DCX # 122 | 9 CX Myths We Need to Bury for Good
Outdated CX advice can lead to frustrated employees and dissatisfied customers. It's time to rewrite the rules, ditch unrealistic expectations, and foster genuine connections.
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—Welcome to the DCX Newsletter—
Here's a sneak peek of the myths on the chopping block:
The customer is always right.
Great customer experience means always exceeding expectations.
You need the latest tech to improve customer experience.
Customer experience is only the responsibility of customer-facing teams.
More engagement equals better customer experience.
Customers always prefer self-service options.
If customers aren’t complaining, everything is fine.
You need a big budget for successful customer experience initiatives.
Good customer experience is about avoiding all mistakes.
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Ever feel like you're drowning in unrealistic expectations?
Like no matter how hard you try, it’s never enough?
If you’re in the CX game, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
From “The customer is always right” to “Always exceed expectations,” there’s a mountain of outdated advice that leaves you—and your team—exhausted and frustrated.
These so-called golden rules are supposed to guide you, but instead, they pile on pressure and set you up for failure. It’s time to get real.
If we want to inspire true loyalty and create meaningful connections, we need to rethink our beliefs about CX.
We need to challenge the status quo and rewrite the playbook to focus on what actually works.
It’s time to let go of the myths that hold us back.
So, without further ado, here are 9 CX myths we need to bury for good.
1. The Customer is Always Right
Spoiler: they're not.
Sure, it sounds nice, but treating this as gospel truth just puts your team in an impossible position.
Not every customer demand is reasonable, and bending over backward for every request is a recipe for burnout.
When employees feel they have to constantly appease unreasonable customers, it can take a toll on their morale and lead to frustration or even burnout.
So what's a customer-obsessed leader to do?
Show empathy and acknowledge the customer's issue, but also set boundaries.
Empower your team to use their judgment. Give them the green light to say, "I get why you'd want that, but here's what we can actually do."
Role-play tricky scenarios in team meetings. It's like a fire drill, but for customer curveballs.
Create a "challenging customer" playbook. Give your team a game plan for when things get dicey.
The goal?
Strike a balance between keeping customers happy and keeping your team sane. Trust me, your employees (and your sanity) will thank you.
Everyone wins—and nobody has to lose their sanity in the process.
2. Great CX Means Always Exceeding Expectations
It sounds wonderful, right?
Always go above and beyond!
But if you try to do this all the time, you'll end up with a burnt-out team when you inevitably can't keep it up.
And when you can't keep up the superhuman effort, guess who feels let down? Yep, your customers.
Here's why: if you're always swinging for the fences, you're setting yourself up for a lot of strikeouts.
Instead, try this on for size:
Nail the basics consistently. It's not sexy, but it works.
Save the razzle-dazzle for when it really counts. For example, when a customer is onboarding and needs extra guidance, a big complaint needs fixing, a customer is in a bind, or you're trying to win back a lost account.
Map out your customer journey and identify the make-or-break moments. That's where you pull out all the stops.
Remember, reliability is the unsung hero of great CX.
Meet expectations consistently and save the 'wow' moments for when they really count.
Be the company that customers can count on, day in and day out.
3. You Need the Latest Tech to Improve CX
Tech alone can’t save you.
So, hold your horses before you max out the company credit card on the latest CX tech.
Sure, a shiny new AI chatbot might look great on paper. But without a solid team behind it? It's about as useful as a chocolate teapot.
Here's a better approach:
Invest in your people first. The best tech in the world can't replace good old-fashioned human empathy.
Use tech to support your team, not replace them. Think of it as giving your CX superheroes some cool gadgets, not building CX robots.
Before you buy, ask yourself: "Will this actually make our customers' lives easier?" If the answer's not a resounding "yes," keep your wallet in your pocket.
Remember, at the end of the day, customers crave connection. Make sure you're using tech to enhance that human touch, not eliminate it.
A human support team can adapt, empathize, and personalize in ways that tech just can’t.
Your customers will notice the difference when a real person picks up where the bot falls short.
Related: I don’t get it. We bought copilot.
4. CX is Only the Responsibility of Customer-Facing Teams
News flash: CX isn't just a support team thing. It's an everyone thing.
Think about it. Marketing sets customer expectations. Product designs the user experience. IT keeps everything running smoothly. Every department plays a part in the CX symphony.
Want to create a truly customer-obsessed culture? Try this:
Break down those pesky departmental silos. Get everyone talking about CX, from the C-suite to the interns.
Show each team how their work impacts the customer. Sometimes all it takes is connecting the dots.
Celebrate CX wins across the board. Did the dev team squash a bug that was driving customers nuts? Shout it from the rooftops!
Breaking down silos and getting every department to understand their impact on CX is how you create truly seamless experiences.
When everyone's on the CX train, that's when the magic happens.
RELATED: A CX Leader’s Guide to Organizational Buy-in
Discover how to foster a customer-centric culture across your entire organization.
5. Customers Want to Be Engaged All the Time
Guess what?
They don’t.
Customers don’t want endless engagement; they want meaningful engagement.
Bombarding customers with newsletters, updates, and promotions doesn’t mean you’re delivering better CX.
Overcommunication can lead to frustration and disengagement.
Instead of playing the quantity game, let's focus on quality:
Be there when it matters. Like when a customer's struggling with your product or when there's a major update they need to know about.
Make your communications count. Every message should either solve a problem or spark joy. If it doesn't, hit the delete button.
Give customers the reins. Let them choose how and when they want to hear from you. Trust me, they'll appreciate the control.
The goal is to make customers think, "Wow, they get me," not "Wow, another email to delete."
6. Customers Always Prefer Self-Service Options
Self-service is great... until it isn't.
Sure, many customers love the DIY approach for simple stuff. But when things get complicated? That's when the human touch becomes priceless.
Here's how to strike the right balance:
Make your self-service options rock solid. If customers choose to go it alone, make sure it's smooth sailing.
But always leave the door open for human help. Sometimes, people just need to talk to a real person who gets it.
Use tech to know when to step in. Set up triggers that alert your team when a customer's been struggling with self-service for too long.
There are times when human connection is irreplaceable—especially when customers have complex issues or just need a bit of kindness.
Providing both self-service and human options gives customers the choice to get the help they need in the way they prefer.
7. If Customers Aren’t Complaining, Everything is Fine
Silence isn't golden. It's dangerous.
Just because customers aren't raising hell doesn't mean they're over the moon about your service. Many folks would rather walk away than deal with the hassle of complaining.
So, how do you break the silence?
Be proactive. Reach out with a simple "How are we doing?" before customers even think about leaving.
Make feedback easy and painless. The easier it is to give feedback, the more likely customers are to do it.
Look for warning signs. Decreased usage, lukewarm responses to your outreach? Those are your canaries in the coal mine.
You might be surprised at what you learn—and it’s way better than watching customers vanish without a word.
Don't wait for customers to speak up. By then, it might be too late.
8. You Need a Big Budget for Successful CX Initiatives
Spoiler: You don't.
Great CX isn't about how much you spend. It's about how much you care.
Empathy costs nothing.
The idea that you need a huge budget to create a great customer experience is just plain wrong.
Sure, money helps, but understanding your customers and showing genuine empathy can have a huge impact without costing a dime.
Small changes—like making it easier to find information or training your team to really listen—can make all the difference.
Try these budget-friendly CX boosters:
Empower your front-line staff to make things right on the spot. Sometimes, all it takes is the authority to waive a fee or expedite a shipment.
Start a "CX idea of the month" contest. You'll be amazed at the brilliant, low-cost ideas your team comes up with.
Do a "customer journey walkthrough." Experience your product or service as a customer would. You'll spot pain points you never knew existed.
You don’t need a million-dollar budget to make customers feel like they matter.
Remember, it's often the little things that make the biggest difference. A personalized note here, a proactive heads-up there. These touches don't cost much, but they're worth their weight in gold.
9. Good CX Is About Avoiding All Mistakes
Mistakes happen. To everyone. All the time.
If you're losing sleep trying to create a mistake-free CX utopia, I've got news for you: you're chasing a unicorn. And not the billion-dollar startup kind.
Here's the truth: it's not about never messing up. It's about how you handle it when you inevitably do.
So, what's a customer-obsessed leader to do in the face of the dreaded m-word?
Own it, fast. The moment you realize something's gone sideways, raise your hand and say, "Oops, our bad."
Make it right, and then some. Fix the issue, sure. But then think, "What can we do to turn this frown upside down?" Maybe it's a discount on their next purchase, or a freebie they weren't expecting.
Learn from it. Every mistake is a gift wrapped in sandpaper. It's not comfortable, but there's value inside if you're willing to look for it.
Customers don't expect perfection.
Shocking, I know.
They do expect honesty, a genuine effort to make things right, and a clear commitment to do better next time.
In fact, here's a mind-bender for you: handling a mistake well can actually create more loyalty than if everything had gone smoothly in the first place. It's called the service recovery paradox, and it's your new best friend.
So next time something goes wrong (and it will), take a deep breath, channel your inner superhero, and remember: this is your chance to show what you're really made of.
This is where CX legends are born.
The Bottom Line
Customer experience isn’t about flashy tech or unrealistic rules.
It’s about people—about meeting them where they are, understanding their needs, and building genuine connections.
It’s about real human interaction, about consistently showing up and knowing exactly when to go the extra mile to make someone’s day better.
The truth is, customers don’t remember the features you touted or the fancy tech you deployed—they remember how you made them feel.
They remember when you listened when you took that extra step without being asked, and when you treated them like more than a ticket number.
Let’s focus on what truly matters—creating experiences that aren’t just transactions but moments of trust, moments of value, and moments that inspire loyalty.
Let’s craft experiences that make people feel heard, respected, and eager to come back—not because they have to, but because they want to.
That’s what great CX is all about.
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