What is a CX Solution - Demystifying What CX Really Is

Customer experience (CX) is crucial for businesses. It's about how customers perceive their interactions with a company and includes every interaction from start to finish. Many companies mistakenly think customer service is the same as CX. Understanding CX is important because it keeps customers coming back, helps build trust, and differentiates a brand. CX management programs help align business goals with customer needs and expectations. CX assessments and diagnostics help understand customer opinions and pain points. Customer journey mapping visualizes the customer experience and helps identify problem areas. Measuring CX involves creating a customer-focused culture and using a roadmap that includes leadership workshops, assessing CX maturity, developing a customer feedback program, and building a CX measurement strategy. It's about changing the company's mindset and making everyone invested in the customer experience. Okay, so, today we're diving into customer experience, or C, as you might know it. And I know, I know what you're thinking, another buzzword, right? But stick with me on this one, because this is something that can really change the game for any business. No matter what industry you're in, it's kind of like, okay, picture this. You've got a company, they're working so hard to boost their sales, but they're missing this one key thing. It's holding them back. They're so focused on the problem that they can't see the forest for the trees, you know? And that forest, oh, that's CX. You're exactly right. It's surprising how many companies miss the mark on this, even when they're trying their best. Yeah, totally. So, let's break it down. What are we even talking about when we say customer experience? Well, our source, what is a CX solution? So, it's all about how customers perceive their interactions with the company. Perception and interaction, those are the magic words. This means CX isn't just about a single transaction. It's about every interaction a customer has with a brand, from the very beginning to the very end. It's like, think about a really good restaurant experience. It's not just about the food, right? It's the atmosphere, the service, even what music they're playing. All of that together creates an experience you actually remember. And that's CX. Yeah. It's about the complete package. And this is where a lot of companies make a mistake. They think customer service is the same as CX. But really, service is just one piece of the puzzle. Our source has a great example about this with Jeep and Audi. These people loved the service they got at their Jeep dealership, but the overall experience just couldn't compare to Audi. The entire customer journey from looking at cars to actually buying one, that's what made them switch brands. So, one good interaction doesn't mean the whole experience was good, which brings us to why we're talking about this. Why is understanding CX so important for businesses today? I think it's pretty simple. CX is the key to keeping customers coming back. It helps you make more money and build a brand people really trust. It's about making the experience so good that customers wouldn't even think about going somewhere else. Remember that company we were talking about before, the one that was struggling? They might be able to solve their problem just by focusing on CX. So, you're saying it's about giving customers a reason to choose you, even if someone else is cheaper. Exactly. And that's where something like a CX management program can be really useful. Okay. So, let's talk about that. What is a CX management program? So, it's a structured way of looking at and improving every part of the customer journey. You're aligning what your business wants with what your customer needs and expects. It's about building a relationship that works for everyone. That makes sense. Let's be real for a second. Putting this into practice can feel kind of overwhelming. Where do you even start? Luckily, our source talks about some common challenges businesses face with CX. And even better, they give us some solutions. Like, have you ever felt unsure about how your customers really feel about your product or your service? Oh, yeah. All the time. It's really common. Our source recommends using something called CX assessments and diagnostics to deal with that. Okay. So, what are CX assessments and diagnostics? Basically, they're like these in-depth evaluations that help you get inside your customers' heads. You can figure out what they need, what their pain points are, what they expect. You're using data and feedback to get real answers. So, no more guessing games. You're using real information to make decisions. I like it. Okay. Let's talk about another challenge, customer churn. When your customers decide to go somewhere else. Yeah. Customer churn can be a huge problem. Our source talks about two ways to deal with it. First, CX assessments, which we already talked about, can help you figure out why you're losing customers. And then there's something called customer journey mapping. Customer journey mapping? That sounds interesting. What is that? Basically, you create a visual map of every step a customer takes when they interact with your business. That way, you can see any problem areas or pain points in the customer journey that might be making them leave. So, you're putting yourself in your customer's shoes. You're experiencing your business from their perspective. Exactly. And once you understand their journey, you can start fixing those pain points. You can create an experience that's smoother and more enjoyable. Okay. This is starting to make a lot more sense. It's like you were saying before about companies missing the forest for the trees. If they can just map out that customer journey, they might find all sorts of things they didn't even know were problems. Oh, absolutely. Yeah. Sometimes just knowing what those pain points are is half the battle. Right. So, we've talked about measuring CX, but how do you actually do that? Like, how do you get a really clear picture of what's going on? Well, you're right. Things like Net Promoter scores those NPS surveys. And just general feedback, those could only tell you so much. They might tell you what customers think, but not why. Yeah. It's like trying to understand a whole book just by reading one sentence. Exactly. Our source really emphasizes that measuring CX is about creating a culture that's focused on the customer. And they have this whole roadmap for how to do that. A roadmap. Tell me more. Okay. So, there are four main steps. First, you have a leadership value driver planning workshop. This is where you get all your leaders together and really dig deep into what's important to your customers. So, it's like brainstorming, but instead of just coming up with ideas, you're really trying to understand what your customers value and why. Yes. Exactly. Then, step two is assessing CX maturity. This is where you look at where your company is right now when it comes to CX. And you have to be honest with yourself. No sugarcoating. Right. Honesty is key here. And that leads into step three, which is developing a customer feedback program. So, now you have a better idea of where you stand. Yes. And you can start getting feedback directly from your customers. And it's not just about sending out a survey and calling it a day. It's about having a real conversation with your customers, listening to what they have to say, and actually using that feedback to make things better. So, it's like a feedback loop. You're constantly in touch with your customers and what they need. Exactly. And that brings us to the final step, building a CX measurement strategy. Okay. So, this is where it all comes together. What does a good CX measurement strategy look like? It takes everything you've learned from the workshops, the maturity assessment, the customer feedback, and you put it all into a plan. And that plan should include both numbers like customer satisfaction scores and also things like customer stories and testimonials. So, it's not just about the numbers. It's about the bigger picture. Exactly. It's about changing how your whole company thinks about customers. Everyone from the top down needs to understand how important CX is. And they need to feel like they can actually make a difference. So, it's bigger than just collecting data. It's about everyone being invested in the customer experience. That's it. And when that happens, everyone wins. Your customers are happier, your brand is stronger, and your employees are more engaged. This is like a pretty good deal to me. Well, we've covered a lot today, from what CX is to how to actually manage it. But before we go, I want to leave you with something to think about. Think about a brand you really love, like one that you're completely loyal to. What is it about their CX that keeps you coming back? What are they doing that creates that connection and builds that loyalty? Think about it. Because the answer might just give you some ideas about how to improve the customer experience in your own world. That's all for today's deep dive into CX. See you next time.