CX SOS FRAMEWORK

How to Start, Operationalize, or Scale Your CX Program

Implementing CX is challenging whether you are building your first program or taking your efforts agency-wide. We developed the SOS Framework to give agency leaders a step-by-step guide to Starting, Operationalizing, and Scaling a CX program that supports your mission and delivers results. Wherever you are in the process our guide can help you ask the right questions, build the right solution, and measure the impact.

The Start Phase

This phase is for when you are ready to build your first CX program,but you’re not sure where to begin.  This phase includes:

Step 1: Strategy

Assess the appetite for CX on your team or within your agency.

Identify promoters and detractors.

Determine whose buy-in you need most.

Step 2: Governance

Co-create CX standards with leadership.

Set the vision for your CX program.

Prioritize initiatives to pilot.

Step 3: Design

Develop personas and journey maps.

Review current efforts and funding based on data from personas and journey maps.

Choose a pilot that solves a big issue.

Step 4: Communicate

Create and execute a roadshow with leadership.

Step 5: Build Capacity

Pilot a training or get funding for contract support.

Measuring Success

You’ll know you’ve succeeded in the Start Phase if you have:

Improved Metrics

Adopted Solutions

Positive Feedback

Improved Efficiencies

Additional Executive
Buy-in

Learn more about the SOS Framework.

The Operationalize Phase

Once you have an assessment of buy-in and appetite for CX at your agency at that point you can start to look at tactically applying it in other parts of the organization.  This phase includes:

Step 1: Strategy

Integrate CX into your agency’s strategic plan through vision and initiatives.

Develop a formal strategy and additional pilots.

Develop a scaling strategy.

Step 2: Governance

Set agency-wide CX goals.

Establish CX standards for services, digital experiences, and staff experiences.

Step 3: VOC & VOE

Gather quantitative and qualitative data from staff and customers.

Build a voice of the customer program.

Step 4: Design

Conduct additional pilots.

Identify key CX strategy elements.

Step 5: Data

Use experiential and operational data to inform where you need to measure progress.

Step 6: Communicate

Conduct a roadshow to showcase successes.

Share progress across the agency to promote a culture shift.

Highlight organizational impact.

Step 7: Culture

Implement change strategies including incentives and performance appraisals.

Step 8: Build Capacity

Build out training program.

Mobilize the performance management framework.

Identify skill gaps.

Measuring Success

You’ll know you’ve succeeded in the Operationalize Phase when you have:

Culture shift to embrace CX

Measurable progress with pilots

A good pool of data

Engaged executive sponsorship

Funding allocated

Socialized CX goals across the agency

Learn more about the SOS Framework.

The Scale Phase

You’ve demonstrated CX’s value and are ready to scale across the agency, leveraging proven success stories and strong support. This phase includes:

Step 1: Strategy

Create an agency-wide CX strategy, considering the resources you will need (e.g. human capital, funding etc.).

Develops 1-year, 3-year, 5-year and 10-year plans with specific CX goals.

Integrate CX into strategic planning, budgeting, and job descriptions.

Step 2: Governance

Assign executive sponsors to champion each initiative.

Step 3: VOC & VOE

Scale a robust VoC program for all major programs.

Collect feedback at all customer interactions across multiple channels.

Improve Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) scores.

Step 4: Design

Create detailed roadmaps with milestones, resources, and funding for each initiative.

Ensure all touchpoints are inclusive and digital-first.

Use plain language for all content to enhance accessibility.

Develop an employee experience program connecting CX to rewards and recognition.

Step 5: Data

Implement a feedback loop for progress reporting to OMB.

Focus on continuous improvement with operational and experiential metrics.

Use data to refine CX strategy.

Obtain a complete, data-driven picture of the customer experience.

Step 6: Communicate

Establish marketing and branding teams.

Communicate successes and recognize contributors internally.

Share case stories to publicly recognize employees.

Conduct an annual agency-wide progress roadshow.

Step 7: Culture

Ensure 75% of the organization is CX-trained.

Foster a customer-first mindset at all levels, with empathy-driven initiatives.

Step 8: Performance Management

Link CX expectations to performance metrics.

Measuring Success

You’ll know you’ve succeeded in the Scale Phase when you have:

Clear, achievable CX goals set to enhance mission delivery

Trust is measured and increased

Metrics for OMB that you can use to make operational and experiential improvements

Increased FEVs scores

Multiple case studies showing CX success

CX is integrated into performance standards

Consistent line items for CX in the budget

Learn more about the SOS Framework.

Learn More

Ready to get going? Schedule a one-hour CX demo where we will help you begin crafting a CX approach tailored specifically to your agency or organization!