You're ready to shift gears from sales to customer experience. How can you make the leap successfully?

In my perspective, CX is what drived a sales life cycle.... You see, good conversion of leads to retail happen mostly with reference. And why reference??? Because your prior customer was very well satisfied, with the way she/he was treated from day 01 on enquiry until the product delivery. It goes beyond with the product application , is the productgoing with the way sales pitch was made & later with smooth transition of sales to after sales& service part. Further CX is enhanced if aftersales/ service team leads customer to solution of the issues (if facing) with negligible follow ups... All this multiplies your sales & I believe this is one of the best way you can keep your sale & CX high.

Without sales, there is no CX, and without a focus on CX, sales can only happen once. If you are moving from the sales area to CX (customer experience), you will be more concerned with the entire customer journey, from quality sales (because a bad sale is the beginning of a possible loss of that customer) to delivery, repurchase, cross/up selling, and even collection. And only loyal and satisfied customers recommend the product/service or buy more. It is a virtuous cycle! So research, ask, consult, and understand the CX! And then improve it!

In my experience both sales and customer experience are the same. You cannot sell without understanding how the customer journey works and you can't be in customer experience until you understand the selling process. Until we work together to understand from all aspects of the customers journey, and how important each role is, you won't really understand why a customer buys or comes in your store.

It starts with embracing change. Sales is all about the product and closing deals, but CX? It’s about the whole customer journey—every single touchpoint, from the first hello to post-purchase support. It's like tending a garden; you need to nurture every step. Dive into CX basics like customer empathy and journey mapping. Understanding these will help you see the big picture and make the shift smoother.

Embracing change is the first step in transitioning from sales to customer experience. While sales focus on products and closing deals, customer experience emphasizes the entire customer journey, from awareness to post-purchase support. It's about fostering a positive connection at every touchpoint. To make this shift, being open to learning and adapting is crucial. Start by immersing yourself in the principles of customer experience, such as customer empathy, journey mapping, and feedback analysis. This foundational knowledge will help you appreciate the nuances of your new role and enhance your ability to create meaningful customer interactions. Thanks ??

As I transition from a career in sales to one in customer service, I recognize the need to invest time in learning new skills and knowledge areas that I may not have encountered before. Embracing this change involves accepting the differences between the two fields, building alliances with colleagues who have similar career paths, and calibrating my understanding through collaboration. Throughout this process, it is important to have the courage to make mistakes, learn from them, reflect on my experiences, and ultimately conquer the challenges that arise.

La notion d'expérience client permet de casser les silos entre les services. Chacun de nous dans l'entreprise, chaque service prend part à l'expérience client. Il faut donc être à l'écoute de ses clients, de ses collaborateurs, du marché, des innovations des autres secteurs aussi.

Yes, continuous learning is essential for improving customer experience, as it enables businesses to stay updated on best practices, customer insights, and industry trends, thereby delivering more relevant and effective service.

In the ever-changing world of customer experience, learning never stops. Unlike sales, where established techniques often suffice, customer expectations and preferences constantly evolve. To excel in this field, embrace a growth mindset. Actively seek out resources like books, online courses, industry events, and professional communities to stay ahead of the curve. Continuously updating your knowledge and skillset will not only help you thrive in your new role but also empower you to create exceptional customer experiences that truly resonate.

Prioritize Customer Experience Move beyond sales targets to prioritize customer satisfaction and loyalty. Foster connections with customers by understanding their needs and preferences. Create Memorable Experiences and design interactions that leave a lasting positive impression. Invest in Employee Training Equip employees with the skills to understand and respond to customer needs. Ensure staff is well-versed in product offerings and benefits. Train employees to offer tailored recommendations and solutions. Leverage Customer Feedback Implement channels for customers to share their experiences. Use customer feedback to identify areas for improvement and opportunities. Make customer feedback a cornerstone of business decisions.

When shifting from sales to customer experience it’s important to understand customer expectations and wants before you build a product and process to offer. More so, how does your product or service’s promise (e.g. brand), transaction process (e.g. technology) and usage meet the experience the customer wants. As against the sales approach of ‘here’s the benefit you need, do you want it?’ Cheers, Rob S.

The primary shift will involve what happens post-sale. Sales professionals are adept at making customers feel positive about their purchases; however, they often do not monitor the customers' satisfaction with the outcomes. Be prepared to take responsibility for the entire customer journey, from initial awareness through to loyalty or even cancellation. While this may seem daunting, it is worthwhile. A customer who is satisfied throughout the entire journey is likely to remain loyal and advocate for your business, enhancing its sustainability.

Data serves to teach you many things in any topic. The Sales KPIs and CX KPIs are different. When you transition from Sales to CX role, understand various metrics used to measure these KPIs. For example, CSAT, NPS, FTR (First Time Resolution), FPA (First Pass Accuracy), TAT (Turn Around Time), ASA etc are various metrics used to measure CX. Understanding these metrics and the computation of these metrics will help you drive strategies for driving CX. Looking for industry specific KPIs and benchmarking them with competition will be a good start for driving CX.

In theory, a person coming from Sales to Customer Experience should do well. They have access to existing customers instead of trying to create new relationships. This inherent advantage provides a foundation for deepening relationships and understanding customer needs more intimately. However, customer experience efforts often fail because they struggle to talk enough to customers. In large companies, this challenge is even more acute because they believe the "happy customer factory" is self-perpetuating. This is a dangerous assumption that can lead to complacency.

Yes, shifting focus in customer experience involves prioritizing customer-centric strategies, adapting to changing customer expectations, and ensuring that every interaction enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Building strong relationships is at the heart of customer experience.Transitioning from sales means moving away from one-time transactions to developing ongoing relationships with customers. You’ll need to employ active listening, show genuine interest in customer feedback, and anticipate their needs to enhance their experience. By doing so, you'll not only retain customers but also turn them into advocates for your brand. Remember, in the realm of customer experience, the quality of your relationships often determines the longevity of customer loyalty. Furthermore,personalized communication and consistently delivering on promises will solidify these relationships, fostering a sense of trust and reliability that keeps customers coming back.

Yes, building relationships is fundamental to customer experience, as strong, personalized connections foster trust, loyalty, and long-term engagement with customers.

Oh man, a sales person is SO ripe for kicking butt in a CX role - you've likely already been speaking with and listening to customers for years. Hopefully by now, your empathy gears towards customer desires and expectations are fully lubricated. Now it's about translating that into internal action - you're already good at selling, but now you need to sell the ideas you're generating internally to drive change. Same skills, new audience, and likely longer timeline. If you can build trust and make the right internal network connections and bring the right intelligence to the conversation, you're going to crush!

La qualité de la relation Client est évidement cruciale mais ?a n’est pas une condition suffisante à la satisfaction Client. Si les conditions d’organisation, de procédures, d’outils, de structure ne présentent pas les conditions d’une bonne expérience Client, alors, les comportements orientés Client favorables à la construction d’une relation qualititative ne seront pas suffisants et grandira chez les collaborateurs un sentiment de frustration d? à une compensation permanente. Les clients finiront également par changer de fournisseur malgré la qualité de la relation avec leurs contacts habituels. La qualité de la relation doit aussi se construire dans tous les services de l’entreprise et pas seulement ceux qui sont en contact direct.

In customer experience, relationships are everything. Shifting from sales means prioritizing long-term customer connections over one-time transactions. Active listening, genuine interest in feedback, and anticipating customer needs are key. By fostering these strong relationships, you'll transform customers into loyal advocates, ultimately driving brand success. Remember, the strength of your customer relationships is a key indicator of long-term loyalty.

Anytime a client has a problem, it’s an opportunity to gain their trust and deepen the relationship. It’s an opportunity to reconnect. They will have avoided your call, but if a problem arises they will call you. One of the main components of problem solving is communication. Through communication: (1) The client conveys the problem. (2) You demonstrate competence by reassuring them you understand the problem and will work efficiently to determine the root cause and resolution. (3) You clearly articulate the resolution. If problems are handled effectively, clients will gain more confidence in you as their service provider. You are then positioned to discuss additional solutions that you can make available to them.

Problem solving is one of the vital contributor of customer experience. Collaborative efforts in an organisation to understand the needs and wants of a customer has been biggest challenges to keep moving. But what is even more impactful is a good breakthrough in problem solving. "Understand" your customer and what your customer wants. Stand in their shoes and question if you are doing the right thing ?

Yes, problem-solving is key to customer experience, as effectively addressing and resolving customer issues leads to higher satisfaction and trust in the brand.

Problem-solving in customer experience goes beyond quick fixes and discounts. It's about identifying the root cause of issues, analyzing patterns in customer feedback, and working collaboratively across departments to implement long-term solutions. Your sales background gives you a unique advantage in understanding customer pain points, so use that knowledge to drive meaningful improvements throughout the customer journey.

We can never eliminate expected or unexpected issues that may impact our work or shopping environment. Sometimes it is as simple as being proactive and not reactive. We need to learn how to approach an issue before we can action it. Take a moment, to think and make a plan. Do you have enough resources, do you have enough people to assist, how much time do you have, who will be directly impacted by this.Don't jump to conclusions, use the " ladder of Inference" model to assist in the decision making process. Demonstrating compassion, integrity and being consistent are some of the ways that you can build trust with your customers. It is the ultimate customer experience, when the customers know that you will do the right thing for them.

La notion d'expérience client est tout autant affaire d'amélioration continue. Comme une sorte de boucle tout au long de la Customer Journey : comprendre la manière dont vos clients interagissent avec votre marque pour pouvoir maximiser l’impact de vos actions

Muito importante refletir sobre as suas intera??es e adaptar abordagens para o sucesso na experiência do cliente. Ao contrário dos resultados imediatos de vendas, as melhorias s?o incrementais e exigem paciência. Reflita regularmente sobre o feedback para refinar sua abordagem. Mantenha-se flexível, teste novas estratégias e melhore a experiência do cliente. A adaptabilidade e o crescimento beneficiam os clientes e contribuem para o desenvolvimento pessoal neste campo dinamico.

In CX, it's all about reflecting on what you’re doing and being ready to adapt. Unlike the quick wins in sales, CX improvements can be slow and steady. Take time to listen to feedback from customers—good and bad. Use it to fine-tune your approach. Being flexible and trying out new ideas can make a big difference. This isn’t just good for your customers; it’ll help you grow too.

Customer experience is a journey of continuous improvement, not a one-time sale. Regularly reflect on customer feedback, both the good and the bad, to fine-tune your approach. Be open to trying new strategies and adapting your methods. This adaptability, fueled by a willingness to learn and grow, is crucial not just for enhancing the customer experience, but also for your own professional development in this dynamic field.

Teams need to know the difference between sales & CX. Sales is pushing the brand agenda putting brand focus first whereas experience is putting the customer first. Sales can feel forced & awkward…experience feels welcoming & relaxed ???

C'est une notion de culture client et certaines sensibilités ne s'apprennent pas, le recrutement et le fait de faire vivre cette culture au sein de l'entreprise sont donc essentiels.

Switching from Sales to CX is like moving from being the striker to playmaking midfielder in soccer, both crucial for winning the game. In sales, it’s about scoring goals and closing deals. But in Cx, the focus shifts to setting up those perfect assists, ensuring every customer interaction is smooth and successful. To excel in CX, it’s about understanding the customer’s journey, anticipating their needs, and creating seamless experiences. It requires empathy, active listening, and a knack for problem-solving. Think of it as reading the field, making strategic passes, and setting up your team for the winning goal. Both roles are essential for a team’s success, and understanding this dynamic can help businesses score big in the long run

In my experience for any change management following are the constituents 1) Measurement 2) Root Cause Analysis 3) Benchmarking or Comparison with best practices 4) Systematic Problem solving and focus on action and execution 6) Continuous review through dashboards and course correction if required. It is said that if you ask the right questions, you get the right answers. This is critical to be successful in any CX program. Ask the right questions and you will get answers which will help in better CX.

Something else to consider is coaching. A coach can hold your hand as you make the transition. Any transition, though exciting, can also be daunting so having someone by your side can be a big plus.