Decoding Customer Experience

What does Customer Experience, or CX, truly mean? In a recent survey within our expansive Customer Experience network, we sought to understand this question when more than 50% of the role's responsibilities are considered. The results shed light on the multifaceted nature of this field:

• 40% identified it as primarily centered around Customer Service Operations.
• 41% viewed it as primarily tied to Customer Strategy and Design.
• 19% emphasized Customer Insight/Analysis as the core of the role.

When you search for "Customer Experience" in job listings across the UK, you'll quickly notice the scale of the challenge. Over 17,000 roles include the term "Customer Experience" in recent search results.

Clearly, not all of these positions are strictly for Customer Experience Leads or Directors. However, this abundance of roles underscores the hurdles faced by companies seeking to appoint a Director of Customer Experience, which may explain why many such appointments fail to meet expectations.

The truth is, when it comes to Customer Experience (CX), no two roles are alike. CX can take on vastly different forms depending on the business you work for or aspire to join. It hinges on various factors, such as the emphasis the board places on CX, the maturity of the CX journey within the organization, and where CX fits into the organizational structure.

Once you've taken these considerations into account, the next step is to carefully assess the balance of responsibilities you expect your Customer Experience Director to lead and the significance you assign to each of these areas:

• Customer Operations
• Customer Service Delivery
• Insight and Analytics
• Continuous Improvement
• Customer Journey Design
• NPS (Net Promoter Score) / CSAT (Customer Satisfaction)
• CRM (Customer Relationship Management)
• Digital Experience
• User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) Design
• Voice of the Customer
• Return on Investment - (How will you judge success)

Before venturing into the market to fill this pivotal role, we strongly recommend mapping out the position with respect to the aforementioned areas. This proactive approach will greatly enhance your chances of securing the ideal Customer Experience Director, setting the stage for achieving the exceptional results and return on investment that organizations with outstanding CX consistently enjoy.

Want to learn more and avoid the chances of making a bad move when it comes to a CX hire, then give us a call on 0345 620 9720 or email; [email protected]. We have industry specialists across Finance, Insurance, Utilities, Travel, Retail, Housing Associations, Professional Services and Outsourcing ready to help.