Definition of customer experience management (CXM): [Importance & challenges]

Can we start with a poorly managed customer experience here?

Imagine a day when you ordered a pizza, but it never arrived, and no one answered the phone when you called for help. That frustrating experience highlights why we need to understand Customer Experience Management (CXM).

It’s like ensuring every pizza is delivered hot, on time, and with a friendly ‘hello’ – because satisfied customers come back, and that’s why CXM matters in the world of business. It’s all about turning disappointed pizza nights into delightful ones.

Here are a few survey results from Statista proving that positive customer experience, indeed, does influence business success.

From customers on CX

• 94% of customers stated that a positive customer service experience made them more likely to purchase again.
• 82% of customers would recommend a company based solely on excellent customer service.

Ultimately, it all comes down to creating those ‘wow’ moments for customers – those unforgettable interactions that make them sing your praises. So, let’s understand customer experience management in detail, from meaning and significance to strategy, software, and implementation.

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What is customer experience management?

Customer Experience Management (CEM or CXM) involves managing and improving all interactions between a customer and the company. From discovering the product online to emails, support calls, and social media chats, the aim is to make every experience positive. CEM’s primary goal is to keep customers happy and loyal at every step.

What’s the difference between CXM and CRM?

Although there is an overlap of goals between CXM and CRM ( Customer relationship management ), the perspectives are completely different.

Simply put –

Customer Experience Management (CXM) focuses on a customer’s perspective of a company.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) focuses on a company’s perspective of a customer.

CRM takes a focused approach and works towards increasing revenue. The sales-oriented strategy uses quantitative data analysis to understand the industry and the customers through statistics, behaviors, trends, and patterns.

CXM takes a holistic approach and works towards building customer loyalty. The customer-centric strategy is highly used in the after-sales process. Companies gather qualitative data through customer feedback and improve current and future interactions on all customer touchpoints. Therefore, CXM is extremely effective in enhancing customer satisfaction, which results in customer retention and loyalty.

Why is customer experience management (CXM) important?

Customers expect more than just products, they want a seamless, personalized experience. In a study conducted in 2022 by Statista, 62% stated that a brand would lose their loyalty if it delivered a non-personalized experience.

Customer retention

CXM has a direct impact on all the factors that influence your existing customers’ decisions to continue using your products or services.

Customer engagement enhanced through personalized interactions and responsive service keeps them actively involved. Companies can improve the overall customer experience at every touch point, from initial contact to post-purchase, making positive impressions.

Companies investing in positive experiences can retain customers easily and build brand loyalty, too. Also, it is cost-effective to retain rather than acquire.

Increased revenue

Satisfied customers tend to spend more. Considering that they are already experiencing substantial benefits using the product, they will be more open to exploring exclusive features and new additions.

They are also willing to pay premium prices for better service, directly impacting your bottom line.

Cost savings

Effective CXM reduces the cost of acquiring new customers. Happy customers are loyal customers, so they not only continue using your products and services but also refer others, leading you to cut down on your marketing and acquisition expenses.

You can provide loyalty incentives to persuade your current happy customers to bring in more business for you.

Improved reputation

Good CXM generates positive word-of-mouth, online reviews, and social media buzz, enhancing your brand’s image. When customers sing your praises, it’s like having a trusted friend recommend your business to the world, creating a powerful ripple effect.

A positive reputation becomes a valuable asset, attracting more customers and opportunities while solidifying your position in the market.

Customer feedback

CXM gathers customer data and provides insights into customer needs and pain points, helping you make data-driven improvements to your products and services throughout the full customer lifecycle.

Changing expectations

As customer expectations evolve, CXM allows your business to adapt and stay relevant. Companies can observe the changing behavior consistently at every customer touchpoint, take customer feedback at every stage, and map their changing expectations to adapt and stay ahead of the curve in the competitive tech space.

Customer Experience Management (CXM) directly impacts a business’s success. It can give a deeper understanding of customer needs and expectations, which then can be used to deliver better experiences.

What does the customer journey look like?

Although the customer journey looks different for every company, there are a few components that remain the same. We have prepared a standard customer journey that is relevant for tech companies to help you map your customer experience strategy.

Once you have identified the customer touchpoints and understood their purpose, the next step is to build your unique customer experience strategy.

How to build a customer experience management strategy?

Building a customer experience strategy is a work of art and science. The ‘art’ lies in crafting meaningful, emotionally resonant interactions that leave a lasting impression. The ‘science’ involves data-driven insights and continuous improvement to ensure your customer’s experience is consistent and aligned with customer preferences.

The dynamic blend is key to successful customer experience management in today’s competitive marketplace.

Here are a few steps you can follow to do the groundwork. You can continually keep improvising as you get more quantitative and qualitative data by collecting feedback from your customers and observations from your business teams.

• Understand your customer: Develop detailed customer personas based on research for understanding customers (target audience) and their needs, preferences, pain points, and behavior. Segment customers at this stage only to deliver personalized experiences later.
• Create the customer journey: Design customer journey maps with key touchpoints at each stage. Identify and incorporate pain points and moments of truth.
• Gather customer feedback: Collect feedback through surveys, interviews, and feedback forms to gain insights into customer satisfaction and areas for improvement.
• Set clear objectives: Define specific goals for your customer experience management strategy, such as enhancing customer relationships, improving customer retention, increasing brand loyalty, or enhancing the overall customer experience.
• Align cross-functional teams: Ensure that different departments within your company (marketing, sales, customer support, product development) have defined internal processes so that they can work together to deliver a consistent and seamless customer experience.
• Personalize the experience: Use data and insights to personalize interactions with your customers, such as tailored content, product recommendations, and targeted marketing. You can use marketing automation and social media to take personalization to the next level.
• Optimize touchpoints: Continuously optimize touchpoints by providing relevant and valuable information to your customers at each stage of the customer journey, from awareness to advocacy.
• Provide exceptional support: Invest in well-trained customer support and service teams to promptly address customer inquiries and issues, reinforcing positive experiences.
• Leverage technology: Utilize CXM software and other customer support tools such as DevRev to track customer interactions, analyze data, and automate personalized communication and support.
• Collect and analyze data: Regularly collect and analyze data to measure the effectiveness of your CXM strategy. Utilize customer feedback and analytics to make data-driven improvements.
• Implement feedback: Act on customer feedback and suggestions to enhance your product and service continuously. Find learnings and solutions hidden using the negative feedback and replicate and improve on the positive ones.

DevRev’s ticket feature allows companies to enable constant development in a seamless manner. Every ticket generated is visible along with its history and similar tickets to the customer support and development teams, enabling developers to take a customer-centered approach to consistent product improvement.

• Drive loyalty: Implement loyalty programs, rewards, and incentives to encourage repeat business and advocacy.
• Proactive issue resolution: Anticipate and address issues before they become significant problems, demonstrating your commitment to customer satisfaction.
• Measure key metrics: Track relevant metrics such as Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), Customer churn score, and Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) to assess the success of your CXM efforts.
• Iterate and improve: Use the insights gained from customer feedback and data analysis to iterate and refine your CXM strategy. CXM is an ongoing process, and continuous improvement is key.
• Employee training: Ensure that your employees are well-trained and aligned with the CXM strategy, as they play a crucial role in delivering the desired customer experience.
• Communication and transparency: Keep customers informed about updates, changes, and improvements in your product or service. Transparent communication builds trust.
• Monitoring and reporting: Continuously monitor and report on the progress of your CXM initiatives to senior management and stakeholders.

What are the challenges of CXM? (with solutions)

In crafting a seamless customer journey, you may come across some roadblocks along the way. We have identified some common challenges that tech companies encounter during CXM, along with their cause and solution so that you can get a headstart and a smooth journey ahead.

Data overload

Handling tons of customer data can be like searching for a needle in a haystack. Businesses need to gather, organize, and understand this data, including pain points, preferences, and customer behavior, to provide better customer experiences. But it’s not always easy. It can be tough to figure out which data matters the most and how to use it to make customers happy.

Solution: Simplify data collection and use analytics tools to focus on the most relevant customer insights.

Multi-channel consistency

Imagine you’re trying to juggle multiple balls at once. That’s what it’s like managing customer experiences across different channels like websites, social media, and emails. Customers expect a seamless transition. Therefore, keeping it all consistent, considering their unique features, and making sure customers get the same great experience can be quite a challenge.

Solution: Create clear brand guidelines and standards for consistency across all customer touchpoints. Here’s your ultimate guide to master omnichannel customer service.

Personalization vs privacy

Customers love it when businesses remember their preferences. But there’s a fine line between personalization for a positive experience and being creepy by invading privacy. Striking that balance—knowing just enough to give a tailored experience without invading privacy—is a real puzzle.

Solution: Let customers set their personalization preferences and be transparent about data usage. And make sure to consider customer sentiment while personalizing communication.

The urgent vs the important dilemma

Sometimes, businesses focus on what’s urgent, like making quick sales. But they might forget what’s important—building strong customer relationships in the long run. Balancing these two can be like walking a tightrope between short-term gains and lasting customer satisfaction.

Solution: Develop a strategic plan that balances immediate needs with long-term customer relationship building.

Technology integration

CXM relies on a multitude of technologies, from CRM systems to analytics tools and communication platforms. Integrating and maintaining these technologies can be technically challenging and resource-intensive.

Solution: Invest in a well-integrated customer experience management platform like DevRev, and regularly maintain and update your tech tools for optimal performance.

What is customer experience management software?

To manage customer experience in a digital world, you need a co-pilot. And that’s where customer experience management software comes in. It’s like your GPS for keeping customers happy and coming back for more.

CXM software is a powerful tool for any business today. It’s like a control center for all things related to customer satisfaction. It helps companies understand their customers, collect their feedback, and turn it into better products and services.

With customer experience management software such as DevRev, you can streamline these customer interactions and feedback, collect data in a structured manner, bring clarity across departments, improve your product, and ultimately serve your customers in an efficient manner.

Implement a dynamic customer experience strategy

Companies that will quickly respond to new technologies, changing customer expectations, and evolving market dynamics will thrive and remain competitive in the modern business landscape.

Customer experience remains at the intersection of major growth factors – customer satisfaction, brand loyalty, and positive brand image. A good customer experience management framework provides you with the directions to make your customers happy.

Your first step towards drastically improving your customer experience can be investing in a powerful CRM like OneCRM, an AI-powered platform that can automate workflows, resolve tickets using Turing bot (AI-powered chatbot), and much more to provide seamless customer experience along with data-driven product improvement essentially.