Business and technology visionary Leonard Brody is taking a deep dive into the profound trends that are rewriting the way we work and live. Partnering with KPMG and Forbes, Leonard is curating The Great Rewrite, a six-part series that explores how executives, entrepreneurs, consultants, and thought leaders are capitalizing on digital transformation to forge game-changing innovations for their employees and customers. It is one of the largest and most award-winning content marketing deals in Forbes‘ history.

The first article in the series looks at “the customer revolution” and how it’s rewiring the way businesses function, from product development to staffing, so that they can better serve their customer base and inspire loyalty. Leonard writes:

Businesses are shifting away from “what can we make?” and “how can we sell it?” to ask questions like “What do our customers want? What do they not want? How do we calculate the value of our best customers? How can we improve the customer experience and increase that value?”

This thinking rewrites the old rules, and fosters a customer-centric approach that views customers as an asset and, to an extent, a partner in a company’s success. Below is an excerpt from Leonard’s article, read the whole piece, watch the accompanying video, and gain first person insights from customer service thought leaders here.

One company that frequently tops the field when KPMG rates companies in its annual Customer Experience Excellence report is USAA, which provides insurance and other financial services to military families. USAA is celebrated for its human touch with its “members,” who tend to sign up for more financial products with USAA than customers of other financial providers do.

“We’re not treating you as an insurance customer or a banking customer or an investment customer,” said Meriah Garrett, the company’s chief design officer. “We’re treating you as a member, with your best interest in mind. Maybe it’s not the best thing for your financial health to own a car right now, so we’re not going to try to sell you that auto loan and insurance.”

USAA members can speak with empathetic representatives who may have military experience of their own, but the 96-year-old company says 95 percent of its customer interactions are via digital channels. Military families may be dislocated, and they need convenient access. USAA has a voice-interface app through Alexa. It built a customer experience design center in Austin, Texas, to create digital interfaces that adapt to each customer’s priorities, extreme personalization using technology.

“We have data to help understand members and their behaviors. If I’m a member who is living paycheck to paycheck, I want to see a very different view than a member who has really robust investments,” Garrett said. “It comes back to the fact that on a day-to-day basis, we’re working through that lens of human need, empathy, listening. Great ideas can definitely disrupt markets. But on their own, they don’t create connection, and they don’t create loyalty. Our ultimate goal is connection with our membership.”

Leonard Brody has been called “a controversial leader of the new world order”. He is currently the Chairman of Creative Labs, a joint-venture with Creative Artists Agency, the largest sport and entertainment agency in the world, and is an award- winning entrepreneur, venture capitalist, bestselling author, and a two-time Emmy nominated media visionary.

In his compelling, customized talks Leonard addresses the rapid pace of change, innovation, and disruption facing us all, and what to do about it.

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