Customer experience at the heart of everyone’s focus!
Customer Experience, A Priority Everywhere
Never before have so many companies placed customer experience at the forefront of their business. Never before have we seen so many Customer Experience departments, specialists, experience designers, and consultants emerge. The list goes on.
This can only be a good thing!
But what do customers actually experience?
Are satisfaction, delight, and loyalty truly being delivered? Have NPS and other customer satisfaction metrics improved? Some studies suggest they have… while others disagree and lament the lack of progress.
Let’s be honest: it’s possible that all these efforts have borne some fruit!
But equally honestly: do customer experiences live up to the ambitious goals and efforts companies claim to pursue, those “wow” experiences we all dream of? I doubt it.
The Real Barrier: Corporate Culture
Why? Because beyond the beautiful processes, customer journeys, and experience designs, there lies… corporate cultures that are all too often unfavorable to customer satisfaction. These cultures undermine the effectiveness of the tools and initiatives created by the very people driving customer experience within organizations.
Deep-Rooted Beliefs and Habits
Corporate cultures, meaning values, beliefs, attitudes, and resistance to change daily hinder the good intentions behind creating great customer experiences. Many companies prioritize technical, hierarchical, commercial, risk-averse, or cost-cutting cultures over genuine customer satisfaction.
Customer Experience Alone Is Not Enough Without Cultural Transformation
Yes, we should applaud Customer Experience teams for implementing processes, practices, and rituals designed to enhance customer experiences!
But we’re only at the beginning of the journey. For true success, organizations must now undertake deep cultural transformations and shift team mindsets.
This requires a broader perspective and a focus on culture.
Some companies have already understood this and are actively working on their customer-centric culture every day, gaining a competitive edge as a result.
What if you “changed your perspective” on this issue? What if you widened your focus to address the root of the problem?
Author: Gil Arban