In today’s hyper-competitive market, delivering an exceptional customer experience (CX) has never been more crucial. Most business professionals agree that CX should be a primary focus, but what do customer experience teams and the leaders that support these initiatives actually look like? This guide will dive deep into the structure, roles, and evolving responsibilities of CX teams in modern enterprises.
Understanding Customer Experience (CX) Teams
What is a CX Team?
A CX team is a specialised group dedicated to managing and enhancing the customer experience through various functions such as analytics, design, and process improvement. These teams work across the organisation to ensure that the voice of the customer is not only heard but also acted upon.
Structure of Customer Experience Departments
The structure of a CX department can vary widely depending on the size and needs of the company. Typically, larger organisations may feature roles like Chief Customer Officer (CCO) and a diverse array of specialists focused on customer insights and engagement.
Typical CX Team Roles:
Chief Customer Officer (CCO): Responsible for overall customer experience strategy and execution.
CX Specialist/Coordinator: Handles day-to-day tasks and project coordination.
Voice of the Customer (VoC) Program Manager: Manages customer feedback programs and data analytics.
Customer Advisory Board Manager: Facilitates communication between the company and its key customers.
Process Improvement Specialist: Focuses on optimising customer-related processes within the organisation.
Experience Designer/Design Thinker: Works on creating seamless and engaging customer journeys.
Digital Strategist/Analyst: Specialises in enhancing the digital customer experience.
Customer Success Manager: Ensures customer satisfaction and retention.
UX Managers: Often integrated into CX teams to maintain a centralised focus on customer interactions.
The Gist
Responsibilities of CX Teams
According to Bruce Temkin, head of the Qualtrics XM Institute, a well-structured CX team will have members split between insights and analytics, VoC, design, processes, and engineering. Their responsibilities often include:
- Running an experience management program that includes CX, employee experience (EX), product experience, or brand experience.
- Managing projects such as VoC or voice of the employee (VoE).
- Conducting market research and analysis.
These CX professionals often come from diverse backgrounds, including strategy, customer service, marketing/PR, operations, customer success, and sales.
Evolving Focus of CX Teams
The responsibilities and focus of CX teams have evolved, especially in response to recent global changes. There’s now a heightened emphasis on integrating insights about both customer and employee experiences. As Annette Franz, CCXP, founder and CEO of CX Journey, explains, customer data is more valuable than ever, making the role of CX teams increasingly crucial.
Digital Customer Experience (DCX): A Top Priority
Digital Customer Experience remains a cornerstone for digital marketing teams. According to the CMSWire State of the Digital Customer Experience report, over 80% of organisations rank DCX as extremely or very important. However, achieving a seamless DCX is challenging, with common obstacles including limited cross-department alignment, siloed systems, and budget constraints.
Overcoming Challenges
Despite these challenges, the importance of dedicated CX professionals cannot be overstated. As Franz mentions, having a CX team, whether formal or not, ensures that the customer’s voice is heard and valued within the organisation. These roles provide essential information and services that foster a customer-centric culture.
What Does a Customer Experience Team Do?
Core Functions
Bruce Temkin outlines that a typical CX team manages various core functions:
- Insights and Analytics: Collecting and analysing customer data to derive actionable insights.
- Voice of the Customer (VoC): Gathering and acting upon customer feedback.
- Design and Processes: Creating and optimising customer journeys and touchpoints.
- Internal Communications: Ensuring that customer-centric insights and strategies are communicated across the organisation.
Typical Responsibilities of CX teams:
- Listening to Customer Feedback: Monitoring and interpreting customer feedback to drive improvements.
- Improving Customer Journeys: Mapping and enhancing customer journeys across all touchpoints.
- Enhancing Digital Experience: Focusing on the digital channels to ensure a seamless online experience.
- Collaborating Across Departments: Working with other departments to integrate customer insights into their strategies.
- Leveraging Customer Data: Utilising customer data to inform business decisions and improve service delivery.
Adapting to Changing Environments
- Post-COVID CX Teams: The pandemic has heightened the importance of CX teams. Customer insights and data have become even more valuable, requiring a broader focus on the entire ecosystem of constituents, including employees, partners, and vendors.
- Democratising CX: The trend towards democratising CX involves making everyone in the organisation responsible for delivering exceptional customer experiences. This requires strong leadership and a clear strategy to ensure that all employees understand their role in the CX journey.
Customer experience is more than just a buzzword; it’s a crucial element that can make or break a business.
Having a dedicated CX team ensures that your organisation listens to, understands, and acts upon the voice of the customer. By structuring your CX department effectively and adapting to the evolving landscape, you can drive meaningful improvements that benefit both your customers and your bottom line.
