? What Every CX Professional Should Stop Doing in L&D: Janice Bourbon Russell’s Bold Take ?
As we wrap up this week's insightful series with Janice Bourbon-Russell, founder of Step Up CX, she tackles a crucial question: What’s one thing CX professionals should stop doing to create more impactful learning experiences?
Janice doesn’t hold back, highlighting the pitfalls of generic, one-size-fits-all training programs and overly theoretical content. Instead, she advocates for:
? Personalised, adaptable training that reflects the organisation’s unique culture and goals.
? Engaging, interactive learning experiences that inspire and equip employees to succeed.
? A human-centred approach to training that builds trust, collaboration, and energy.
Her advice reminds us that CX is about relationships, and great training should reflect the same values we want to see in the customer experience.
A heartfelt thank you to Janice for her thought-provoking contributions this week! Your insights have given us much food for thought and inspired us to elevate our approach to CX learning and development.
Here's Janice's answer:
One thing CX professionals should stop doing is relying solely on one-size-fits-all training solutions. In my career, I’ve seen this approach far too often. A pre-packaged training program might be easy to deliver, but it often falls flat. The material doesn’t resonate because it wasn’t designed with the specific needs of the team or organization in mind. This wastes both time and money, as the training fails to take root and drive meaningful change. Generic programs overlook the unique challenges and opportunities within each organization. Instead, CX training must be personalized and adaptable to the culture, goals, employees, and customer base of the business.
Additionally, L&D professionals should move away from overly theoretical content and long, monotonous PowerPoint presentations that overwhelm learners with slide after slide of information. Frankly, this approach is more of a sedative than a source of CX energy. Instead, focus on creating engaging, interactive experiences that allow learners to explore what works best for them as a team. Provide actionable, experiential learning that equips employees to apply concepts immediately in their roles.
CX is about building relationships, and training should reflect that by fostering a human-centered and practical development process. Step out of the "I am the trainer, and you will listen to me" mindset, and meet your learners on their level. Make them feel valued, understood, and heard. Engage them in a way that builds trust, encourages collaboration, and injects fun into the learning process.
As CX professionals, we should model the same red-carpet, family-like experience we expect them to deliver to their clients. Show them what excellence looks like by practicing what you preach.
?? Stay tuned for next week’s featured contributor—announcing tomorrow!
