Idea Gathering: Customer Experience Starts with You

The Total Customer Experience Leaders Summit provides both B2B and B2C case studies and translating these innovations and insights is a huge part of the value of the conference. Our unique idea gathering wrap-ups between sessions facilitate this translation and were one of our most highly rated features last year.

Here on the blog we're doing a regular series of idea gathering wrap ups, pulling together some of our favorite stories on customer experience, customer experience design, and overall customer-centricity.

This week, we chatted with TCEL speaker Janet LeBlanc, President, JANET LEBLANC + ASSOCIATES about creating a customer-centric culture. On that note, let's look at some of the ways to develop that culture and the effects that doing so can have.

This post on the Experience Required™ blog suggested that the The CEO’s role in changing culture starts with taking three steps: #1. Be visible.
#2. Give feedback regularly.
#3. Demonstrate quick wins.

This piece on "The Rateocracy" (which calls back to last week's focus on the more empowered customer) advises: "The CEO of the future will need to work harder to align the corporation, its employees, and stakeholders around a shared vision."

Forbes recently posted "Why the Megalomaniac in the Corner Office Isn't Doing Your Company Any Favors" discussing this topic as well. The article cites "(Lack of) Open Culture" as a major downfall for organizations and posits "a way to run a better business is by enabling a wealth of executives to make business critical decisions and empowering them to act and react around the globe."

CMS wire agrees, writing "Almost every company across America says the same hackneyed cliche: Our people are our strongest asset. Almost every company in America is not doing what's necessary to make their employees believe that their employers actually believe this."

Based on all of these sources it's clear: customer experience starts at home. Look at your employee's experiences and the culture they are working in and think "How does this align with our customer experience strategy?"

Have you ever made an effort to change corporate culture from within? Share your successes and challenges in our comments section.

Like these updates? Follow us on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook for industry news all week long.