The value of a correctly executed customer experience program cannot be underestimated. A deeper understanding of your customers helps you to better meet their needs and maintain a competitive advantage.
Getting a CX program right, however, is difficult. Below we’ve outlined the 10 main pitfalls to avoid when conducting customer experience research.
1. Rushing it
Vital components of a CX program can be easily missed if it’s rushed into field. Once into field, it’s a lot harder to fix any issues. Take your time and make sure everything it set up correctly, especially at the customer journey mapping, questionnaire design and list-building stages.
2. Losing focus and going overboard
Make a centralized team responsible for the survey to avoid others “piggybacking” on the questionnaire and adding lots of unnecessary questions that don’t meet the original objectives.
3. Assuming that satisfaction, loyalty and advocacy are the same
While these three key metrics are certainly linked, they all mean different things and meet different objectives. Make sure every stakeholder agrees on what is being measured and why at the beginning.
4. Letting stakeholders influence customers
Company-wide buy-in is essential to the success of the program. However, it should be as independent and objective as possible. Let it known that customer-facing staff should be not influencing responses or encouraging participation.
5. Making rash decisions
Avoid the temptation to take actions based on limited or anecdotal evidence. Wait until every bit of data has been captured and you know for certain what’s going on.
6. Comparing apples to oranges
While variations in the data can be because of improvements or declines in CX performance, it can also be attributed to other potential biases such as culture, demographics, methodology and social desirability. Ensure any potential biases are understood and accounted for before action is taken.
7. Keeping it a secret
Customer experience must be completely ingrained in the culture of the organization and should inform every decision and action taken.
8. Ignoring the data
Any problems identified by the research should be dealt with quickly. This applies to both detractor management (e.g. resolving customer issues) and promoter management (e.g. collecting testimonials from satisfied customers).
9. Thinking short term
CX programs should be built with the long-term in mind and continuous tracking is essential if actions are to be measured and improved upon.
10. Standing still
To maintain competitive advantage, make benchmarking a vital component of the program and continually look to improve.