Is where the CX & CS team reports in your business important?
Of course! Especially when it comes to the ability of the CX leader running point on building & managing the CX/CS playbook or roadmap for success.
This customer focused business leader will be one of the primary keys or players in your business that spends nearly every single day trying to influence the organization to improve the end-to-end experience + understand what your voice of customer is saying!
However, if we are only focused on the reporting structure then the corporate leadership, from the CEO to anyone involved in the organizational leadership, than we are missing key fundamentals that can help CX investment and leaders be successful in their purpose and roles.
As in any leadership role in an organization, having defined job responsibilities, clearly defined and measurable objectives, and the support of colleagues and leaders across the organization to achieve real positive change are imperatives to ensure the success of CX.
However there are 3 vital questions and planning considerations that the organizational leadership needs to address in this process:
- Has a true and robust CX Strategy been established that includes market research, customers segmentation and feedback loops, strategic initiatives and measurable action steps, CX technologies, and behavioral change among employees?
- Is the individual leading the CX investment a leader with the necessary skills, background, and experience or an individual who perhaps was distinguished for other past internal achievements and placed in the role to fill a void in the organizational chart?
- Is the role of the CX leader part of an integrated CX framework in the organization, with the responsibility and authority to work cross-functionally across all facets of the organization in order to implement the CX strategy and achieve superior CX outcomes?
Once these vital questions and planning considerations are adequately addressed, the role of the CX leader and professionals become crystal clear. Similarly their unique and important role within the leadership and operations of the entire organization will also find its natural and critical placement and organization goals setting or OKR refinement.