The evolving landscape of Customer Experience (CX) and Employee Experience (EX)
In today’s rapidly changing business environment, companies are increasingly recognizing the importance of focusing on customer experience (CX) and employee experience (EX) to drive their success. In an interview with Diane Magers, we talked about her role as Experience Catalysts’ Founder and CEO, and latest tendencies in CX and EX for companies.
(Diane Magers, CX Day Mexico 2023 Keynote Speaker)
“As an XM advisor, my role involves helping organizations understand, adopt, and build the critical capabilities necessary to define, design, and drive impact to their brands,” Diane says.
In this article, we will explore the latest tendencies in CX and EX and examine how the disciplines of psychology and XM can work together to address the challenges faced by companies today.
1. Individual empowerment and understanding of experience
One of the prevailing trends in CX and EX is the emphasis on building skills and capabilities for every individual within an organization. Regardless of their role, employees should understand their impact on the experience and how they contribute to it.
This holistic approach ensures that everyone recognizes the importance of delivering exceptional experiences and actively works towards achieving this goal.
2. Human-centric approach to data and technology
While data and technology play crucial roles in shaping CX and EX strategies, organizations are now approaching them from a human aspect. “Rather than solely focusing on data and technology, companies are striving to understand what customers are trying to accomplish, their goals, and desired outcomes”, points out Magers. By designing experiences centered around these human needs, they can then leverage technology to enable and enhance those experiences.
Adobe conducted a series of studies to understand how generative AI is changing both what customers expect and how brands deliver experiences, surveying over 13,000 consumers and 4,000 customer experience and marketing professionals. “Consumers want companies to use generative AI to improve experiences — responsibly”, the survey indicates.
3. Systematic integration of experience into everyday operations
Organizations are seeking more systematic ways to embed experience management into their daily operations. This includes incorporating customer experience as a prioritization model, fostering cross-collaboration among teams, and progressing from journey mapping and discovery to journey management. By managing all activities across the customer journey, organizations can optimize their investments and work towards a targeted future state.
4. Treating employee experience as a strategic priority
Recognizing the critical role employees play in delivering great experiences, many companies are now treating employee experience on par with customer experience. “Employees are considered as brands of the organization, and their engagement and satisfaction directly impact the overall customer experience,” says Diane. Companies are applying the same lens and practices used for customers to employees, such as active listening, continuous improvement, engagement, and co-creation sessions.
“My background in both psychology and XM has allowed me to understand the fundamental aspects of human behavior and apply that knowledge to the realm of experience management,” Diane ponders.
How do you think this both disciplines (Psychology and XM) can work together in order to find solutions for CX and EX challenges that companies faces nowadays?
Psychology provides insights into the emotional and motivational drivers that influence individuals’ behaviors and decision-making processes. This understanding is crucial when addressing CX and EX challenges.
By integrating psychology and XM, companies can uncover the underlying emotional elements and subconscious factors that shape customer and employee experiences. This knowledge helps organizations identify where they meet or fall short of expectations, enabling them to design more meaningful and impactful experiences. Psychology also allows organizations to tap into the power of emotions, recognizing that positive emotional connections drive customer loyalty and advocacy.
The importance of human and emotional elements in business
According to an investigation conducted by Qualtrics, emotion has the largest impact. After asking a demographically representative online panel of US consumers that recently interacted with companies across 22 industries, they’ve come to the conclusion that consumers with a high emotion rating are more likely to exhibit the four loyalty behaviors(likelihood to recommend, forgive, trust, and buy more). Across all industries, emotion most highly correlates with likelihood to purchase more, with 86% that had a high emotion rating likely to do so.
What part do you think the human and emotional elements play in business?
Understanding and incorporating human and emotional elements in business is vital for several reasons, says Diane. Firstly, emotions greatly influence human behavior, and experiences that evoke positive emotions tend to lead to customer loyalty and advocacy. On the other hand, negative emotions can result in customer churn and negative word-of-mouth.
Secondly, emotions play a significant role in building strong relationships between companies and customers. Emotional connections foster trust, loyalty, and long-term customer relationships. By paying attention to the emotional aspects of CX and EX, companies can differentiate themselves from competitors and create a lasting impact.
Moreover, the emotional elements of business extend to employee experience. Engaged and satisfied employees are more likely to deliver exceptional customer experiences, as they are motivated to go above and beyond. Organizations that prioritize their employees’ emotional well-being and listen to their ideas create a positive work environment and attract and retain top talent.
Conclusion
The evolving landscape of CX and EX demands that businesses prioritize these areas to succeed. The latest tendencies in CX and EX involve empowering individuals, adopting a human-centric approach to data and technology, integrating experience into daily operations, and valuing employee experience.
By integrating psychology and XM, businesses can understand the emotional drivers behind human behavior, design impactful experiences, and foster loyalty. Paying attention to the human and emotional elements in business is crucial as it cultivates strong customer relationships, differentiates companies from competitors, and enhances employee engagement.
