A Moment to Remember What has NOT Changed

Note: I originally sent the following note to community members as part of my weekly letter series, but I thought this would be applicable to many of you on LinkedIn as well. If you'd like, learn more about my weekly letter here.

Dear Reader,

It’s hard to believe, but it’s been more than six months since things felt "normal." Since early 2020, we’ve been staying close to home, traveling less, wearing masks, and spending a lot of time in virtual meetings.

I was walking with my younger son recently, and we were talking about the things that had changed. The trips we missed. The family members and friends we aren’t seeing as often as we’d like. The soccer games and choir concerts that never happened.

Then we shifted the conversation to discuss what HAD NOT changed. 

• Our family dinners hadn’t changed, but they were happening more frequently.
• Our dog Harvey hadn’t changed, except he might be a bit more used to having us around!
• My son’s love of soccer hadn’t changed, although he had to be creative about practice.

It was an enlightening and optimistic conversation. The things that didn’t change were the very things that mattered most. 

I’d argue the same is true with business. 

This pandemic changed where and how we work. It changed product roadmaps and profit goals. It changed how products and services got to customers.

But the things that really matter haven’t changed. 

Those organizations that pivoted were often doing so in a way that honored who they were as a brand, their purpose, and the experience their customers expected.

Retailers offered virtual services and home delivery. Grocery stores created easier online ordering options. Manufacturers provided safety equipment for workers and virtual factory tours to provide customer confidence. Doctors offered video appointments.

What they promised to customers had not changed. 

Customer experience leaders have asked me a lot about customer expectations in this age of working from home and social distancing. I’d argue they expect what they’ve always expected from your brand.

• What promises have been made? 
• Who are you to your customers? 
• How do they expect you to show up for them?

Knowing who you are and what you mean to customers means knowing how to show up for them. But even if you know this, if you haven’t articulated it to every employee in your organization, it might not be understood or executed in the right ways.

That’s why I’m such a big believer in having a Customer Experience Mission. It’s a guiding statement for your organization, no matter what changes. 

You can create a Customer Experience Mission Statement by asking your team five questions:

1. What's our Brand Promise?
2. What's in it for the customer?
3. What experience can we deliver?
4. What do we want our customers to feel?
5. How will our mission tie to our products and process?

In this week's Blog and Weekly Webinar, I look at how to use these five questions to build a CX Mission Statement, along with how a CX Mission statement fits in with your other mission, vision, and values statements.

I hope you find them helpful. And I hope that all the things that have not changed bring you stability.

Note: I originally sent the following note to community members as part of my weekly letter series, but I thought this would be applicable to many of you on LinkedIn as well. If you'd like, learn more about my weekly letter here.