Welcome to the fifth article in our series explaining the CX by Design process – how we partner with our clients and help them solve their complex business and CX problems. So far, we’ve discussed:
- Day 0: Why clients call us in.
- Days 1–10: How we set the groundwork for a successful partnership.
- Weeks 3–10: Our initial project stages, which include identifying and closing immediate CX gaps.
By now, we’ve been working with our client for several months. We’ve thoroughly mapped their business processes and understood their customer experience needs. We’ve started implementing our Now-Next-Later framework and resolving some of the most critical issues. And we’ve helped them build the right mindset for future CX growth.
However, it’s common for new problems to present themselves at this point. These could be issues uncovered in the previous stages, or they could be underlying deeper issues that arise throughout our collaboration with the client. This is also a time of adjusting processes and fine-tuning procedures, and it makes up the bulk of our time with our client.
This is Months 3–10, and it’s where CX change really begins to take hold. We’ve divided this stage into two substages: dealing with surfacing issues and setting up a CX baseline.
Prioritizing and addressing new problems
Whenever change is introduced in one area, it has a ripple effect; it impacts adjacent systems and teams. This stage is all about fully incorporating new processes while also addressing the problems that can arise from process changes.
So, exactly how do we prioritize and address such problems? In much the same way as we tackled the acknowledged problems: with research, communication, and a continued application of the Now-Next-Later framework.
In many respects, this is a continuation of the previous phase. We optimize the “Next” processes that were put on temporary hold while we solved the higher-impact “Now” issues. We continue with the mapping process, creating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that become our client’s playbook for successfully handling app outages, product return problems, or whatever challenges they routinely face.
We also adapt and update our client’s business systems. This is an essential part of supporting the improved processes discussed above. It’s also where we address parts of the organizational culture and mindset that can be getting in the way of growth – i.e. “We can’t do this because of X” or “But we’ve always done it this way”.
If this sounds like a lot of change management, it is. This can be scary, but it’s an integral part of the path to CX excellence – without it, there’s no real way to move towards CX maturity and growth.
Setting up a CX baseline
Our other key focus area during this time is setting up a CX baseline for our client. We’ve paved the way for this by addressing immediate challenges and fostering a proactive, CX-oriented mindset. Now we help our client build their foundations for ongoing CX. This includes setting up repeatable, sustainable CX growth guidelines and acting as educators and advisors for CX teams (or key people) within our client’s organization.
Our goal here is to pass on our expertise so that our client can build their own effective CX system. To that end, we set up a feedback loop between us and our clients that lets us continually adapt to their evolving needs.
Up next: Looking to the future
By the end of Month 10, our client has solved their initial CX challenge and successfully met new issues that arose along the way. They’ve developed a people-centric CX mindset and have built the foundations for CX growth. But their journey isn’t over; in this series’ final article, we’ll discuss the last stage of our partnership: preparing for continued CX excellence.
