Don't Let Distractions Be Your CX Kryptonite

Sometimes CX programs simply need to be saved.

Whether insights seemingly dry up, executive leadership changes, or things simply feel "stale," sometimes companies need to hit the "reset button" on their CX programs. And more often than not, it's because businesses get distracted by elements that ultimately do not support their goals.

I don't need to explain what a distraction is (e.g., your co-worker who insists on showing you videos of his children every five minutes). In CX, they're no different. Anything that detracts focus from your business objectives and delivering on your brand promise is detrimental to your program's success. Ultimately, a CX program is about understanding what your customers -- and employees -- are telling you and focusing on what matters most to them.

If you're getting distracted from this essential mission, it's time to shift focus. The path to CX success is riddled with potential pitfalls , and just like Superman navigates Metropolis' many traps, today's CX experts should be aware of looming dangers and how to avoid them.

Don't Get Distracted, Get Focused
For CX in particular, it's easy to be distracted by NPS, OSAT, and other CX metrics. It's even easier to become distracted by the sheer amount of data available to today's organizations. There is of course value in being able to trust your technology, and brands should feel confident about the integrity of their data and the accuracy of reporting. However, many brands are unable to differentiate between metrics
and real-world consumer desires and behaviors.

Dedicating too much energy to metrics creates a decision-making environment where stakeholders overemphasize numbers and stop paying attention to emerging trends that positively impact customer and/or employee experiences. In their attempts to be the superheroes who can save the world, CX champions often struggle to support key business objectives.

While some brands cannot dedicate team members to CX research just yet, simple technology integrations make it easier to get on the same page with consumers now. Solutions exist to source and manage important customer feedback, and the most sophisticated can do this both quantitatively and qualitatively. These technologies can also incorporate employee voices to generate a holistic understanding of what an ideal customer experience looks and feels like.

The Benefits of Being a Customer-Centric Organization
There are many benefits to adopting a customer-centric approach to business operations, but the biggest is the ability to pivot and grow with target audiences.

For a multitude of reasons, most companies will come to a crossroads with their CX programs. However, only brands that have committed to learning more about customers and their desired experiences will know when it's actually the right time for change. If a score stagnates, it's simply a sign to focus your efforts on things that truly impact the customer experience -- not just the score.

Learning more about customers helps stakeholders realign their roadmaps to both address lingering CX concerns and improve outcomes. For example, a brand may be funneling too many resources to mobile application development when in reality, talking to customers reveals that improvements to payments/returns would make a more positive, immediate impact. Rather than getting caught up in its own preconceived notions of what defines a strong CX, this brand would be better off hearing directly from its customers.

Direct customer feedback leads naturally to a blended, productive relationship between metrics and customer behavior information. An organization's existing KPIs may be what's holding back its CX program, as these metrics are measured against what was once thought to be true of consumers. In 2018, brands need to revisit their KPIs and allow modern consumer opinions to speak louder than existing operations.

The more comprehensive the review of one's CX program, the easier it is to identify elements that do not support, and actually distract from, true business goals. And when brands can do this, they open themselves up to a world of new opportunities that trickle down to improvements for customers and employees.

And what superpower is better than that?

About the Author: Adam Ince is the VP of Client Value at inMoment, a cloud-based customer experience CX intelligence platform.