How to put your CX strategy into practice: A leader’s guide

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Harsha Khubwani

August 5, 2024

Great CX strategy gets you to the starting line, but it's the flawless execution that wins the race.

In the current digital age, where customer expectations shift with every new app and service, the stakes have never been higher. But seasoned CX leaders like you already know that. What you crave are actionable, insightful steps to transform your strategy into impactful execution.

Let’s dive straight in—no fluff, just the solid, actionable guide you need.

7 Steps to master your CX strategy execution

Step 1: Align your team and resources

"Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat." – Sun Tzu

Your CX strategy should be a living, breathing manifesto for your entire organization. It’s not something to print out and bury in a desk drawer. Aligning cross-functional teams around the CX vision starts at the top. Your mission is to instill this vision into every department, from marketing to the front-line customer support team.

-> Actionable Tactics:

Vision workshops: Hold energetic, engaging workshops to cascade your CX strategy through the ranks.
CX champions: Appoint CX leaders in each department to promote and implement the customer experience strategy.
Clear KPIs: Develop and communicate clear CX KPIs and ensure they align with the overall business goals.

Step 2: Adopt data-driven decision making

According to a study by Forrester, Companies that use advanced insights are 8.5 times more likely to achieve at least 20% annual revenue growth compared to those just starting out. CX leaders are turning data into decisions to bring revolutionary transformations in customer experience management operations and achieve the desired results.

-> Actionable Tactics:

Unified customer data: Create a single source of truth by integrating customer data from all touchpoints.
Sentiment analysis: Invest in AI-driven sentiment analysis tools to dissect customer emotions and predict behaviors.
Continuous feedback loop: Regularly solicit and act on customer feedback to refine and redefine your strategy in real-time.

Step 3: Leverage advanced technology

Technology should act as the wind beneath your CX wings. Gartner predicts that by 2025, 80% of customer service organizations will use generative AI to boost agent productivity and improve customer experience.

-> Actionable Tactics:

AI and Machine learning: Utilize AI for personalization, predictive analytics, and automated customer service solutions.
Omnichannel integration: Ensure your customer’s journey is seamless across all platforms—web, mobile, and in-store.
Customer journey analytics: Analyze your customer journey map to understand drop-off points and pain areas.

Step 4: Empower your front-line employees

Your front-line employees are the unsung heroes of your successful customer experience strategy. They're the ones directly interacting with customers, making every interaction count and driving loyalty. According to Gallup, companies that engage their employees achieve earnings-per-share growth that is more than four times that of their competitors.

-> Actionable Tactics:

Training programs: Implement high-impact training programs that not only empower but excite.
Autonomy and tools: Equip your front-line staff with the autonomy and tools they need to resolve customer issues promptly and satisfactorily.
Recognition and rewards: Create a culture of recognition, celebrating employees who go above and beyond.

Step 5: Foster a culture of experimentation

"Move fast and break things" might be a cliché, but in the CX domain, iteration and innovation are your secret weapons. According to a PwC study, one in three customers will leave a brand they love after just one bad experience. Perfection isn’t the goal—continuous improvement is.

-> Actionable Tactics:

A/B testing: Employ A/B testing for everything from email subject lines to website navigation layouts.
Pilot programs: Launch small-scale pilot programs to assess the viability of new CX initiatives.
Fail fast, learn faster: Foster a culture where failures are celebrated as learning opportunities.

Step 6: Measure and adapt relentlessly

In Clootrack’s 102 CX experts’ report, Joseph Michelli, CEO of The Michelli Experience, says, “Customer-obsessed organizations engage regular discussions of CLV, consistent scientific rigor, and a commitment to drive key performance metrics – through their experience strategy.”

What gets measured gets managed. And what gets managed gets improved.

-> Actionable Tactics:

Net Promoter Score (NPS): While classic, it remains one of the most telling indicators of customer loyalty.
Customer Effort Score (CES): Gauge how easy it is for customers to resolve their issues.
Real-Time dashboards: Use real-time CX data analytics dashboards to gain and track an instantaneous snapshot of your CX performance.

Step 7: Elevate CX efforts through personalization

Today’s customers expect Amazon-level personalization as a minimum standard. Accenture found that 91% of consumers are more likely to shop with brands that provide offers and recommendations that are relevant to them.

-> Actionable Tactics:

Segmentation and targeting: Segment your customer base to target them with hyper-relevant offers.
Personalized content: Deliver tailored content based on customer preferences and behaviors.
Customizable experiences: Enable customers to personalize their experiences with your brand, from product customization to personalized help and support.

Key Takeaways

Putting your CX strategy into practice is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires meticulous planning, data-driven execution, and a relentless focus on customer delight. As top leaders in CX, our role is not just to conceptualize but to materialize these strategies into actions that resonate with our customers.

Excited? You should be. The landscape is ripe for innovation, and with the steps outlined, you are primed to not just compete but to lead the charge in redefining customer experience in your industry.

As Kevin Stirtz wisely put it, "Every contact we have with a customer influences whether or not they'll come back. We have to be great every time, or we’ll lose them."