From the CEO to the Customer

Back in 2011, when I started working in the world of Customer Experience (CX), the landscape was very different. The technology to measure and improve customer experience was limited, and the idea of offering personalized, omnichannel experiences seemed reserved for large corporations with big budgets.

Today, much has changed. Many companies have access to tools for collecting customer feedback and creating omnichannel experiences. Access to knowledge has also improved significantly, with courses, diplomas, and certifications specializing in CX. Additionally, artificial intelligence has emerged as a disruptive force, even though its full potential has yet to be realized.

Despite these advances, many CX professionals struggle to obtain the executive sponsorship necessary to drive a transformation toward customer-centricity. This obstacle often stems from the inability to connect the CX strategy with the organization's sense of urgency. Without a clear reason to act, executives tend to focus on other aspects of the business.

What Causes the Lack of a Sense of Urgency?

The lack of a sense of urgency can have various causes. Some companies have a product-centric culture, focusing on production rather than the customer experience. Others are structured in silos, making it difficult for teams to communicate. In other cases, executives are more concerned with short-term results and do not see the value of investing in customer-centric experiences.

To get executive sponsorship, CX professionals need to clearly articulate how their initiatives address the organization's strategic concerns. The sense of urgency can be motivated by factors such as competitive pressure, customer loss, high employee turnover, or even the arrival of a new CEO with a more customer-centric vision.

Risks and Barriers Associated with the Lack of Connection between CX and the Sense of Urgency

Failing to connect the CX strategy with a sense of urgency can lead to various problems and challenges. Here are some of the most common risks and barriers:

1. Employee Demotivation: If the staff doesn't feel a sense of urgency to improve the customer experience, they are unlikely to fully commit to CX initiatives. This can lead to a lack of motivation, negatively affecting service quality and customer satisfaction.
2. Lack of Organizational Alignment: When leaders and teams are not in sync with the CX strategy, it can cause confusion and a lack of coordination. This can result in scattered efforts and contradicting outcomes, making it difficult to implement effective customer-centric initiatives.
3. Loss of Market Opportunities: Companies that don't prioritize customer experience can fall behind competitors who do. Classic examples like Blockbuster, Sears, and Polaroid illustrate this point, as they lost market share and ultimately disappeared.
4. Higher Customer Turnover: If customers don't experience quality service and feel their needs are not being met, they will look for alternatives from competitors. This can lead to higher customer turnover and a decrease in brand loyalty.
5. Resistance to Change: A lack of a sense of urgency can make it difficult to implement changes within the organization. When people within the company don't see the need to transform, they may resist new initiatives, slowing down the progress toward a customer-centric culture.
6. Negative Impact on ROI: CX initiatives that don't align with the organization's priorities might not deliver the expected return on investment, which can lead to budget cuts and a lack of support for future CX investments.

Five Recommendations to Gain Executive Sponsorship for CX

To overcome the barriers and mitigate the risks associated with the lack of connection between CX and the sense of urgency, here are five recommendations for gaining executive sponsorship:

1. Speak the Language of Business: To gain the CEO's and other executives' support, you need to present your CX initiatives in terms they understand and value. Instead of focusing solely on customer satisfaction indicators, translate those data points into business metrics. For example, instead of mentioning a Net Promoter Score (NPS) increase, you could highlight how this might lead to reduced costs through process optimization or boost cross-selling.
2. Connect with the Sense of Urgency: Identify a problem or threat that can generate a sense of urgency in the organization and link your CX strategy to that situation. For example, if the company has inefficient processes that force customers to put in extra effort, this can lead to higher costs for the business and impact customer satisfaction.
3. Build Strong Relationships with Executives: To win the support of the leadership, you need to establish relationships of trust and understand their priorities. An example of this is identifying a key executive within the organization and working with them to gain their support. You can invite them to informal meetings or CX events to engage them and get their insights. This helps you understand their concerns and establishes a communication channel for future initiatives.
4. Showcase Success Stories and Best Practices: Executives tend to respond well to concrete examples. You can present success stories from other companies that implemented CX strategies and achieved positive results. For example, you might highlight how a company in the same sector reduced customer complaints and increased retention thanks to a new customer experience strategy.
5. Develop a Change Management-Oriented Action Plan: A clear and well-structured plan can make all the difference when seeking executive support, but a crucial part of that plan should be change management. This means including specific steps to address resistance to change and ensure successful adoption. For example, you can assign clear responsibilities, establish timelines for each implementation phase, and consider creating a team dedicated to change management. Think of customer experience as an iterative process, and plan to include pilot tests. You can start with a small group or a specific region to get early feedback and make adjustments as needed. This not only helps reduce risk but also shows tangible results to the leadership, increasing their confidence in the strategy. By demonstrating that you have a realistic and practical approach to managing change, you're more likely to gain executive support and ensure the success of your CX strategy.

Conclusion

Each organization is unique, with its own set of challenges, cultures, and priorities. When addressing the challenge of gaining executive sponsorship for your CX initiatives, it's essential to understand the internal resistance that may exist and how change has evolved within the company. Understanding the company's history of change and its business priorities for the coming years will help you adapt your CX approach to align with the leadership's interests.

Remember that the success of your customer experience strategy depends on your ability to connect with the organization's sense of urgency and to speak the same language as the CEO and other executives. By following these recommendations and adjusting your approach according to your company's specific needs, you'll be better equipped to gain the support you need to drive a successful transformation toward customer centricity.