Beware of artificial intelligence in CX learning! Overshadowing basic facts about customer experience are numerous myths. Loyalty Myths is a book written by my MBA class colleague, revealing the true origins and scientific bases for 50+ warped interpretations of customer experience. My article this year, 23 Customer Experiences Practices You Should Stop in 2023, is an eye-opener to what we should NOT perpetuate. Since AI is based on what’s already out there, by definition, AI CX learning is going to be misleading.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a top topic in customer experience management. Much can be done, eventually, and I was impressed with the advice and cautions shared in a recent panel discussion on LinkedIn. The best use of AI in CX learning is to anticipate and recommend what you need to know — not perpetuating falsehoods that abound on the Internet.

Even if AI pulls wisdom from the sources recommended above, AI is unable to determine what’s actually wisest. AI can only assume the most popular content is best. Deep pockets for marketing gives some content a lot more clicks, but that’s no proof that it’s wisest.

Good, better, and best practices are subjective. Yet, you sense the difference when they’re side-by-side. What was good in 2010 is probably not best in 2023. Frankly, most practices today are 2010s methods. Very little has adapted in CX practices to urgent needs of the 2020s. Thus, “artificial” intelligence abounds even among non-Internet sources in conferences, books, podcasts, etc.

Urgent needs of the 2020s are not yet discussed widely, due to preoccupation with AI and other tech, lots of new people in the CX field since the hub-bub of 2020 (restructuring, layoffs, great resignation), adopting CXM playbooks from tech providers, and over-focus on tactical rather strategic CXM.

Trust, values, and value are the urgent needs of the 2020s. This means both customers and employees have a different mindset now. And CX and EX practices need to shift accordingly.

For instance, how do your surveys demonstrate trust, values, and value?

  • Instead of asking about your company, ask about them.
  • Instead of asking mundane things already captured, use data-mining (machine learning / AI) to bring those basics to managers’ attention, and focus your energy on acting on that rather than collecting yet more redundant data in this overwhelming information age.
  • Instead of relying on real-time VoC to respond to the small percentage of customers among the larger group who had the same problem, focus at least 50% of your energy on outer loop permanent resolution of the issue’s root causes.
  • Build-on what you discover from data-mining to ask more interesting questions in surveys and other research.
  • Instead of asking whether employees understand and support your company values, ask how well the company is understanding and supporting the employee’s values and value.
  • Instead of asking customers if they would do X for your company, ask them how well your company is contributing to their reasons for their relationship with your company. You can infer from there, along with voice tone and words used in interactions, how likely they are to do X for you. Ask the customer’s way, and report the manager’s way.
  • Instead of focusing on transactional VoC to monitor customer-facing performance, use a combination of data-mining and personal responsibility of the customer-facing person and their supervisor to self-monitor. You already know what ticks off customers. So, monitor behaviors that prevent issues. This is proactive rather than reactive, and it’s intelligent versus current less-intelligent practices.
  • Instead of focusing VoC on touchpoint management, use AI/ML to combine the vast array of customer data sources and to find patterns. Then share those patterns with every single area that is working on cost containment, and on growth, and for every work group’s performance standards. That’s intelligently running your business in respect and alignment with the hand that feeds you.

So, now that the above list of “best” intelligence is published, AI can pick it up and assemble it into other articles, Siri/Alexa/etc. responses, and course modules. However, it’s doubtful that will happen. Because this advice is super-rare. You only see it inside ClearAction’s Experience Leadership Mastery resources.

Why? It draws upon my 35 years of CX work, with emphasis on driving non-customer-facing groups’ adoption and accountability in continually making a difference for customers. It’s shaped by my career start in strategic planning, market research, and internal engagement. It’s based on stepping back to consider how things really work inside organizations, what executives and investors are pre-occupied with, and how things stick. It’s rooted in the personal school of hard knocks, being on the hot seat to engage people in every single work group enterprise-wide, year after year. It’s enriched by a 5-year study of global B2B CXM practices, and hundreds of articles exploring how CX fits with business silos, culture, continual improvement techniques, preventive and lifetime value mindsets, and becoming embedded throughout an enterprise. It’s the discovery that core practices (metrics, improvement, culture, VoX, strategy) are universal to customer, employee, and partner experience excellence.

What’s the answer? Improve XM intelligence of your whole department and managerial chain through the efficient Experience Leadership Mastery resources. Start with this wise foundation and then fine-tune your tactical knowledge. That’s a more intelligent way to propel your success. The sooner more organizations learn how to rise above the myths and “good” practices, the more we’ll see these more modern “best” case studies in conferences and articles, etc. Then, AI can pick up true CXM intelligence, not before.

Experience Leadership Mastery Briefing

ClearAction.com/experience-leadership-mastery

 

Experience Leadership is a phrase coined by author Lynn Hunsaker. This is a glimpse into what you gain from ClearAction Experience Leadership Mastery.

What You Can Do to Master Experience Leadership:

  1. Get a sounding board for work you have underway.
  2. Request a rapid action template session to kickstart progress in any area.
  3. Enroll your senior leadership team, board, and council in our 2-hour C-Suite Guide to CX Growth session.
  4. Redirect your CX strategy to this sensible approach by encouraging all experience managers (customer, employee, partner experience) to learn the full spectrum of skills needed: Foundational, Intermediate, Advanced.
  5. Apply ongoing wisdom with your whole department in the Experience Value Exchange.
  6. Join our live class series — just 90 minutes any week(s). You can skip any weeks to rely on the self-paced version. Attend any future session at no charge. Live classes are scheduled only when 5+ people request the same day/time. Our webinars are free, but our courses are super-charged guidance you’ll gladly pay for and want to return to repeatedly throughout your career.

Testimonials:

I am so grateful for all the learning, and I have already referred my colleagues to ClearAction.

It’s a well-structured course, packed with high quality materials to ensure students get an in-depth understanding.

I will enroll in all of ClearAction’s courses!

Super LIKE! Well-rounded, great way to learn. It has given me a more cemented view in my role. It has amazing practicing techniques. I can’t imagine any more useful online course.

I highly recommend ClearAction! You’ll sharpen your focus and come away with more knowledge and actionable insights and tools you can apply on the job the next day!

I’ve been through 4 modules so far and your materials are really excellent!!! I love it. I just wish I would have used it before.

This course is certainly among the best CX content I’ve ever found. It unites concepts and application. It’s a CXM system connected with business results. Thank you very much for your attention and interaction throughout the process

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