Are you planning with a small p or a capital P? This question frames a critical insight for customer experience professionals: the difference between creating lists of activities versus developing strategic initiatives that drive meaningful business outcomes.
Many CX leaders fall into the trap of confusing tactics with impact. They focus on implementing surveys, dashboards, and journey maps without clearly connecting these tools to broader organizational objectives. When customer experience gets stuck at this tactical level, it risks being dismissed as mere overhead rather than a driver of revenue, cost savings, and growth. The solution? Shift your perspective from activity to impact, and ensure every CX initiative ties directly to measurable business outcomes.
Customer experience must be treated as a fundamental business discipline, not a temporary program or isolated department. This means aligning CX initiatives with enterprise-level goals and demonstrating how your work influences metrics executives truly care about: growth, efficiency, risk management, and retention of both customers and employees. By connecting these dots in everything you do, you build a stronger business case for continued investment in CX. Remember that executive buy-in can make or break your success, so make your sponsors look great by delivering results that matter to the organization.
Whether you’re a CX leader seeking support or an executive sponsor evaluating CX initiatives, take a step back and consider the strategic value of customer experience work. Ask yourself how your efforts will impact the bottom line, and don’t get caught in the activity trap. Ready to start planning with a capital P? Try our CXI Compass to help prioritize your customer experience efforts and determine your next strategic moves.
Resources Mentioned:
Take the free CXI Compass® assessment
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Jeannie is an award-winning customer experience expert, international keynote speaker, and sought-after business coach who is trailblazing the movement from “Reactive Customer Service” to “Proactive Customer and Employee Experience.” More than 500,000 people have learned from her CX courses on LinkedIn Learning, and her insights have been featured in Forbes, The Chicago Tribune, The Wall Street Journal and NPR.
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