Karen Chandler

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If you want to know where the CX industry is headed, there is no place better than Forrester’s CX conference! #CXNYC was no exception. It was great to learn from CX practitioners and heartening to see everyone talking about, and getting ready for, CX’s second act. Here are three themes that really stood out for me from all the engaging conversations I had at #CXNYC.

1. Tech alone is not enough

Technology is a great tool that has helped us launch faster, bolder and bigger CX programs, but we must remember that it is a tool, not a strategy. Technology enables CX initiatives that in turn help us connect with our customers’ feedback. But technology alone doesn’t solve problems, you do! Measuring and understanding Customer Experience (CX) is as much of an art as a science, something lost with a “tech-only” approach. For more on tech’s role in CX, read this blog post.

2. CX data is happier when it has company

CX programs by themselves only go so far. They allow you to talk to your current customers and solve their problems. They allow you to identify opportunities to deliver better on customers’ expectations. But they offer little or no insight into the company’s potential customers and their movement along the customer journey. CX data is most effective when combined with other business data – integrating Business and Brand data with CX feedback creates powerful strategic insights that help create business value.

3. Make your CX program yours

Your CX journey is uniquely yours. Make sure your CX program is tailored for your business and for your individual CX journey. The design and delivery of your CX programs can make or break your CX initiatives – but you don’t have to do it alone. Work with experts who will help you design a CX program that works for you.

Sam Richardson

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Developing a customer experience strategy is easier said than done. It’s a process that needs to be built on a strong foundation, and your measurement will continuously guide the broader CX strategy. As companies grow and evolve, resources are needed to evaluate current performance and chart the path ahead. Dedication, accuracy and clear KPIs that are aligned with overall business goals all play an important role in building your success and supporting long term goals.

Companies that overstay their time on a DIY CX Measurement program risk losing ground to competitors and create operational inefficiencies internally.

Here are three benefits that many companies experience when upgrading to professional CX measurement.

1. You need to focus on what matters most

You know your business inside and out. But are you looking at the bigger picture? Or are you focused on the right metrics? It’s one thing to be an expert on you, but when it comes to developing a strategy for your customer experience, you need to be an expert on them. Understanding your industry benchmarks, advancements, setbacks and overall target customer behavior is key.

Choosing the right CX partner with a flexible model will provide an outside-in perspective on your most relevant focus areas. Having a CX expert in your court will allow you to configure the technology to your needs and ultimately streamline your efforts understand your customers by asking the right questions at the right time.

2. Get full value from your CX data

Disparate tools and insights may give you the basic information you need, but advanced technology, data science, and industry expertise provides the holistic view of your customer base that unlocks growth.

Your CX program should be producing continuous feedback to align with the other sources of data in the business. If these areas are not in sync, you run the risk of only analyzing a piece of the puzzle. Advanced machine learning techniques combined with industry knowledge prioritize which actions will produce bottom line results.

3. Start leveraging your measurements to direct strategy

When it comes to CX, most organizations attack the symptom, not the cause. The symptom could be an upset customer because your company did not accept their credit card of choice. However, more importantly, the cause could be a lack of overall payment options. Many organizations focus on short term goals and how to quickly and efficiently address a customer’s issue. While perfecting the response to a bad experience is important, it’s just as important to identify common issues and put plans in place that prevent these bad experiences.

Businesses with a successful CX program have mastered the art of identifying and meeting customer needs while at the same time, delivering results. CX Measurement is a critical piece of a CX Strategy that professional CX technology and services can help you master – so that you can fail fast and identify opportunities to adapt to win customer loyalty in the long run.

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CX’s second act – Value Creation