It has been a while since the last conversation. First, I took time out for a month of holidays. And then in September I was asked to lend a hand in a CX centred next generation CRM and omnichannel programme. Given the demands on my time I will be keeping this conversation short – at least shorter.
Let’s start. It occurs to me that just about every organisation is talking about the importance of the customer experience. Many may even be doing something under the label of Customer Experience. Few are going about it in a way that tilts the scales towards success. What, in my opinion, tilts the scales towards success? This is what has been unconcealed to me to date:
1. CEO totally committed in his very being to competing on the basis of insanely great customer experiences with the organisations products, people, interaction channels, the brand, and the organisation as a whole;
2. An organisation which is impeccably organised (people, policies, practices, processes, partners, interaction channels, technology) around the principle of ‘producing’ insanely great customer experiences;
3. Managers who tackle anything and everything that gets in the way of the people in the organisation ‘producing’ insanely great customer experiences;
4. An organisational climate where breakdowns and honest communication are welcomed as an opening for learning that feeds the thinking, design and ‘production’ of insanely great customer experiences.
5. Genuine competition (and/or effective regulation) that generates motivation within the organisation’s leadership and management teams to compete for the customers’ business and loyalty.
It occurs to me that this is the road less travelled. Why? It is a very demanding road. It is not a road for sprinters – those seeking a return in a year or so. It is road only for ‘marathon runners’, who put in impeccable effort consistently, make substantial sacrifices, and who tolerate (even welcome) pain beyond what they are comfortable with.
Thanks for your listening. I wish you the very best. As the French say, until the next time….
Image via flickr
Original Post: http://thecustomerblog.co.uk/2015/09/12/customer-experience-the-road-less-travelled/