At NuAxis we often say that implementing the perfect customer experience (CX) strategy alone is not a guarantee your work will be well-received. That’s because extracting value from CX initiatives goes beyond simply executing the work well—it requires laying the right foundation for these initiatives at the start of your projects.
Below we offer some guidance from our hard-won lessons on how to ensure your CX efforts get off to the right start. By following the steps below, you can create a solid foundation for success within your CX team.
Consider the Team’s Credentials & Composition
There’s a direct correlation between the strength of a CX team and the results of their efforts. Credentials, as well as length and depth of experience in different CX subject matter areas all play a part. If your team lacks strength in their areas of expertise as well as their flexibility while working in an Agile environment, the quality and depth of solutions offered will suffer.
The combination of roles on a team matters as well and determines the team’s level of expertise. Although your CX team may differ based on the size and scope of your effort, it’s common practice to have some combination of CX strategists, designers, learning and development practitioners, front end developers, content strategists, researchers, etc., on a given CX team.
To vet these roles, we use a combination of tactics. Specific to the role, we ask candidates to do the following:
- Walk through a portfolio review (designers, researchers, content strategists, front end developers)
- Submit portfolios that only contain real work samples, not those created during bootcamps (designers, researchers, content strategists, front end developers)
- Meet the criteria of meticulously crafted job descriptions that are specific enough to funnel out candidates who may not possess the depth of expertise we’re looking for (all)
- Ensure there is an open mindset as well as a deep regard for the mission areas of our federal customers (all)
Additionally, we cultivate relationships with different schools, graduate programs, and recruiting companies to ensure we have a continuous pipeline of trusted talent.
Verify That Solutions Get Adopted
CX teams can get a bad rap for handing off strategies that don’t get implemented. Truly effective CX efforts embed implementation into their approach. If you are hiring a vendor or an employee, ask your candidates if their solutions have been adopted. You’ll want to see concrete evidence of the solutions being implemented and specifically how the teams have ensured solutions are adopted by customers.
Empower Stakeholders and Leadership Through Frequent Engagement
Once you have the right team in place, I can’t stress enough how important it is to engage leadership and key stakeholders at the start of and throughout the CX process! Stakeholders need to feel ownership of the problem and the solution for them to buy into a CX effort. This ownership can be transmitted through regular check-ins, as well as inclusion in design and solutioning workshops, milestone and deliverable reviews, etc.
If your key stakeholders and leadership aren’t engaged, CX efforts are nearly guaranteed to get stymied due to the perception that their concerns and voices were not addressed. Continuous and meaningful leadership and stakeholder engagement lays the groundwork for a successful implementation.
Follow these tips to extract maximum value from your CX efforts, especially when working with a CX vendor. Be sure to arm leadership with ownership, equip teams with expertise, and embed continuity from insight to adoption. If you’re in need of a dedicated team of CX experts, you’re in the right place! Learn more about NuAxis’ CX services here.
