Over 10 years ago in this column, we discussed “nimbility.”What's nimbility? “If people in your organization understand[customer needs] and you are ready to respond, your organizationhas nimbility. If not, you have the opposite trait, which we cancall 'numbility.'”

Related: Choice and transparency: The new face of healthcare insurance

During the past 10 years, we entered “the age of the customer,”but the basic principles of nimbility are more important thanever.

Empowered associates. A core element is keeping decision-makingauthority at the front line of service. Think how you feel when astore clerk tells you they can process a return right at theirregister versus telling you to go to the customer service area inthe back of the store. Empowered associates have been a cornerstoneof online commerce — now it has become a standard for all retail tolive up to.

Technology is an enabler, not a service. Service enablingsystems are tools, not services. Customers are interested inpersonal treatment in a tech-driven, impersonal world.

Awareness that each customer is unique. There has been anevolution toward voluntary plans and away from “one-size-fits-all”benefits, which no longer meet the needs of an increasingly diverseworkforce. Each customer has their own story, needs, andviewpoint.

Related: How next-gen consumers are influencing benefitsstrategies

Profit and financial success elements are outcomes, not goals.An organization's goals should be customer centered. Simplymeasuring and striving for financial success misses the point: Anempowered team dedicated to customer service is the cornerstone ofgreat businesses. Durable customers who bring along their friendsbuild long-term success.

Nimbility fosters change. “The most likely to survive is not thestrongest or most intelligent, it is the most able to change.”Credit LSU Professor Leon C. Megginson for this statement oftenattributed to Charles Darwin. Customers follow the classic changecurve, with some adopting early and others resistant to the end.Businesses with nimbility keep old techniques (paper enrollmentmaterials) while introducing new options (web-based enrollmentsystems, text-based options, etc.). It is important not to throwaway old methods too fast, because a substantial percentage ofemployees will be slow to change.

What of “numbility”? Businesses with numbility are tone deaf tothe voices of customers. They provide service that's just enough tomove on to the next call. Too often, their measurement of successin service is based on numbers: How fast is a phone call back offthe line? How quickly is there a response to a text or email?Efficiency can be mistaken for effectiveness. Even worse,number-centric management can place a serious strain on staffefficiency, because they know their performance is measured bymetrics instead of outcomes — and they know what customers want ispositive outcomes.

Related: Health care consumerism is more than a benefitdesign

Build an attitude of responsiveness and nimbility into yourorganization's business culture and you and your staff members willexcel for customers. You and your staff will have the nimbility —the nimble ability — to provide the highest level of service.