4xi: 2 years on - what have we learned?

May 1, 20224 min read

It’s been an unbelievable journey so far.

Two years ago, we set off with the hope to fill what we believed was a gap in the market - not a foodservice or facilities consulting firm, not managing transactional and often adversarial RFPs, nor be property or architectural consultants, but a focus on the Human Experience (HX) - a people-first approach to the away from home markets of those at work, in education, at rest, and at leisure.

Our goal was to work with organizations seeking a better Human Experience: service providers looking to attain more productive and meaningful relationships, innovators wanting to grow and expand their impact, and accelerators focused on expansion, through buy, build, and grow.

"You can't discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore, sometimes for a very long time." - André Gide

We knew that the key to success would be our people, and 2 years on, we have curated what is arguably one of the best collaborations of talent and senior leaders in the industry - from the client and service provider side, with global experience, and innovators passionate about, and committed to transformative change.

Achieving these initial targets is exciting, and we will continue to pivot and evolve as we grow, build our business, and make positive and impactful contributions to our client organizations.

What have we learned? Here are a few of our musings:

1. THE ONLY CONSTANT IN LIFE IS CHANGE

We started this business at the very beginning of the pandemic, global shutdown, economic contraction, and pain. With global political uncertainty, rising fuel prices, shortage of labor, the “great resignation” (and reluctance), and even war, the future is as uncertain and arguably more so today than in the last seventy-five years.

2. READING THE TEA LEAVES

Who really knows what the future may hold? To what extent will people return to the physical place to the extent that they did before? To what extent will the new normal be like the old normal? What are the key factors, and differentiators that organizations should invest in into the future?

3. DID PEOPLE GET MORE EMPATHETIC?

With all the various points of personal and professional pain, with the loss, isolation, shutdowns, and suffering on various levels, did we all of a sudden become more considerate and empathetic towards others? Do clients understand financial pain more today? Do people understand that workers need to earn a proper living wage? Do they care more about things that aren’t necessarily occurring in their own backyard?

4. OUR PLANET, AND FUTURE GENERATIONS

As the impact of centuries of industrialization and human abuse of our planet has become more visible and apparent, today’s youth are experiencing what could easily be termed a pandemic of anxiousness. What can we do in business, and as leaders, and what contribution and impact can we drive to make a real difference and secure our planet for future generations to come?

5. FLEXIBILITY & CONVENIENCE

We need to consider the rise of Amazon, eBay, food delivery, on-demand, immediate fulfillment and gratification, the workforce having more choices about where they work, when, and on what terms. Indigestion around the commute, or expensive property prices just to be close to the physical workplace. The drive and desire for convenience, what, where, when, and how have never been so prominent.

6. REINVENTION

What has become clearly apparent is that the ways in which we have done things in the past are not the same as we will do in the future. Individuals, groups, entire organizations, enterprises, and even countries understand the need and the inevitability of change. Reinvention and understanding how to do so effectively and for the long term is key.

7. BETTER TOGETHER

Our mantra of “Our Strength is in the Power of Our Collective” rings true for us on our quest, but also for so many organizations today. Team sports have always showed us how the whole is greater than the sum of the parts and should be a learning for all

We’re having a lot of fun, we’re working together, building our team for capacity but importantly for capability too. We understand that the future is also predicated on more with less, and how fractional support is also the future as many organizations know the importance of managing headcount, efficiency, and effectiveness in delivering their strategic imperatives through the best, most efficient, and effective use of resources.

Over these past two years we have been busy building our foundations, including the creation of our practices:

Design4Life©

Physical, environmental, and experiential design – turning spaces into places where people choose to be.

Evolving Experiences©

Employee (EX) and Customer Experience (CX) Strategy & Training as a strategy to drive business success.

Sustainability Simplified©

Strategy and practical support to help organizations design their ESG strategies and deliver tangible impact.

TRUE NORTH©

Strategic Partnerships Learning Academy. Organizational and team developmental. Win better, retain better business.

Explorers Innovation Directory

Carefully curated, best-in-class innovation that positively impacts the Human Experience.

Fractional On-Demand Support 360

Fractional expertise, on-demand. CXO in: Strategy, Growth, Experience, Sustainability, Marketing, Operations.

Market Research & Reports

Seeking to understand a specific market or region. Trends, comparisons, deep data and insights to make data-driven decisions.

Thanks to our team, our clients, our partners, associates, and friends who have helped us along this journey so far. We’re looking forward to the next 2 years and beyond, continuing to add value, drive impact and transformative change.

Our Strength is in the Power of Our Collective.

www.4xiconsulting.com

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4xi: Inspiring a brighter future, together.

4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side creating an impact on the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure.

We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy, whether client, employee or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success.

We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators:

Strategic Advisory
Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations
Human Experience: Customer (CX) & Employee (EX)
Training & Development
Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation
Market Research Reports & Benchmarking

4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy.

Inspiring a brighter future, together.