39% of CX leaders polled by GDS state competing objectives and KPIs between departments within their organization as the reason their CX efforts are impeded.
Amongst businesses, this remains a barrier to achieving CX excellence. Is it possible to navigate the strategic crossroads between pursuing quick wins and aiming for game-changing nirvana?
The best and the brightest CX professionals joined a panel, including our very own Interactions CMO, Peter Mullen, to discuss the dilemma of opting for low-hanging fruit to establish credibility and deliver tangible results swiftly, versus investing in experimentation for revolutionary, long-term advancements. There is a way to balance the need for immediate impact with the pursuit of transformative, slower-burning innovations.
Dive in as this blog addresses the complexities of achieving excellence in CX within organizations, focusing on the dichotomy between pursuing quick wins versus investing in transformative, long-term innovations.
Strategic Crossroads: The panel explored the challenge of reconciling competing objectives and KPIs across departments that often impede CX efforts. There’s a strategic dilemma of opting for low-hanging fruit to establish credibility and the need to deliver immediate results versus investing in experimental, game-changing advancements for long-term success. The answer? It’s a delicate balance, focusing on reducing organizational silos, conflicting priorities, and resource constraints while staying focused on long-term goals.
Transformation and Innovation: What does transformation and innovation mean in the context of CX excellence? It essentially means businesses must continually evolve processes, technologies, and strategies to meet changing customer expectations and market dynamics. Yet, many aren’t delivering. 94% of consumers say they expect better customer service than they currently receive. Not only are consumers frustrated with the quality of support, but they’d rather get a cavity filled than deal with customer service.
Role of Human Interaction vs. Automation: The role of human interaction in CX is more important now than ever as humans are essential in building emotional connections and trust with customers. With automated processes facilitated by Gen AI, the need for a balanced approach that leverages technology while preserving the human touch is key.
This approach can be further explained by James Wood, SVP of Solutions Architecture at Interactions, “But human contact still has a vital place. Especially when it comes to escalation points or friction points in a customer-service experience, the quality of human contact matters a lot. For many brands, the human touch is the essential connection that drives long-term customer relationships.”
Utilization of Transformational Data: Data is the fuel for CX improvement and innovation. The panel discussed how organizations can harness transformational data to gain insights into customer behavior, preferences, and pain points, enabling them to make informed decisions and drive long-term CX improvements. The role of data will continue to grow to create more productive and efficient experiences that generate increased revenue and improved customer experience, according to researchers at Opus Research.
Generational Differences in CX Adoption: Lastly, the panel explored how different generations, including Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z, perceive and adopt CX innovations in the workplace. With varying preferences, expectations, and attitudes towards technology and personalized experiences, businesses need to build and execute segment-specific strategies that will keep each generation happy and coming back for more. This comes as no surprise as 69% of consumers value having tech-driven consumer support options, such as virtual assistants, chat and chatbots, likely speaking to the preferences of the younger generations. Yet, for 36% of consumers, being unable to speak to a person when they have a complex issue drives them crazy. This much is clear – each generation has varying preferences and expects companies to provide a solution that fits their needs.
There are inherent challenges and opportunities in the pursuit of CX excellence, which further emphasizes the need for strategic alignment, innovation, and a customer-centric mindset. Interested in learning more? Talk to the CX experts at Interactions.
