DCX #69 | Your First 100 Days as a CX Leader
CX Strategy Roadblocks; DCX Poll: Future CX; Links to Industry news and the DCX Thought Leader Profile of the Week
Thank you to over 650 CX professionals from 38 US states and 76 countries for being loyal weekly readers of DCX. I am incredibly grateful for your continuous support and engagement. 🙏
Your First 100 Days as a CX Leader
Congratulations! You’ve become the leader of a CX organization. Exciting times, right? When I first started leading CX teams, I learned quickly that it’s best not to start making broad proclamations right off the bat.
The first 100 days are about learning, establishing your role, gaining buy-in, identifying quick wins, and laying the foundation for longer-term CX success. Moving too aggressively or overpromising outcomes early on can be risky. Rather, focusing on building credibility through demonstrated progress against a thoughtful roadmap first will enable longer-term success.
Questions to get off to a great start:
The best way to get started is to get a clear view of the facts. This way, you can have a better understanding of the situation and make informed decisions. So, before making any recommendations, ask questions and listen intently. Gather information about the organization, its customers, and the challenges it faces. By doing so, you can gain a better understanding of the overall situation and make more informed decisions.
Here are ten questions that I use for you to consider.
What are the top 3 CX priorities I should focus on in my first 100 days? This helps prioritize the most pressing initiatives.
What are our CX strengths that we can build upon? And what are some key CX weaknesses or opportunities? This provides an honest assessment of the current state.
Who are our most valuable customers, and what do we know about their needs, pain points, and CX journeys? This identifies key customer segments to focus on.
How do we currently measure CX - both quantitatively and qualitatively? Are there any gaps in our measurement programs? This assesses current CX metrics and KPIs.
How is CX data currently collected, analyzed, and shared across the organization? What improvements could make insights more actionable? This looks at CX data flows and actions.
How is CX currently reflected in our company culture, strategies, and processes? Identifies opportunities to further integrate CX.
Who are our key partners across the organization that CX needs to collaborate with? Building partnerships and buy-in is key.
What CX training or educational opportunities exist for our employees/teams? Looks for gaps to improve CX knowledge and skills.
Are there any quick CX wins we can tackle in the first 30/60/90 days? Quick wins build momentum and support.
How do our customers perceive their CX with our brand today? Identifies potential perception gaps to address.
Organizing your first 100 days
Organizing your first 100 days is a crucial step in setting a strong foundation for success. These initial days in a new role or position can significantly shape your overall performance and impact. It is a time to set priorities, establish relationships, and lay the groundwork for future achievements. By effectively planning and strategizing your first 100 days, you can maximize your productivity, make a positive impression, and set yourself up for long-term success.
Here’s a plan that has worked for me.
Weeks 1-2:
Set up intro meetings with key stakeholders and partners
Conduct listening tours to hear pain points and opportunities from teams
Review existing CX strategies, data, and processes to learn the landscape
Weeks 3-4:
Outline high-level 90-day plan and share for input
Start gathering data on customer feedback, journeys, pain points
Assess CX team skills and capabilities needed
Weeks 5-8:
Finalize the 100-day CX roadmap and share it with leadership
Identify 1-2 quick win projects to build momentum
Develop customer journey maps for key segments
Address any urgent CX issues or crises
Weeks 9-12:
Implement quick win CX projects to demonstrate progress
Develop strategy for VoC programs, metrics, governance
Plan any restructuring of team or partnerships
Outline 6-12 month vision and strategy
100 Day Accomplishments
The first 100 days set the stage for your success. Early wins will lay a solid groundwork for your continued progress. So, let's take a look at some inspiring targets to strive for.
Establish regular touchpoints with key stakeholders like executives, product teams, sales, service, etc. to build relationships
Map current customer journeys and identify major pain points or experience gaps
Conduct audits of existing VoC programs, CX metrics, and governance processes to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities
Create a CX roadmap for the next 6-12 months with key initiatives and quick wins identified
Launch 1-2 quick win CX improvement projects to build momentum and demonstrate value (e.g., improved feedback collection, closed-loop process, better CX data reporting)
Define and document your team's mission, vision, structure, and roles to align with CX priorities
Start developing CX governance models for voice of customer, customer insights, metrics, and goal-setting
Create an outline of a 3-5 year CX transformation strategy and plan
Establish a regular cadence for reporting CX metrics and insights to key leaders and teams
Identify key skills, capabilities, and technologies needed to scale CX efforts and begin hiring
Begin documenting CX standards, guidelines, and policies to streamline efforts (customer data, VoC, research, etc.)
Develop your next 100-day plan for the next phase based on learnings during your initial ramp-up
Even though it may feel like a lot, 100 days will fly by in no time. Following this plan, you’ll have already made incredible strides in getting up to speed, identifying your potential, and setting the stage for lasting change. Your commitment to the CX vision and plan is evident, and you can see your momentum building.
Next, it's time to take it up a notch! Over the next 100 days, you’ll concentrate on expanding your efforts and making an even greater impact on the key customer interactions that matter most.
We’ll talk about that next week.
Live Up To Your Full Potential 365 Days a Year
Tools for a better life. Learn More.
Free Download: The Accountability Exercise - "The Accountability Exercise really helped me through a very tough time. I think I would’ve been lost without it.” - Bill S.
CX Strategy Roadblocks
Crafting and implementing such a strategy is no easy feat. It requires careful planning, dedication, and, most importantly, the willingness to embrace the challenges that come along the way. Today, I will share some of the obstacles I’ve faced and how to overcome them, unlock hidden opportunities, and create a CX strategy that will truly set your business apart.
Ever thought about why having a CX strategy is worth your time? Well, let me tell you, a top-notch CX strategy can transform your customers into die-hard supporters, skyrocket your profits, and put you way ahead of your competitors. It's like taking your business to rockstar status with an ever-expanding fanbase! That said, it’s certainly not easy to build or even deliver on your strategy without working through a number of challenges.
The Roadblocks on Your CX Journey
Now, let's talk about the bumps on the road. Here are some common challenges you might face:
Lack of a clear vision: Imagine going on a trip without a destination. Not very productive, right? The same goes for your CX strategy. Without a clear, customer-centric vision, your efforts might end up going in circles.
Siloed departments: Your business is like an orchestra, and your customers expect a symphony. But when departments work in isolation, it's more cacophony than harmony. This can lead to disjointed customer experiences.
Inadequate technology: In the digital age, technology is your best friend. But if you're stuck with outdated tech, it's like trying to win a car race with a bicycle. Not very promising, is it?
Resistance to change: Change can be scary, and resistance within your organization can slow down your CX efforts. It's like trying to drive with the handbrake on.
Lack of customer understanding: Your customers are the heart of your CX strategy. If you don't understand their needs, preferences, and pain points, your strategy might miss the mark.
Overcoming the Challenges
Don't let the list of challenges discourage you! Take a breath and get ready because I've got some tips to help you conquer each and every one of them:
For a clear vision:
It all starts with understanding your customers. Dive deep into their needs, wants, and expectations. Conduct surveys, interviews, or focus groups to gather insights. Use this information to craft a clear, customer-centric vision that aligns with your business goals. This vision should guide all your CX efforts and decisions. Remember, a well-defined vision acts like a compass, keeping your CX strategy on the right path.
For siloed departments:
Collaboration is key. Encourage different departments to work together towards a common goal - delivering exceptional customer experiences. Break down the silos and foster a culture of open communication and teamwork. Regular inter-departmental meetings, team-building activities, and collaborative projects can help. When everyone works in harmony, you can create a symphony of positive customer experiences.
For inadequate technology:
Technology is a powerful tool in your CX arsenal. Invest in the right tech that can help you understand and serve your customers better. This could be a CRM system to manage customer relationships, analytics tools to gather customer insights, or AI-powered chatbots to enhance customer service. Remember, the goal is not to replace the human touch but to augment it with technology.
For resistance to change:
Change is inevitable, especially in the fast-paced world of CX. Foster a culture that embraces change rather than resisting it. Communicate the benefits of the new CX strategy, provide adequate training to ease the transition, and lead by example. Show your team that change is not something to fear but an opportunity to grow and improve.
For lack of customer understanding:
Your customers are the heart of your CX strategy. Make an effort to listen to them. Use surveys, feedback forms, social media listening, and data analysis to understand their needs, preferences, and pain points. The more you understand your customers, the better you can serve them. Remember, in the world of CX, knowledge is power.
Don't be intimidated by the thought of implementing a CX strategy! With the right mindset, you can conquer any challenges that come your way and pave the path to success for your business. Each improvement you make in your customer experience brings you closer to achieving your goals.
This week, I asked our colleagues in the Customer Experience Professionals Group on Linkedin about how CX will evolve. I asked them to pick which of the hype-iest expectations is the likeliest to happen.
The options were:
VR/AR for Brand Experiences: The majority of high-value customer interactions will take place in VR or AR environments, offering a fully immersive brand experience.
Emotion AI Reads Moods: Advanced algorithms will not only understand text but also voice tonality, facial expressions, and even biometrics to gauge a customer's emotional state and adapt interactions in real time.
Stores as Experience Hubs: Physical stores will not disappear but will transform into experience centers. Augmented reality, holography, and other technologies will blur the lines between digital and physical shopping.
AI Tailors Personal CX: Rather than one-size-fits-all, customers will have their own AI-driven "ecosystem" that businesses tap into, ensuring a fully tailored experience based on preferences, past interactions, and even mood.
Leading the pack, with 48% of respondents support, is the role of AI in Tailoring Personal CX. The overwhelming consensus is that the future of CX will pivot towards deep personalization, with AI sculpting experiences around individual preferences, histories, and moods. This sentiment underscores the anticipated transformative power of AI in delivering bespoke brand interactions.
Next, Emotion AI, backed by 24%, paints a promising picture. This prediction suggests a significant leap in AI's capabilities, with future algorithms detecting and responding to human emotions through various cues. The considerable support for this notion indicates optimism around technology melding with emotional intelligence for enriched CX.
With 18% approval, the transformation of Physical Stores into Experience Hubs highlights an interesting potential evolution. Despite the rise of e-commerce, brick-and-mortar stores are envisioned to morph into immersive centers, where digital seamlessly integrates with reality. This sentiment signals a belief in the enduring appeal of tangible shopping experiences, yet enhanced by technological advancements.
Lastly, the VR/AR for Brand Experiences prediction, supported by just 10%, suggests caution around the idea of virtual environments becoming dominant in high-value customer interactions. The limited endorsement might stem from challenges in the broader adoption of VR/AR, hinting at reservations about its immediate mainstream potential.
In summary, while diverse pathways are envisioned for CX's future, the poll clearly signals a strong inclination towards AI-driven personalization as the most probable trend.
This week’s DCX Newsletter is Supported by:
McDonald's Ordering Experience Personalization – Dynamic Yield
McDonald's has made advances in technology to enhance customer experiences with personalization. They acquired Dynamic Yield, a personalization platform, and rolled it out to over 12,000 U.S. Drive Thrus over a 6 month period. They use Dynamic Yield to optimize digital menu boards and increase average check size. McDonald's plans to further scale and integrate Dynamic Yield's capabilities globally.
Best customer service brands 2023: A bear market shows its teeth (the-future-of-commerce.com)
According to the American Consumer Satisfaction Index, the top 15 brands with the best customer service include Trader Joe's, Lexus, Chick-fil-A, and more. Newsweek's list of the top 15 customer service brands includes The Hartford, Nobu, American Fidelity, and more. Factors like customer satisfaction, communication quality, and range of services are taken into account when evaluating customer service brands.
20 Notable Customer Experience Startups (2023) (explodingtopics.com)
This article describes 20 trending startups that help businesses with customer experience problems. Companies like Raydiant, Planhat, ChurnZero, MadKudu, Meya, MaestroQA, Moesif, AfterShip, Userlytics, and Threekit are changing the way businesses interact with customers and track customer usage data. Each of these companies have different solutions to help businesses better understand their customers and improve their relationships.
Every week, I get excited to introduce you to another inspiring professional from LinkedIn who has the potential to make a significant difference in your life and career.
This week, meet Claire Boscq, inspiring keynote speaker, author, and coach.
Claire Boscq is a highly recognized international keynote speaker and originator of BizShui; hailing from France, she moved to Dubai in 2023 to open a new chapter of her life.
She carries a powerful mission: to inspire businesses to thrive by delivering exceptional customer experiences that blend traditional Feng Shui principles with modern business and personal needs. Known for reducing physical and emotional stress, Claire aims to increase productivity, loyalty, and prosperity in the workspace.
Voted five consecutive years as the No. 1 Woman Global Customer Experience Guru, Claire has worked for over three decades and is seen as an authority in the customer experience industry. She incorporates techniques like Feng Shui, NLP, EI, and Mindfulness in her approach to customer and employee experiences.
Her career is highlighted by her acclaimed authorship of four international best-selling books and her impact as an international media influencer. Claire's books are empowering, bringing readers wisdom on service excellence and strategies to create thriving, customer-centric businesses.
Claire’s BizShui Method, through which her expertise largely spreads, powerfully establishes a flow in businesses by integrating traditional Feng Shui principles. By attuning environments to the energy of the people within them, this method helps boost energy and prosperity in the organization.
Articulate, passionate, and full of vigor, Claire Boscq is aptly described as 'The Energizer.' She speaks powerfully in both French and English and is ready to help businesses and individuals shift their vibes for success. Her futuristic holistic approach provides a beacon to individuals and organizations striving for exceptional customer experiences, making her an outstanding influencer in her field.
Thank you for reading this week.
Please share with others you think would benefit.
More from Mark Levy
DCX Ultimate CX Notes Templates
365 Days of Accountability - Daily Text Challenge, Books, Journals and Exercises