An excellent customer experience is simple and seamless. Yet, designing such an experience is often anything but.
Indeed, finding the winning formula is taxing, but sharing best practices can help CX leaders find that winning ticket.
CX Today’s All-Star initiative was born out of this shared vision.
In this spirit, ten members of the All-Star community shared some familiar CX challenges before discussing their experiences in overcoming them.
1. Knowing Where to Start…
The main challenge in CX at the moment is knowing where to start.
With the constant wave of AI launches, outlining priorities becomes the immediate challenge.
Adding to this, Dennis Parker, Customer Experience Partner Leader at AWS, said, “For me, it then becomes foundational. What do I need to do to unlock CX innovation for the business? This always leads me back to data and the readiness of data to power CX innovation.
“We have seen the emergence of composable data platforms to support customers with these foundational elements to support AI and personalization use cases.”
2. Gathering Data Is Great, But Driving Value Is Difficult
Sometimes, too much data leads to information overload. That makes it more tricky to make decisions and drive positive change.
Tim Thijsse, Senior Lead at Orange Valley, offered insights into this significant pressure point.
“There is a lot of customer data available; the problem is that it’s too much to handle. With effective use of AI, you can manage and translate this data to actionable insights.”
3. Understanding Customer Needs
A key challenge facing CX teams today is understanding customer needs, which are changing faster than ever.
That’s according to Stacy Sherman, Founder of Doing CX Right, who notes that – as a result – many teams struggle to design experiences that truly address the most pressing pain points.
“In the past, customer journey maps were a helpful tool, but the shift now is toward journey management,” concluded Sherman.
4. Asserting Business Value In CX
Business leaders often demand an immediate return on investment (ROI) before investing more funds into CX initiatives.
Recognizing this, Vipin Kalra, Technology Leader at Docusign, recommends:
“By shifting focus from traditional metrics like CSAT to key performance indicators directly linked to business outcomes, such as customer lifetime value and retention rates, they can demonstrate the tangible financial impact of their efforts.”
Naturally, this requires robust data analysis, compelling storytelling that translates data into actionable insights, and strong cross-functional collaboration to align CX goals with overall business objectives.
“Ultimately, continuous improvement, embracing new technologies, and effectively communicating the value of CX is essential for securing ongoing support and driving sustainable business success.”
5. Overcoming AI FOMU (Fear Of Messing Up)
AI scare stories are everywhere. Just two weeks ago, Virgin Money’s chatbot blasted a customer for using the word “virgin”. Hardly a good look…
However, there are many other fears when it comes to AI in CX, including data privacy, employee advocacy, and new security threats.
As Rebecca Wettemann, CEO and Principal Analyst at Valoir Inc., noted: “The challenge is finding the right tools and safeguards to ensure accuracy and data security.”
6. Rising Contact Center Demand
Messaging apps, social media channels, online chat… there are more ways than ever to connect with a business – and customers are using those channels!
As such, contact volumes are increasing, driving up wait times and putting contact center teams under more pressure.
Offering insights into how service leaders can overcome this problem, Gidi Adlersberg, AudioCodes, Head of Voca CIC Business Line, explained:
“The key to successfully navigating this process lies in the fine balance between adopting forward-looking practices, mainly around AI, while never compromising the classic fundamentals that always have and always will be the base of great CX.”
7. Growing Customer Expectations
Matt Lyles, Chief Simplification Officer at Matt Lyles & Co. exclaimed, “The No. 1 challenge facing CX teams right now is rising customer expectations in an increasingly complex world.
“The teams that focus on simplifying the experience before anything else will create loyal customers.”
Become a CX All-Star & Share Your Perspective
So, there we have it: some of the most significant customer experience challenges CX Today’s All-Stars are facing.
However, you also have the opportunity to share your expertise, gain recognition, and contribute to the growing community CX Today is fostering.
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