The biggest threat to brands today is irrelevance. Brands are no longer competing for share-of-wallet. Rather, they're competing for share-of-life. The most well-known and successful brands have integrated themselves into consumers' lives in an authentic way, adding true value. They put their customers' needs at the forefront and view them as people, not transactions.

Based on countless conversations I've had with clients over the years wanting to know, "How can we forge strong relationships with our customers?" here are some key questions businesses need to ask themselves on their journey to relevance and customer-centricity.