#66 | DCX - Perspectives and insights on digital customer experience
Master the Art of Prioritizing in the Fast-Paced World of CX; Mindset: The CX Game-Changer; How Professionals Fell in Love with CX;Links to Industry news and the DCX Thought Leader Profile of the Week
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Master the Art of Prioritizing in the Fast-Paced World of CX
Have you ever felt like a juggler, keeping multiple Customer Experience (CX) balls in the air? It's a thrilling world to be in, but it can also be overwhelming. For instance, who hasn’t attended to a customer's urgent request while simultaneously dealing with a technical glitch in your system? It's a constant juggle.
Despite the challenges, working in the fast-paced world of CX can be rewarding. There's a sense of satisfaction when you're able to resolve a customer's issue and make their day. It's also an opportunity to learn and grow professionally.
Managing all these different priorities can be a challenge.
Here’s your go-to guide on managing those everchanging CX priorities without breaking a sweat:
Stay in the Loop
It’s essential to keep your ear to the ground. Whether it’s internal team feedback, customer surveys, or industry updates, stay informed. Make it a habit to read, learn, and absorb constantly.
Benefit: Improved decision-making and proactive responsiveness
Adopt Agile Frameworks
Consider integrating agile methodologies into your CX strategies. These allow for flexibility and quick pivoting, ensuring you’re always ready to address the most pressing priorities first.
Benefit: Faster adaptation to changing customer preferences
Data is Your North Star
Metrics can guide your way! Monitor KPIs that matter. If customer satisfaction drops after a process change, it might be time to reevaluate. Similarly, watch for patterns and act on them.
Benefit: Data-driven improvements and optimized CX outcomes
Empower Your Teams
Trust your team and give them the autonomy to make decisions. Frontline staff often have firsthand insight into what’s urgent. Encourage open communication so these insights don’t get lost.
Benefit: Enhanced employee morale and better customer insights
Prioritize...but Be Ready to Pivot
Start each quarter with clear priorities, but be ready to adjust. It’s not about being fickle but about being responsive to real-time changes.
Benefit: Agility to adapt to rapidly changing market conditions
Invest in Tech
Automation, AI, and other technologies can be your allies. Tools like AI-driven chatbots or predictive analytics can help you anticipate shifts and respond promptly.
Benefit: Increased efficiency and better anticipation of trends
Customer Feedback is GOLD
The voice of the customer is invaluable. Regularly collect feedback and adjust your priorities based on what customers are truly feeling and experiencing.
Benefit: Improved customer satisfaction and loyalty
Strengthen Internal Communication
Everyone should be on the same page. Regular team huddles, updates, and a shared vision can ensure you’re collectively addressing the right CX issues.
Benefit: Greater alignment and better execution of CX strategies
Continual Training & Development
As priorities shift, ensure your team’s skills aren’t left behind. Invest in continual training to keep everyone sharp and ready to tackle the latest challenges.
Benefit: A highly skilled and adaptable workforce
Remember the Big Picture
While daily priorities will change, your overarching CX vision likely won't. Always come back to your core mission and values. They'll anchor you in the tumultuous seas of shifting priorities.
Benefit: Consistent focus on core mission and values
As we all know, change is the only constant. But with a mix of agility, data-driven insights, a well-trained team, and a constant ear to customer feedback, managing these shifts becomes less of a Herculean task and more of a well-choreographed dance.
Keep juggling, keep pivoting, and remember – at the heart of every CX change is an opportunity to create even more remarkable experiences for our customers!
Anything else you would add? Leave a comment.
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Mindset: The CX Game-Changer
Any company that prioritizes empathy and understanding in its interactions with customers will ultimately create a more positive and memorable experience, even if its technology or processes aren't the most advanced. Customer experience goes beyond just the transactional aspect - it's about building genuine connections and leaving a lasting impression.
Building a customer experience (CX) mindset is crucial for any business that wants to create a positive and memorable experience for its customers. Here are five business examples of where mindset drove better CX. Think about how it can improve yours.
Embrace Change, Shape Experiences
The world of business is always evolving, and customer preferences aren’t static. A CX leader who adapts is one who thrives. Take Netflix, for instance; they evolved from a DVD rental service to an online streaming behemoth because they recognized and acted on changing customer behaviors. The mindset of adaptability, not just reactive adjustment, allowed them to shape their customers' experience rather than being shaped by it.
Proactive Problem-Solving
Issues will arise – that's a given in any business. The differentiation lies in anticipation. A proactive mindset doesn’t wait for problems to escalate. Think of Zappos, the online shoe retailer. They’re known for their stellar customer service. When delivery was delayed, instead of waiting for customer complaints, they upgraded affected customers to faster shipping. By anticipating issues, they turned potential grievances into delight.
Continuous Learning Equals Continuous Improvement
Those in CX must cultivate a learner's mindset. It's not enough to rest on laurels or past successes. The best experiences are born from insights gathered through continuous learning. Disney, for example, tirelessly seeks feedback. They employ an army of 'Guest Relations' staff who listen to visitors every day. This feedback feeds into their continuous effort to refine and perfect the park experience for all.
Empathy: Seeing Through the Customer’s Eyes
The cornerstone of great CX is understanding the customer. An empathetic mindset allows for deeper connections, and these genuine connections translate into memorable experiences. A shining example? The Ritz-Carlton staff who overheard a guest discussing how he’d lost his sunglasses in the ocean. They hired a diver and retrieved the sunglasses. This wasn’t about the cost of the sunglasses but the value of making a customer feel extraordinarily special.
A Culture of Ownership
When individuals adopt a mindset of ownership, they feel personally responsible for the experiences they provide. This transcends mere job duties and delves into a personal commitment to excellence. Nordstrom, renowned for their CX, allows their employees considerable discretion in handling customer issues. An often-told story involves a customer returning car tires (a product Nordstrom doesn't sell). The staff took them back, not because it made logical sense but because it reinforced a culture where employees feel empowered to ensure customer satisfaction at almost any cost.
So, here's the deal. Stellar customer experience isn't about ticking boxes. It's about having the right attitude, understanding the feels, and being ready to pivot when needed. When you do all this, you're not just selling stuff; you're making memories. And isn’t that the real goal?
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This week I asked our colleagues in the Customer Experience Professionals Group on Linkedin about how they found their way to working in Customer Experience.
How Professionals Fell in Love with CX
The field of customer experience goes beyond simply analyzing data or metrics. It is a passion that motivates professionals to prioritize the customer's needs. This week's poll revealed some fascinating stories about the various and unexpected paths taken to reach CX.
Christine Mazur, Vice President @ WageUp Inc. By a twist of fate, Christine ended up interviewing with John Goodman at TARP, the first customer experience research/consulting firm. So inspired by John’s passion, Christine committed herself to the field even before knowing her salary! Over 20 years later, Christine believes the work in CX truly makes a difference in people's lives.
Ashley Skilton, Customer Insight and CX Transformation Consultant Ashley's journey into CX was a culmination of roughly two decades of roles centered around analytics. The allure? The intriguing aspects of understanding customer behaviors. Today, Ashley passionately aids organizations in evolving to prioritize the customer.
Carlee Baxter, CX Director Carlee discovered the 'Jobs to be Done' framework during her parental leave. The unique blend of functional and emotional insights offered by this framework was her entry point into the CX realm.
Shilpa Mudiganti, Senior Director, CX Data and Systems For Shilpa, transitioning to CX was a conscious choice. With a foundation in marketing and tech implementation, her genuine interest in customer needs led her to the world of CX. Today, she's a proud advocate and practitioner of customer-first methodologies.
Jon Loshbaugh, CX Specialist The rapid transition from print to digital in the Yellow Pages pushed Jon and his team to adopt a new approach. This change required them to design a sales model tailored to the needs of SMB customers. Jon’s story highlights the significance of agility and keeping the customer at the center of business decisions.
Bill Price, President, Driva Solutions Bill's transition into CX came with a career shift. From strategic consulting, he ventured into operations with a special focus on automating customer service calls for big names like Marriott and United Airlines. His tryst with CX began in earnest during his tenure at MCI and reached its zenith when he moved to Amazon in the late '90s.
The common thread among these stories? A deep-rooted passion for understanding and enhancing the customer experience. Whether by chance or choice, each of these professionals has made a mark in the CX industry. Their journeys serve as an inspiration for others to follow their heart and make a real difference in the lives of customers.
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Each week, I share a profile from LinkedIn that I believe can positively impact your life and career
This week, meet Mehdi Tabrizi, an internationally seasoned growth leader adept at building successful brands across various sectors, from healthcare to technology. Known for delivering extraordinary results, his portfolio includes Global 500 corporations, billion-dollar private firms, and startups.
For Mehdi, excellence is not an ambition—it's a habit. He thrives on embracing diverse challenges aided by a culturally rich background and a relentless curiosity for knowledge. His prowess spans strategic marketing, digital transformation, customer experience, and thought leadership. Mehdi’s ceaseless desire for learning and innovation helps him stay ahead of the curve, making him a driving force in the business terrain.
Mehdi is currently a Fractional CMO and CXO at Mosaic Peak. In his previous role as a Global Chief Marketing Officer at City Electrical Factors, Mehdi navigated the complex world of international marketing and online customer experiences, contributing to the company's growth in quite a meaningful way.
One of his noteworthy achievements includes the successful rebranding of Moda Health, a $3 billion healthcare organization. Under Mehdi's leadership, the company transcended its former identity to become a consumer healthcare brand with a remarkable presence.
With a keen eye for strategic marketing, business development, and creating impactful customer experiences, Mehdi has been instrumental in taking his teams to the next level. His educational background includes a Bachelor of Engineering and an MBA from the University of Adelaide and an Executive Leadership course from Harvard Business School.
Mehdi now resides in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, USA, holding tight to his commitment to professional growth and making every company he partners with a better version of itself.
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