This is the third article in our three-part series focused on reimagining the client experience (CX) as a value creator and business catalyst. This installment offers insights to help you lead meaningful CX change that resonates throughout your organization.
Amplifying a CX culture takes dedication, vigilance and a willingness to hear the voice of your customer. A CX approach helps build ROI, trust and loyalty, while uncovering activities necessary to transform and inspire your entire organization.
The key distinction between customer service and client experience is simple: Customer service impacts what clients “think” about your company. It involves helping them select the best products/services and consistently delivering on your promise.
In contrast, client experience is how clients “feel” about you, your products/services and your organization. This feeling is influenced by each interaction in the entire journey a client experiences with your business and your brand from the beginning of your business relationship.
Here is a framework to chart your CX journey.
- Incorporate CX into your strategic plan. Revisit your CX vision to ensure that it reflects a client-first philosophy, what you want your clients to experience and how you want to make them feel. Shape the CX vision in a fashion that allows it to become a powerful rallying cry for the future-state of the organization and a pillar in your strategic plan.
- Calibrate your client experience. Review customer feedback, client surveys and personal interviews of key clients to understand their experiences with your organization. Survey your entire team to gain their perspectives and insights on CX. Embrace this feedback to reveal where your CX vision, goals, and organizational culture and readiness need alignment.
- Establish a CX steering committee. This cross-functional, multigenerational team becomes the CX transformation team that maps the entire client journey, identifies internal processes, establishes KPIs/metrics, determines CX skills to enhance overall performance, establishes the CX priorities and facilitates working groups focused on improving CX.
- CX champions communicate and celebrate. We have seen positive momentum when action and communication resonate from the energy and enthusiasm that emanate from the middle of the organization. Encourage future leaders to become CX champions because they are closest to your clients and instrumental in implementing and communicating CX strategy, vision and insights. These champions provide feedback to the CX steering committee, celebrate CX successes and inspire engagement to deliver the CX vision.
- Monitor progress. Reporting on KPIs established by the CX steering committee enables your organization to monitor success and identify areas that need further refinement. Including CX as part of your balance scorecard and performance management communications also enables you to evolve the rewards and recognition systems to support CX across the organization.
CX is an ongoing journey that embodies the overall feeling a client has for your organization, fosters an emotional connection with clients and creates the perfect opportunity to earn their loyalty and win their hearts. Wishing you much success as you engage your team in the creation of an amazing client experience.
Judy Bodenhamer is co-founder of the Client Experience Institute
