Decoding the Customer

Decoding the Customer


CX change management in action: CX Mini Masterclass – E48

August 08, 2019

This CX Mini Masterclass demonstrates what CX change looks like in action. Special guest and CX thought leader Nate Brown makes the case for why CX professionals must become proficient in change management methodologies. He then takes a practical look at one of the most popular change management models, John Kotter’s 8-step approach, outlining ideas and recommendations for CX professionals at each step of the way.

Insights from a special guest

I can’t think of a better guide for this immersive tour of change management. Nate is the co-founder of CX Accelerator, a virtual community for experience professionals. And while Customer Service is his primary expertise, Nate is able to leverage experience in professional services, marketing, and sales to connect dots and solve the big problems.  From authoring and leading a Customer Experience program, to journey mapping, to building and managing a complex contact center, Nate is always learning new things and sharing with the community. 

Beyond Nate’s expertise bringing together the CX community, he’s also in an in-house CX practitioner role, on the front lines of driving CX change, so he’s here to bring a great balance of theory and practice.

You can follow Nate on Twitter using handle @CustomerIsFirst or LinkedIn. His CX Primer is an excellent resource for those looking to learn more about CX. Nate's CX Accelerator is is the kindest, most helpful digital community of CX professionals in the world.  Join them be encouraged, learn new things, and meet fantastic people who share a common bond of creating exceptional experiences!

Nate Brown

CX change through the lens of the Kotter model

Nate shared his perspective on the practical application of change management with John Kotter's 8-step model. This is one of the most popular change management models out there, and a model highlighted by Diane Magers in episode 44 (a great overview of change management theory for anyone looking to learn more about this topic).
Nate took listeners through each step of change, highlighting practical ideas and actions:

* Create a sense of urgency - brands that lead in CX are gobbling up market share across sectors. This can be used to help galvanize leaders and teams to move towards change.
* Build a guiding coalition - for CX it's important to build a guiding coalition with representation from across the organization's business functions. CX doesn't work in isolation, so the guiding coalition should be cross-functional. CX change makers should also pay close attention to where their organization's power core sits - that's the first place you should look to foster buy in and support.
* Form a strategic vision and initiatives - Don't let Voice of Customer (VOC) efforts become a false finish line. VOC can help inform strategy, but it's not the strategy itself. CX teams need to take customer insights and then translate these into real changes within the organization.
* Enlist a volunteer army - CX should be a movement, not a project. Let's be honest, it's difficult to rally a volunteer army around a project. Focus on the purpose of CX.