationships, deliver results, and focus on making every experience exceptional.
If you are searching for a consulting partner who listens carefully, delivers with excellence, and empowers your teams for the future, let’s start the conversation. https://sds.io/contact-us/
About the author
David Pledger is a founding partner of Strategic Data Systems (SDS), established in 1992 alongside Keith Stafford. With a foundation in electrical engineering and early career experience as a database consultant specializing in Sybase and SQL Server, David helped build SDS into a trusted provider of high-quality information technology consulting services. Under his leadership, SDS has delivered talent and solutions to clients across the region and the nation. David believes deeply in the philosophy that if you take care of your people, they will take care of your customers—an idea that continues to shape the company’s culture and success.
david.pledger@sds.io; 513-782-2020
