What's going on right now in Customer Experience (CX)? We're doing something a little different, a little new in this Experience Action episode. This CX Pulse Check is your ticket to understanding the customer experience economy today, so you can plan for future success! You'll come away from this episode knowing more about how to leverage behavioral data and technology to create personalized, efficient experiences, and more. Fasten your seat belts!We've brought in a special guest to add richness to this conversation: Experience Investigators' Director of Business Development, Paige.In this episode, you'll hear real-life examples from Mcdonald's, Taco Bell, Chick-fil-A, Chipotle, and Portillo's, specifically how they're all revving up their drive-through models. We'll also take an exciting trek into the strategy of Lego's adult-targeted, high-tech journey, Delta Air Lines loyalty offerings, and Amazon's latest offering - end-to-end supply chain management.This is the new age of customer experience, and we don’t want anyone to be left behind. Let's turn ideas into action! Resources Mentioned:Join the Waitlist for the CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.comArticle: Is Customer Experience Worth It? And How Much Should You Invest? -- experienceinvestigators.com/take-action/customer-experience-value/Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.comWant to ask a question? Visit www.speakpipe.com/experienceaction to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

❔"How does the CX Charter address potential conflicts or challenges? And, does it provide guidelines for resolution that prioritizes the customer's experience?"❔A Customer Experience (CX) Charter is a document to help your team deliver results more efficiently and effectively. It helps ensure you're all on the same page (pun intended). A CX Charter is key for cross-functional support. In this episode, Jeannie Walters shares six questions you can use to build your own CX Charter and addresses how it can proactively prevent issues so you can accomplish your goals. Tune in to hear how a CX Charter can help change influence into authority.Resources Mentioned:CX Charter Guidebook -- bit.ly/cxcharterCX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbookCX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbookJoin the Waitlist for the CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.comExperience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.comWant to ask a question? Visit www.speakpipe.com/experienceaction to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

❔"Can we discuss how to conduct an annual performance review for a customer experience professional? What should that look like? What measurements should we be looking at?" How do we define success?"❔Performance reviews can be rough from both sides of the table. They are often full of assumptions and expectations. However, these hard conversations are necessary. Jeannie Walters suggests that first you must look at what it means to be a customer experience professional in your organization. The answer will vary depending on your job description and your organization's customer experience goals. Speaking of goals, three critical areas for any performance review are values, mission, and alignment. We dive into each in this episode. Tune in to hear about defining customer experience success and measurements to explore.Resources Mentioned:SMIRC Goals Checklist -- bit.ly/smirc-checklistCX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbookCX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbookExperience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.comWant to ask a question? Visit www.speakpipe.com/experienceaction to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

❔"My organization is looking at starting focus groups or other avenues to bring in more of the customer experience perspective. What are your recommendations for getting started? How do we decide who to include? What other things should we consider? I'd love to hear your feedback."❔Traditional focus groups have been popular for gathering real-time customer feedback for decades. However, our host, Jeannie Walters, has seen too many focus groups go awry. In this episode, Jeannie goes over some pros and cons of traditional focus groups. She also shares some additional ways to gather the customer feedback you are looking for, such as customer interviews, co-creation sessions, and customer advisory boards. For any of these methods, proactive steps are needed to set your initiatives up for success. Tune in to hear what you need to get insights, not just answers.Resources Mentioned:Customer Interview Guidebook -- bit.ly/ciguidebookExperience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.comWant to ask a question? Visit www.speakpipe.com/experienceaction to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

❔"I love how you discuss the difference between customer service and customer experience. I work with people who really believe they understand customer service so there's nothing to worry about. How do I get them to see that we should focus on customer experience, not just customer service?"❔We need both customer service and customer experience to have a successful business. Customer service is essentially a reactive process. Customer experience is about being proactive and intentional. It's about designing the journey for our customers so they can get what they need and achieve their goals in the most delightful and effortless way possible. When we do this well, we all win – customers and businesses! Customer service is just one piece of the puzzle. In this episode, Jeannie Walters shares how you can help your colleagues understand that customer experience is a fundamental business strategy that provides a holistic approach beyond reactive problem-solving.Resources Mentioned:YouTube: Jeannie Walters at Experience Investigators -- bit.ly/jeannieytGet the Weekly Letter: bit.ly/jeannie-letterExperience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.comWant to ask a question? Visit www.speakpipe.com/experienceaction to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

❔"I'm new to the idea of customer experience, and while I think it's great, I can't seem to get others at my software startup to really get it. I do what I can by bringing up the customer whenever I can, but I don't really know how to get others to care about it. Any ideas you can share?" ❔We are so excited to have a new Customer Experience (CX) Change Agent in the world! Someone who has started connecting the dots between why CX is so important, what they can do about it, and what it can achieve — results like improved retention and referrals, increased revenue, reduced costs, and competitive advantages. Helping others in your organization understand the power of CX can be a challenge. In this episode, Jeannie Walters, CCXP shares some ideas about how to talk about CX and tools you can use to get others on board.Resources Mentioned:CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbookCustomer Journey Mapping Workbook -- bit.ly/cjmworkbookExperience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.comWant to ask a question? Visit www.speakpipe.com/experienceaction to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

❔"How do you find the budget for customer experience initiatives, and who owns it? And how do other companies do this?"❔Customer experience is not just a 'nice to have,' even though that's how it's viewed in many organizations. It really is a must-have in today's competitive, digital world. Customers have more choices and more expectations than ever before. If we don't make customer experience a strategic priority and a source of competitive advantage, somebody else will. Customer is also not a one-time project or department, but sometimes that's where we have to start. In this episode, Jeannie Walters discusses building a case for investing in customer experience and thinking like a business leader. This investment will have a positive impact on the bottom line and the long-term growth of your organization. She shares a few ideas for securing a CX budget, so you can get the resources you need to succeed.Resources Mentioned:CX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbookExperience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.comWant to ask a question? Visit www.speakpipe.com/experienceaction to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

❔"Our organization has talked a lot about customer experience, and we always say that the customer comes first. We want to get more intentional, more serious about [CX], but we're not really sure where to get started. Do we need to hire someone who is just focused on CX and can lead our organization in building customer experience initiatives and activities, or is there a way for us to do this more organically with the team that we have? ...Once we start to get people aligned, where do we begin? How do we make [CX] something that is impactful for our business?" ❔These are great questions! Jeannie Walters says that if you are not asking these questions, then you are probably just coasting. As she walks through some of the ways to address CX leadership and strategy, think about where you are with your organization. Examine if you are being as intentional and proactive as you could be around customer experience strategy – and if not, what's stopping you. In this episode, Jeannie outlines some steps to take and people to include to get you set in the right direction toward successful CX. Be that CX Change Agent – you can move forward with CX wherever you are in your organization!Resources Mentioned:CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbookCX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbookExperience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.comWant to ask a question? Visit www.speakpipe.com/experienceaction to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

❔"I was talking to a colleague of mine in the marketing department, and we had a question for you: could the customer experience that our company delivers be used as a brand differentiator? If so, what would you recommend?"❔Shoutout to all the Chief Marketing Officers and Marketing Leaders who have been "gifted" the role of leading Customer Experience. Our host, Jeannie Walters, knows a lot of marketing leaders are looking for ways to lead CX and get those marketing benefits, like brand differentiation. In this episode, Jeannie talks about using CX as a brand differentiator and the astounding results that can come from making CX a focus. Studies show brands that focus on customer experience throughout the customer journey are more successful than brands that don't. Tune in for more!Resources Mentioned:Customer Journey Mapping Workbook -- bit.ly/cjmworkbookExperience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.comWant to ask a question? Visit www.speakpipe.com/experienceaction to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

❔"My employee experience team is on the right track, and I'm really excited about the progress we are making. I want to ensure we can continue our projects, but I'm concerned about the company budget. Do you have any tips for approaching this and staying ahead?"❔The employee experience and the customer experience are tightly linked. How do we make sure our leaders know that? In this episode, Jeannie Walters answers how we can show our leaders that investing in employee experience is a true return on investment of time, money, resources, people, etc. It all starts with having a holistic view of what employee experience really means. Then it comes down to defining our goals, defining what success looks like, and making sure we are collaborating with the very people we are trying to serve.Resources Mentioned:Employee Journey Map Template -- bit.ly/ejmtemplateCX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbookCX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbookExperience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.comWant to ask a question? Visit www.speakpipe.com/experienceaction to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

❔"What does CXI® stand for? What does it mean?"❔What a fun, quick question! All of us, as experience investigators, are looking for things. We are investigating, exploring, and evaluating all the time. Our registered trademark, above all, stands for Customer Experience Investigation. However, the "I" in CXI® can mean so much more. Tune in to find out!BONUS: In this episode, Jeannie shares three methods CX leaders often overlook when investigating the customer experience.Resources Mentioned:CXI® Navigator -- experienceinvestigators.com/#frameworkTake the CXI® Compass assessment -- CXICompass.comLearn more about CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.comExperience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.comWant to ask a question? Visit www.speakpipe.com/experienceaction to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

❔"I represent CX in my organization. Although I try to be a change agent regarding the CX perspective, my organization continues to use NPS as a KPI (Key Performance Indicator) for the entire organization. What are your recommendations for promoting change in an organization where there is a high focus on the NPS and a lack of openness to alternate thinking?"❔If you are asking this question, you are already on the right track. Often when we talk about customer experience (CX), the first instinct is to measure. From surveys to feedback, many CX leaders are looking for that one magic metric. It just doesn't exist. We are dealing with complex humans, and reducing their experience to one metric misses out on huge opportunities to look at nuance and discover wonderful ways that we can really deliver for customers.In this episode, Jeannie Walters talks about:• Getting people on your team to buy into a cross-functional, holistic view of CX• What NPS (Net Promoter Score) means, and how it can be used to change the conversation• Creating a new formula for CX success and better business resultsResources Mentioned:CX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbookCX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbookExperience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.comLearn more about CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.comWant to ask a question? Visit www.speakpipe.com/experienceaction to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

❔"Many times, we will get feedback from our customers about a pain point. We'll map their journey, identify opportunities for improvement and even implement changes. But then what?"❔When making changes to better the customer experience, we want to make sure they are actually working for our customers. Monitoring the impact of changes is often where organizations fall short, and yet it's such a vital part of the whole idea of customer experience (CX)! In this episode, Jeannie Walters shares some recommendations and best practices regarding monitoring and measuring the effectiveness of improvements. Implementing changes is more than just about monitoring. Jeannie addresses the importance of communicating with customers and closing the loop on any feedback that puts your changes into motion.Resources Mentioned:Learn more about CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.comExperience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.comWant to ask a question? Visit www.speakpipe.com/experienceaction to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

❔"I work for a large company. We have several individuals that have CX in their title and are doing work, but it's siloed and not connected. Each person has a journey that applies to their own perspective. How can we become better connected?" ❔This is something that a lot of customer experience leaders and teams really struggle with. When we encounter siloed organizations, there are often three challenges that leaders face: a focus on tactics over strategy, process maps vs. the actual customer journey, and connecting CX people and data across departments. In this episode, Jeannie Walters addresses each of these challenges. She shows you ways to look at CX as a mindset, strategy, and business discipline. Let's break down those silos and build bridges!Resources Mentioned:Article: How to Run an Effective Customer Experience Team Meeting -- experienceinvestigators.com/customer-centric-culture/customer-experience-team-meeting/Take the CXI® Compass assessment -- CXICompass.comJoin the Waitlist for the CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.comExperience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.comWant to ask a question? Visit www.speakpipe.com/experienceaction to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

❔"What platforms are worth using for small to medium enterprises so that they can manage omnichannel communications with customers (email, phone call, social media, etc.) that are also integrated with a CRM?"❔Keeping track of various customer communications, especially as you grow from a small to medium size business, is something many organizations struggle with. There is a dizzying array of technology options out there. Our host Jeannie Walters rarely makes specific recommendations about technology or platforms because the effectiveness of the same tool changes from client to client. There is no one perfect solution yet. In this episode, Jeannie helps you hone in on what you want from these tools to make the best choices based on your business needs, limitations, and requirements. Tune in for some examples and features to think about.Resources Mentioned:Join the Waitlist for the CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.comExperience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.comWant to ask a question? Visit www.speakpipe.com/experienceaction to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

❔"I find myself in operations, and I keep helping other departments with their CX. I'm looking to join another company where their CX strategy isn't that solid yet, and I want to place myself in a position to run that for them. I've learned a lot, and I know I can learn a lot more. What's the best way to present myself in that scenario where I can help them take their CX journey to the next level?"❔One of the most frustrating things about walking into a leadership role of any kind in customer experience (CX) at any organization is that the playbook is somewhat different depending on their CX maturity level and how they define CX leadership and success. In this episode, Jeannie Walters explains how to step back to understand CX management in an organization to figure out where they need to start or how to get to the next level with realistic and aligned goals. Tune in for some examples, insights, and challenging questions to ask. You are invested in success, and we love that!Resources Mentioned:Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.comArticle: Your 2023 Customer Experience Plan: Strategies, Videos, & Resources -- bit.ly/2023cxplanSMIRC Goals Checklist -- bit.ly/smirc-checklistTake the CXI® Compass assessment -- CXICompass.comJoin the Waitlist for the CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.comWant to ask a question? Visit www.speakpipe.com/experienceaction to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

Are you ready to investigate what is missing in your organization to make things better for your customers? We wanted to have some fun to mark the 6th month anniversary of the Experience Action Podcast, so we've put a true crime spin on this episode. Crack the case with Chief Experience Investigator Jeannie Walters and tune in to this first edition of CX Chronicles: Unmaking the Secrets of Customer Experience.Resources Mentioned:Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.comJoin the Waitlist for the CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.comWant to ask a question? Visit www.speakpipe.com/experienceaction to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

❔"Do you have any advice on how to prepare for a CX interview? As someone being interviewed for a new CX role, what should I bring up?"❔Often in CX, the interview can be daunting because the job description, roles, and titles might not add up to what you were expecting. That's what makes the interview process so important! Jeannie shares an exciting way to think about the interview in this episode. It's a chance for you to see if the organization has the right expectations around customer experience and an opportunity to explore possible changes you can make to improve not just the lives of customers but the all-important business results.Tune in for some questions you can ask and red flags to look for in your next interview. As you jot down the questions, make sure to note what answers would be most meaningful to you. Resources Mentioned:Download the free CX Charter Guidebook -- bit.ly/cxcharterExperience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.comJoin the Waitlist for the CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.comWant to ask a question? Visit www.speakpipe.com/experienceaction to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

❔"What's the best way to learn CX, and what kind of certification should I get?"❔Customer Experience (CX) is bigger than a business degree, and there are so many learning options available. There is no one perfect approach. In this episode, Jeannie Walters shares what the focus of CX learning should be so you can get the most out of it. She discusses customer experience as a discipline, strategy, and mindset.This industry is ever-evolving and requires you to be a lifelong learner. So even if you are a seasoned professional, stay a student of CX. Keep learning and looking for ways to sharpen your tools.Resources Mentioned:Experience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.comJoin the Waitlist for the CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.comTake the CXI® Compass assessment -- CXICompass.comCustomer Experience Professional Association™ -- cxpa.orgWant to ask a question? Visit www.speakpipe.com/experienceaction to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)

❔"What do you recommend to organizations who have customer pain points but do not have the necessary data? ... How should someone representing CX pursue resolution of the pain points when facing limited data? And, should these pain points go unanswered or be addressed later when data maturity allows for it?"❔While it may be the logical approach for leaders to ask us to justify everything we do for customer experience (CX) with appropriate data or at least include the data to make decisions, it often limits our actions. To expand our options, we must open our minds to what data can be. Let's get creative!In this episode, Jeannie talks about:- building a case for anecdotal data and storytelling- examining the goals of data gathering- helpful tools for data collection and organization- prioritizing CX goals and effortsResources Mentioned:Article: How to Use Imperfect Data to Deliver a Perfect Customer Experience -- bit.ly/imperfectdataforCXCX Mission Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-mission-workbookCX Success Statement Workbook -- bit.ly/cx-success-workbookJoin the Waitlist for the CXI® Flight School -- cxiflightschool.comExperience Investigators Learning Center -- experienceinvestigators.comWant to ask a question? Visit www.speakpipe.com/experienceaction to leave Jeannie a voicemail! (And don't forget to follow Jeannie on LinkedIn! www.linkedin.com/in/jeanniewalters/)