Tech companies are leading by example when it comes to providing users with a top-notch CX. Source: Michael Cohen/Getty Images for The New York Times/AFP

Tech companies are leading by example when it comes to providing users with a top-notch CX. Source: Michael Cohen/Getty Images for The New York Times/AFP

Why upgrading your CX requires ‘all hands on deck’

CUSTOMERS advocate for brands that wow them, which is why when companies go back to the drawing board to overhaul the customer experience (CX) they provide, they must factor in all the things that people already love about them.

Oftentimes, people think it’s a good idea to outsource the CX upgrade project to external consultants. This might not always be a good idea.

External consultants and subject matter experts work on many CX projects, and hence, have a lot of experience which they can translate into intelligent insights. However, they’re not necessarily aware of what loyal customers already love and value.

Their advice, therefore, must supplement the strategy and route the internal team decides to pursue, but never entirely direct the direction the company takes in terms of CX.

Apple and Google are two tech companies that provide great CX.

In both cases, the business leaders are obsessed with how it engages with customers and provides them support — it’s an internally driven project that is continuously reviewed for possible improvements.

Here are three reasons why a CX project must be an all-hands on deck project that is handled in-house by cross-functional teams:

# 1 | You know what customers love about your brand

Every organization has its own DNA and culture. And that’s exactly what needs to be replicated in the company’s CX. Without a hint and a bit of flavor of the company’s morals, ethics, and character in the CX, it won’t be as authentic and your customers will feel failed.

It’s also something that no consultant can replicate for you. It’s an integral part of the organization and is something only your employees can experience, which is what they will automatically add to the CX they create for your customers.

The representation of an organization’s culture is key to the CX. Take the Apple store for example. when you walk into the store, you see clean tables, wires neatly tucked away, devices beautifully displayed, and sales staff assisting you only when asked. It’s all very ‘Apple’ isn’t it?

# 2 | You understand your customers’ buying habits

When you’re designing your CX, imagine not being able to turbocharge it with insights that you gain from your business.

To put this in perspective, let’s say you’re an e-commerce manager and you’re trying to design an experience that engages with customers, keeps them picking one product after another, and helps them check-out with as few clicks as technically possible.

If you have the right business insights, you’re going to know what products customers buy together (which might be different from what logic suggests). New parents who buy baby products online wouldn’t logically also be keen to stock up on snacks or invest in new, more comfortable pillows.

But given their need to stay up late and their perpetual lack of sleep, e-commerce companies know both of those are logical recommendations and positioning them appropriately could dynamically improve the CX.

# 3 | You are the best judge of what your customers really need

Who knows your customers better than you? Nobody.

Your frontline staff knows what makes your customers buy your products, your customer service staff knows what your customers struggle with, your analysts know how long your customers wait before they’re provided with support, and your managers know what makes customers choose your products over others.

You have all the insights about your customer, different teams within your business know what makes your customers tick. Getting them together can help paint a holistic picture and highlight the exact path your CX project needs to move along.

Designing groundbreaking CX isn’t rocket science. It’s just a process — and you have all the people you need to get moving. Your only barrier? The leadership.

If you’ve got a strong cross-functional team paired with a senior business leader who has the clout and authority to can get things done, you’ll be in a position to establish your new CX faster than any external consultant on the market.