“A leader is a dealer in hope.” – Nigerian Proverb
This morning, I had the privilege of being a guest speaker at the CX Academy Africa’s Weekly Breakfast Virtual Conversation where we talked about “Becoming a CX Champion.”
I have 20 years’ experience spanning across Hotel Industry, Banking and Public Sector. While the early years of my career in the hotel industry significantly contributed towards nurturing my appreciation for CX, I did not initially set out to be a CX Champion in those early years. But over time, I have become more deliberate in becoming a CX Champion such as forming a networking forum dubbed “CX Possibilitarians” that brings together +400 CX Professionals as well as joining member organizations such as ICX where I serve as a Board Member.
A true CX champion requires commitment, dedication, and strategic thinking to drive meaningful improvements in customer experience, ultimately leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. This means you have to see the big picture – it’s about daily consistency and not being afraid to put in the effort required to carry through CX Programs.
“A smooth sea does not make a skillful sailor.” – African Proverb. So, what challenges do CX champions face?
- Resistance to Change: Shifting towards a customer-centric culture may face resistance from employees who are accustomed to a different way of operating. Additionally, implementing CX improvements often requires changes to established processes, which can be met with resistance from employees comfortable with the status quo.
- Silos and Departmental Fragmentation: Coordinating efforts across different departments can be challenging, especially when each department has its own priorities and objectives.
- Competing Priorities & Limited Resources: CX initiatives may compete with other organizational priorities for attention and resources, such as additional budget, manpower, or technological resources, making it challenging to secure buy-in and support.
- Data Quality and Accessibility: Data silos, incomplete data, or inadequate data management practices make it difficult to accessing and analyse relevant customer data.
- Measuring and Demonstrating ROI: Quantifying the return on investment (ROI) of CX initiatives and demonstrating their impact on key metrics like revenue and customer satisfaction.
- Technological Complexity: Leveraging technology to enhance CX has its fair share of complexities as well as keeping pace with advancements in digital tools and platforms. For instance, AI is quite the buzzword, but truth be told translating this to everyday CX still requires a lot of demystifying.
- External Factors: External factors that are typically beyond our control such as macroeconomic conditions, regulatory changes, industry disruptions and even pandemics impact CX efforts and present additional challenges for CX champions to navigate.
“The best way to eat an elephant in your path is to cut him up into little pieces.” – African Proverb. If you desire to become a CX champion, here are my thoughts for you to consider:
- Develop Genuine Customer Empathy: Take time to understand and appreciate your customers’ needs, preferences, and pain points by actively listening to their feedback and engaging with them regularly. Champion the voice of the customer within your organization by advocating for their needs and preferences in all decision-making processes.
- Stay Informed: Encourage feedback from both internal stakeholders and customers to gather insights, identify areas for improvement, and measure the impact of CX initiatives. Stay updated on industry trends, best practices, and emerging technologies in the field of customer experience to continuously improve your knowledge and skills.
- Be Data-Driven: Utilize data analytics to identify patterns, trends, and opportunities for improvement in the customer journey, and use insights to inform strategic decision-making.
- Foster Cross-Functional Collaboration & Lead by Example: “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – African Proverb. Build strong relationships with colleagues across different departments to foster collaboration and alignment towards a unified CX vision. Demonstrate commitment to customer-centric values and behaviors in your own actions and interactions with colleagues and customers.
- Celebrate Successes: Work with HR to recognize and celebrate successes, no matter how small, to maintain momentum and inspire others to continue prioritizing CX efforts.
- Be Resilient: Anticipate and overcome challenges and setbacks along the way, staying focused on the ultimate goal of delivering exceptional customer experiences.
My parting shot: “When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion.” – Ethiopian Proverb. This proverb highlights the power of unity and collective effort, suggesting that even small entities, when united, can achieve significant outcomes. In the context of CX, it emphasizes the impact of teamwork and collaboration in addressing customer needs and challenges.
Becoming a true CX champion requires commitment, dedication, and strategic thinking to drive meaningful improvements in customer experience, ultimately leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. This means you have to see the big picture – it is not about winning and losing, it’s about every day hard work and not being afraid to put in the effort required to carry through CX Programs.
So, are you committed to becoming a CX Champion today?
This article has been written by Ms. Wavi Mungala, Board of Directors ICX Kenya.
