Mission-driven CX: The Key to Increasing Lifetime Value & Building a Stronger Brand
Where is customer experience in 2024, and what does a great experience look like today? A few years ago, being available was often sufficient. This has changed. Today, enterprises are moving to effective problem-solving and understanding customers across multiple touchpoints. Expectations have increased; customers demand not only instant resolutions but also personalized, meaningful engagement.
Delivering the perfect experience at the perfect moment on the right channel is not enough. However, the dimensions of ‘How well do you know your customers?’ are simple to state but challenging to execute.
Yes, enterprises are embracing the brave new world of AI. But with AI evolving by the minute and fast-changing customer expectations,?how can brands serve customers better and improve business outcomes?
We sat down with Nate Brown , a top voice in customer experience and co-founder of CX Accelerator , on our Humans of CX podcast to address this question and explore key trends, challenges, and emerging opportunities. With a background in customer service and a passion for mission-driven CX, Nate is a thought leader dedicated to improving customer experiences and encouraging?industry innovation.?
What is Mission-driven CX??
Imagine our relationships with brands much like we build with people. We like humans whose actions reflect our values. Many businesses have noticed this trend and responded by posting mission statements on their websites, declaring their values. But is this enough?
In the words of Denise Lee Yohn, Brand Leadership Expert, Keynote Speaker, and Author of the bestselling books "What Great Brands Do" and "FUSION":?
“Customers are more savvy today. They see advertising rhetoric for what it is, and they no longer accept brands at face value. They are skeptical about the claims companies make. They want authenticity—brands that live up to their promises and stated ideals.”?
This shift requires organizations to adopt a new mindset - the one that focuses not just on product or service quality, but on driving real CX and impact.
Mission-driven CX is fundamentally transforming the way brands interact and engage with customers, resonating on a deeper, value-based level.?
Nate elaborates on how it's all about the actual customer experience that goes beyond marketing language.?And here are our favorite moments from the conversation.
The Evolution of Customer Experience: From Friction Reduction to Mission-driven CX ?
According to Nate, the early days of CX focused heavily on friction reduction. The goal was to do things as efficiently as possible. Even today, this remains the focus as brands largely help customers transition from friction-filled journeys to seamless experiences.
However, over the years, businesses are investing in more meaningful engagement with customers to build greater trust and generate loyalty. A customer’s experience is not limited to only friction reduction. ?
Nate highlights how the concept of mission-driven CX is empowering organizations to take bold stances on who they are, what they stand for, what is their brand promise, who are they serving, and how they serve their customers.?
“Our authenticity comes from our ability to deliver on that promise, consistently, in a way that's going to generate that loyalty and give a sense of identity to the people that we serve. That's really the layer of CX that I'm most excited about.”?
The Need to Move from a Traditional Customer Service Mindset to a Customer Experience Mindset?
The shift from traditional customer service to a customer experience mindset is essential for organizations of all sizes. Nate draws inspiration from Donald Miller's "Building a StoryBrand," which encourages businesses to see themselves as guides helping customers achieve their definitions of success. This guide mentality requires organizations to be proactive, understanding customer journeys, and addressing potential challenges before they arise.?
“We’re not the hero of the story, though we often act like it, focusing on our new products, features, and hires. But the customer is the hero. So, what does that make us? We’re the guides, helping the customer achieve their definition of success.”?
By adopting this mindset, organizations can create compelling and seamless interactions that foster loyalty and satisfaction. They’ve?got to be obsessed with what the customer journey looks like and how they?can make it better and easier.?
Personalizing CX: Moving Away from the Madness of Multiple Tools ?
We asked Nate about the impact of current working models, particularly with more people working from home and blending work and personal lives. He pointed out that our toolsets have become overly complex, making it challenging to create personalized experiences.?
“The average enterprise uses 464 tools, 38% of which are customer-facing. Information is scattered across these tools, making it hard to provide a cohesive customer experience. Effective integrations and tools that simplify understanding customer needs are crucial. Most organizations struggle with this, making it difficult to provide valuable, proactive support.”?
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The Role of Voice of Customer (VoC) Insights in Capturing the Pulse of Customers ?
Nate discussed the critical role of VoC technologies in the modern CX landscape. He talks about the times when organizations were so dependent on surveys, and how almost a decade ago, they gradually started to centralize the information in a customer experience management platform and?do that more effectively. Fast forward to today.?
“Now, with machine learning and AI, we can analyze structured and unstructured data to understand our customers in ways we never could before — using video, recorded phone calls, texts, and more. Our ability to extract and learn from their thoughts and perceptions is remarkable. It’s an exciting time to be a CX professional."
Understanding the Brand Voice to Create Positive CX?
Nate emphasized that brands aim to build loyalty and create compelling, on-brand interactions. The key is to deeply understand the brand voice.?
He cites Ring.com as an example, noting their compelling approach. Ring provides security cameras and technologies to keep homes and workplaces secure.?
“I recently called customer service, and they greeted me with, ‘Hello, neighbor,’ reflecting their community-focused culture. Their mobile app reinforces this with real-time alerts from users. It’s compelling how their digital experience translates seamlessly into a personal, human connection — that's what we can do well.”?
Aligning KPIs with Customer Priorities: Multichannel vs. Omnichannel?
Nate highlights how sometimes we assume our KPIs align with our customers' priorities, but these can change over time. Regularly checking in with customers is essential. This led to the discussion around multichannel versus omnichannel. ?
Nate says, “Omnichannel integrates all channels into a unified platform, providing seamless interactions within one ecosystem. Multichannel, however, involves separate channels that often lead to fragmented communication. Omnichannel handles these transitions smoothly, whereas multichannel can be messy.”?
CX is Set to Grow and Get Better ?
Nate believes we're still in the early stages of what CX will ultimately evolve into. With 72% of customers switching brands after just ONE negative experience, businesses need to continuously improve and innovate to increase retention.
He says, “I constantly see new, innovative approaches in the world of CX. It’s exciting to learn from each other, be part of this ground-floor experience, and help create something truly special within the organizations we serve.”?
Nate began his career in frontline customer service, handling 80 to 100 tickets a day. Those grueling interactions were exhausting, but at the end of the day, he could say, "Wow, I just talked to 80 people, and I helped 80 people."
It’s interesting that the term Nate was searching for back then was “customer experience.” He reflects, “I didn’t know it at the time, but once I discovered it, I was captivated. Reading and talking to mentors like Jeanne Bliss, Annette Franz, and Jeff Toister, I’ve been continually amazed by the power of this work.”?
“CX is about making people’s lives better and easier, shaping their thoughts and perceptions of the brand to build loyalty. It’s incredibly complex, amazing work. Be wary of anyone who claims to have all the answers in CX.” ?
The Future of CX: Embracing JARVIS-like Digital Guidance?
According to Nate, this future of CX will involve proactive support and information delivery before customers even need to ask.
Remember J.A.R.V.I.S.?(Just a Rather Very Intelligent System) from Marvel? ?
“Looking ahead, the evolution of customer experience is set to mirror the futuristic vision of JARVIS from Marvel — a highly intuitive digital interface that guides real-time interactions with brands.”?
Nate's vision for the future of CX is one where technology and empathy converge to create exceptional customer experiences. His insights remind us that while technology plays a crucial role, the heart of CX lies in knowing your customers better and helping them. ?
We couldn't agree more with Nate. It's time for CX leaders to ditch the traditional "butts in seats" mentality and focus on grooming talent within their organizations to proactively drive greater value for their customers.?Ozonetel works with leading enterprises to amplify growth across the customer lifecycle with our unified CXi (customer experience intelligence) platform, turning every conversation into a growth engine. Visit our website to learn more about our solutions.
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