I wrote last week about the importance of change management for customer experience (CX) programs, using John Kotter’s model. This post dives deeper into Step One of his approach: creating a sense of urgency.
Without a doubt, this can be challenging. If your company is doing well, it’s hard to get people’s attention. Why tinker with anything if the business is growing? Conversely, if your company is struggling – as, due to COVID-19, so many currently are – noise and anxiety make it hard to focus.
When we look at successful CX programs, this is often where they move ahead of the pack. Those programs are creating a sense of urgency while others are content to focus on survey scores.
There are infinite ways to create a sense of urgency, but below are a few approaches you can try. Read more
https://heartofthecustomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/tnt-scaled.jpg16001396Jim Tincherhttps://heartofthecustomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/hotc-logo.pngJim Tincher2020-08-06 06:00:112020-08-15 12:00:49To Spur Action, Create a Sense of Urgency
You probably moved into customer experience (CX) because of a passion for customers. You chose this space because you know that if you can improve customers’ experiences with your company, they will be happier, they’ll stay with you longer, and both the business and your customers will prosper.
But actually improving the experience is hard.
If you’re like most of the 85 CX professionals we’ve interviewed so far this year, the reality has hit you that it’s incredibly difficult to move your silos enough to substantially improve the customer experience. That’s where change management comes in. It’s the missing element in most CX programs. Read more
In my role as Heart of the Customer’s mapper-in-chief, I get the opportunity to view a lot of journey maps. Beautiful ones, ugly ones, those built to drive change, and those that are little more than gussied-up Excel spreadsheets.
But, as mentioned in our book, one thing that continues to surprise me is how few include personas. In our research a few years back, we found that nearly one-third of the CX practitioners surveyed didn’t include segments or personas in their work.
https://heartofthecustomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/personas-scaled.jpg8341600Jim Tincherhttps://heartofthecustomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/hotc-logo.pngJim Tincher2020-07-22 06:00:202020-07-29 14:32:06Experiences Designed for Everybody Satisfy Nobody
We had a great discussion on LinkedIn a few weeks ago about the disconnect between customer experience and leadership.This post kicked things off:
As I interview CX leaders and CEOs, it’s been fascinating (but not surprising) to hear the vast differences in focus.
CX people focus on survey results; their thoughts are on how to improve the experience in order to improve survey results. Since they often can’t track the survey’s impact on revenue, costs, or retention, they spend their time on what they can measure – promoters vs. detractors. Read more
https://heartofthecustomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Chase-Business-Results-Not-Survey-Scores.jpg358486Jim Tincherhttps://heartofthecustomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/hotc-logo.pngJim Tincher2020-07-15 15:06:312020-07-17 15:27:19Chase Business Results, Not Survey Scores
Swing for the fences! Shoot for the Moon! You got this!
During my many years as a high school and collegiate lacrosse player and coach, I heard (and said) encouraging platitudes like these more times than I can possibly count.
But I think many CX professionals – myself included – could benefit from a reminder of just how much confidence can impact outcomes.
At Heart of the Customer, we’re known for creating world-class journey maps. (You could even say I’m driven by it, as you can see from my license plate!)
But sometimes, it’s not a journey that you need to map.
When a potential client contacts us to inquire about journey mapping, one of the first questions we ask is, “What are you looking to learn?” If the answer is “the customer journey,” we’re going to be asking a lot more questions. Read more
https://heartofthecustomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/jim-plate.jpg7191278Jim Tincherhttps://heartofthecustomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/hotc-logo.pngJim Tincher2020-06-30 17:52:252020-07-07 19:21:36Journey Map or Customer Experience Map?
Most customers don’t just suddenly disappear. When dissatisfied, they move over to an exit lane and chug along while waiting for an excuse to cut ties to your organization.
If, like many companies, you’re not paying attention when they turn on their blinkers to make that move, you’re making a costly mistake.
To avoid missing your chance to reduce customer churn and bring these customers back into the flow of traffic (where they can fulfill their lifetime value), look first to “customer math” – more specifically, tracking those customers who have already stopped their journey. Read more
https://heartofthecustomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/exit-warning-scaled.jpg12001600Shawn Phillipshttps://heartofthecustomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/hotc-logo.pngShawn Phillips2020-06-25 06:00:402020-07-07 19:23:09Use Smart AI to Reduce Churn in Three Steps
Back in February (which feels like a century ago!), our analyst Diane and I were at the offices of Legrand AV, interviewing VP of Customer Experience Laurie Englert and her team. During a break, I turned to Diane and said, “There’s something here. I’m not sure what it is, but something stands out as different.”
“I know what it is,” she said. “Each one of them mentioned how they talk to customers multiple times a week.”
That was it! And it definitely separated Laurie and her team from the other 82 or so CX professionals we’ve interviewed so far this year. Read more
https://heartofthecustomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/blog.myth_-1-scaled.jpg10681600Jim Tincherhttps://heartofthecustomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/hotc-logo.pngJim Tincher2020-06-18 14:02:232020-07-07 19:24:19The Myth of the Customer-Focused CX Leader
Most survey programs provide information: “Our Net Promoter Score (NPS) is 25, up from 22, compared to our competitive benchmark of 30.” While those figures might be interesting, they don’t provide the context that is essential for prompting action.
As Heart of the Customer has been conducting interviews with CX pros (more than 70 so far this year!), we’ve found some common themes – notably that most programs use NPS as their measurement, and most don’t provide much context for those scores. Read more
https://heartofthecustomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/blog-image.surveys-2-scaled.jpg10381600Jim Tincherhttps://heartofthecustomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/hotc-logo.pngJim Tincher2020-06-11 13:05:222020-07-07 19:24:28Five Ways to Make Your Surveys Matter
A key outcome of our work at Heart of the Customer (HoC) – and the essence of CX as a discipline – is to create empathy. That’s how we help our clients better understand their customers.
When empathy is high, organizations are more likely to serve their customers better. They invest in the right initiatives and are rewarded with loyalty, which increases profits, which inspires further efforts to improve the journey. That mutually beneficial cycle is the foundational belief behind what we do. And it’s rewarding work.Read more
Journey maps are the clearest way to visualize your customer experience. Download our Journey Mapping Toolkit to start.
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What’s in a Name? Your Ability to Please Your CustomersOctober 15, 2020 - 6:00 am
To Spur Action, Create a Sense of Urgency
/in CX Program Strategy, Driving CX Culture Change /by Jim TincherI wrote last week about the importance of change management for customer experience (CX) programs, using John Kotter’s model. This post dives deeper into Step One of his approach: creating a sense of urgency.
Without a doubt, this can be challenging. If your company is doing well, it’s hard to get people’s attention. Why tinker with anything if the business is growing? Conversely, if your company is struggling – as, due to COVID-19, so many currently are – noise and anxiety make it hard to focus.
When we look at successful CX programs, this is often where they move ahead of the pack. Those programs are creating a sense of urgency while others are content to focus on survey scores.
There are infinite ways to create a sense of urgency, but below are a few approaches you can try. Read more
CX Needs Change Management
/in Customer Experience Vision, Driving CX Culture Change /by Jim TincherBut actually improving the experience is hard.
If you’re like most of the 85 CX professionals we’ve interviewed so far this year, the reality has hit you that it’s incredibly difficult to move your silos enough to substantially improve the customer experience. That’s where change management comes in. It’s the missing element in most CX programs. Read more
Experiences Designed for Everybody Satisfy Nobody
/in Customer Journey Mapping, Customer Personas, CX Program Strategy /by Jim TincherBut, as mentioned in our book, one thing that continues to surprise me is how few include personas. In our research a few years back, we found that nearly one-third of the CX practitioners surveyed didn’t include segments or personas in their work.
That’s a big mistake.
Read more
Chase Business Results, Not Survey Scores
/in Surveys & Feedback /by Jim TincherAs I interview CX leaders and CEOs, it’s been fascinating (but not surprising) to hear the vast differences in focus.
CX people focus on survey results; their thoughts are on how to improve the experience in order to improve survey results. Since they often can’t track the survey’s impact on revenue, costs, or retention, they spend their time on what they can measure – promoters vs. detractors. Read more
The Secret of CX Success
/in Customer Experience Vision, Driving CX Culture Change /by Diane McManman SchnitkerDuring my many years as a high school and collegiate lacrosse player and coach, I heard (and said) encouraging platitudes like these more times than I can possibly count.
But I think many CX professionals – myself included – could benefit from a reminder of just how much confidence can impact outcomes.
Read more
Journey Map or Customer Experience Map?
/4 Comments/in Customer Journey Mapping, CX Program Strategy /by Jim TincherBut sometimes, it’s not a journey that you need to map.
When a potential client contacts us to inquire about journey mapping, one of the first questions we ask is, “What are you looking to learn?” If the answer is “the customer journey,” we’re going to be asking a lot more questions. Read more
Use Smart AI to Reduce Churn in Three Steps
/in CX Program Strategy, Surveys & Feedback /by Shawn PhillipsIf, like many companies, you’re not paying attention when they turn on their blinkers to make that move, you’re making a costly mistake.
To avoid missing your chance to reduce customer churn and bring these customers back into the flow of traffic (where they can fulfill their lifetime value), look first to “customer math” – more specifically, tracking those customers who have already stopped their journey. Read more
The Myth of the Customer-Focused CX Leader
/in CX Program Strategy, Driving CX Culture Change /by Jim Tincher“I know what it is,” she said. “Each one of them mentioned how they talk to customers multiple times a week.”
That was it! And it definitely separated Laurie and her team from the other 82 or so CX professionals we’ve interviewed so far this year. Read more
Five Ways to Make Your Surveys Matter
/in CX Program Strategy, Surveys & Feedback /by Jim TincherMost survey programs provide information: “Our Net Promoter Score (NPS) is 25, up from 22, compared to our competitive benchmark of 30.” While those figures might be interesting, they don’t provide the context that is essential for prompting action.
As Heart of the Customer has been conducting interviews with CX pros (more than 70 so far this year!), we’ve found some common themes – notably that most programs use NPS as their measurement, and most don’t provide much context for those scores. Read more
Empathy.
/in Driving CX Culture Change, Minneapolis CX /by Jim TincherA key outcome of our work at Heart of the Customer (HoC) – and the essence of CX as a discipline – is to create empathy. That’s how we help our clients better understand their customers.
When empathy is high, organizations are more likely to serve their customers better. They invest in the right initiatives and are rewarded with loyalty, which increases profits, which inspires further efforts to improve the journey. That mutually beneficial cycle is the foundational belief behind what we do. And it’s rewarding work. Read more