{"id":86984,"date":"2024-12-03T10:59:23","date_gmt":"2024-12-03T17:59:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inmoment.com\/?p=86984"},"modified":"2024-12-03T10:59:27","modified_gmt":"2024-12-03T17:59:27","slug":"customer-experience-maturity-model","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inmoment.com\/blog\/customer-experience-maturity-model\/","title":{"rendered":"Customer Experience Maturity Model: A Framework for Improving Experiences"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Customer experience (CX) is emerging as a significant competitive advantage for businesses. Customer-centric companies realize an 80% increase in revenue and report 60% higher profit than those that don\u2019t focus on customer experience<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, building a solid CX program requires more than isolated efforts and reactive fixes. Businesses must focus on a strategic approach that helps them move the needle on their current CX programs. This is where a customer experience maturity model comes into play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is a Customer Experience Maturity Model?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A CX Maturity Model is a five-stage framework that evaluates the readiness and effectiveness of your CX program. It provides a data-driven approach to identifying areas for improvement across the customer journey. As a result, the model removes the guesswork from your customer experience strategy<\/a>, replacing it with a roadmap to CX excellence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stages of Customer Experience Maturity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  1. Investigate<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Initiate<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Mobilize<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Scale<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Embed<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    CX maturity starts from a static phase of identifying the first steps and concludes with integrating strong CX practices. The framework encourages continuous evolution to adapt to shifts in customer expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Before we explore the five stages, it\u2019s essential to understand the role of a CX team throughout this process. A team can leverage the following six competencies, or customer experience management<\/a> skills, to complete each stage:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. Lead: <\/strong>Key skills include strategy and governance to build, align, and sustain successful CX programs. For example, outlining a CX program and building a team to execute the vision.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Realize: <\/strong>Key skills include tracking key CX metrics to ensure the program is realizing value and achieving business goals. For example, tracking NPS to determine the success of recent loyalty efforts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Activate: <\/strong>Key skills include communication and expertise building to ensure teams have the skills, support, and incentive to achieve CX goals. For example, training employees to adopt a customer-centric approach and rewarding their work to motivate them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Enlighten: <\/strong>Key skills include CX data collection, analysis, and visualization to ensure actionable insights across the organization. For example, using surveys to collect feedback and sentiment analysis<\/a> to understand emotional tone.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. Respond: <\/strong>Key skills include effective response and strategic decision-making to deliver CX improvements based on insights. For example, following up with disgruntled customers and updating a product feature to fit client needs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    6. Disrupt: <\/strong>Key skills include customer experience design and integration to provide exceptional services. For example, using InMoment\u2019s XI platform to create a customer journey map showing how to optimize each phase.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Leveraging these competencies is crucial for moving through each of the following stages of CX maturity:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Investigate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      In this initial phase, a business has yet to understand the value of a dynamic CX program. It views CX as a supplementary activity rather than a competitive differentiator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      As a result, teams primarily rely on in-house data like contact lists to reach out to customers via email. It\u2019s a static approach that doesn\u2019t consider targeted outreach or customer feedback<\/a> analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Organizations can progress from this stage by first achieving leadership buy-in. Visualize the value of CX efforts and share them with executives. Educate yourself so that you can address any questions or concerns. Highlight the positive impact of a customer-centric approach on the company\u2019s bottom line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Initiate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      The leadership starts approving key activities as it realizes the value of customer experience management. An initial CX strategy takes shape during this stage. The organization establishes a team to explore and implement Voice of the Customer (VoC)<\/a> approaches. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Evolving from this stage requires a focus on the business impact of CX. Start with a few CX metrics like NPS and CSAT to build an initial use case. Leverage internal communications channels to convey the importance of CX across the company. Build a basic VoC program to start surveying customers for data collection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Investing in robust CX software can simplify these activities. InMoment offers an all-in-one customer experience platform<\/a> that collects and connects data from various channels across the customer journey. From survey design to data analysis, the software provides organizations with the tools to set up a VoC program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Mobilize<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      The organization establishes a full-time, dedicated CX team in this pivotal stage. The team is responsible for evolving the VoC program, sharing insights with leadership, and mapping customer journeys. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      For example, the team starts collecting and integrating experience data from multiple channels. It identifies customer pain points across various touchpoints and works to improve them. Audience segmentation and journey mapping emerge as useful CX strategies. These activities help realize significant customer experience ROI<\/a>, motivating organizations to continue evolving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Businesses can progress to the next stage by doubling down on CX tools and training. Invest in employee coaching to align more of the workforce with the customer-centric vision. Focus on a cross-functional approach to improving customer experiences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      For example, a collaboration between marketing and product teams to engage a specific user segment with a new feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Scale<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      A solid customer-centric culture begins materializing in this stage. Organizations integrate CX processes across departments and incentivize customer-centric efforts. In fact, CX becomes a crucial part of hiring and performance management. This step encourages the use of customer experience metrics<\/a> to improve business processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Organizations advance to the final stage by leveraging the entire workforce and advanced technology. Investing in AI-powered analysis to gain valuable insights from customer experiences. Align every department with the CX vision to continuously evolve and adapt to customer trends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Embed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      The last stage of maturity establishes CX as a core organizational value. It sets the foundation for product development, marketing, and human resources. Employees across the organization understand the power of CX metrics and work toward improving them. Data-driven decision-making enables companies to deliver the best possible experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Why Has It Become Increasingly Important?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n