Most businesses beyond early stage, both large and small, have the “big three” of senior management positions: the chief executive officer (CEO), the chief operations officer (COO), and the chief financial officer (CFO). A new position has recently made its way into the top tier of business management in recent years, known as the chief experience officer, or CXO. In today’s fast-paced, high-tech world where shopping is moving to online websites, managers are consulting with clients over email and telephone, and social media have moved to the forefront of old and new workplaces, there has been an increasing disconnect between customers and business. The chief experience officer is there to help find that disconnect and bring it to an end.
What exactly does the CXO do? They analyze customer satisfaction and user experiences, and then take on the responsibility of gaining the best possible market share from those customers. This is done by familiarizing themselves with those wants and desires and then engaging the customers through constructing friendly and efficient business relationships. It isn’t enough just to be a nice person to your customers: you have to have the skill set to connect with them and embrace the concept of “customer experience matters.” Ultimately, the CXO’s role is to please the customer and make sure that their business is the first one that the client comes back to when their product or service is required. An experience officer armed with the proper skills to build a working relationship with their customer is invaluable.
How does one go about creating this type of position within a company? All it takes is for someone to take a look at the data that’s already widely available within most businesses, then analyze it and form strategies to enhance client experience. Most companies already have easily accessible banks of data encompassing everything from safety, quality of products and services, customer satisfaction, and customer complaints. When you take this data and draw up business strategies from it, you can drastically impact the outcomes of customer engagement, loyalty, and trust. Remember, the best successes in business come when your customers want to actively participate, rather than being told what to do or how to do it.
The CXO isn’t only useful in the external customer base, either. He or she can create a great amount of synergy within your organization, as well. Many companies work with their employees by treating them like customers: try out enough methods to keep them engaged, and eventually something will stick. Enter the experience officer: he or she will tweak not only your customer base, but your employee base as well. Having both your external and internal bases actively engaged in their work, feeling good about what they do, and working in unison will work wonders in any business.
Many smaller businesses may find it hard to justify the cost of a CXO. I advocate that a great executive can wear many hats and that a CEO should analyze the depth and breath of their team to determine who might be able to effectively serve as a CXO (in addition to their other responsibilities). It is surprising what you can get out of some of your executives with the promise of a small bonus or longer term development opportunities.
As a last note, it is important not to underestimate the importance of the chief experience officer, even though the position has only sprung up in the last five years or so. Their influence within a company can be tremendous, replacing common roles such as chief marketing officers. In the modern world, your company needs to be customer driven, placing customer satisfaction above all else. A CXO will fulfill that role for your organization, prioritizing customers and ensuring that your whole operation runs smoothly and profitably.
As a coach, consultant and business advisor, I am always working with my clients to be ahead of the curve on customer needs, strategic shifts and long term business shifts. This awareness and highly effective human capital can position any business for growth and long term success.
