EX = CX: why you’ll never achieve great customer experience without great employee experience
Virtually every leader understands the importance of top-grade consumer experience. But what about employee experience? While EX might have been overlooked in years past, modern workplaces now recognize the value in offering employees the consumer treatment and are reaping widespread benefits as a result.
Changing expectations: the need for consumer-grade experiences
Targeted advertisements. Customized products. Real-time updates and 24/7 support. Luring the modern consumer requires a personalized approach and an always-on mentality.
Ultimately, every employee is also a savvy customer who has grown accustomed to these catered experiences. As a result, workforces that wish to achieve best-in-breed status must adopt a similar approach.
The benefits of prioritizing EX
Going the extra mile to maximize employee engagement is a win for all. Employees who are satisfied are in turn motivated to reach peak performance, leading to a host of workplace benefits including improved retention rates, higher revenues, and bolstered productivity. In fact, research from MIT shows that companies that provide top-tier employee experiences are 25% more profitable than those that don’t.
Optimized customer experience is another direct pay-off that comes from prioritizing the needs of your workforce. Employees who believe in your brand and the work they are doing will produce the inspired results needed to set your organization apart.
5 ways enhanced EX will lead to improved CX
#1. Make first impressions count with an empowered frontline
Frontline staff are the eyes and ears of your business. Service employees see how customers react and listen to their questions, while those in manufacturing develop insights on process optimization. However, engaging frontline staff is a time-old challenge for many enterprises.
Supporting the lifeblood of your workforce requires a thorough understanding of their unique challenges: a perceived disconnect with corporate offices, different communications needs and preferences, and the potential for a lack of recognition. Take advantage of next-generation technology to combat these hurdles by ensuring that personalized and targeted communications can be accessed on any device and boost moral when needed with native reward and recognition functionality. Connecting your frontline with their colleagues in the corporate office will boost morale and arm workers with the knowledge needed to provide the right answers to every consumer inquiry.
#2. Improved productivity leads to on-demand services
We’re living in an on-demand world. Consumers want service at their fingertips and real-time updates. Keeping pace with the shifting demands of your customer-base requires optimized productivity from all: marketing needs to iterate brand messages, sales must refine strategies to engage new business, and operations is constantly working on giving consumers what they want, when they want it.
Without the right set of digital tools, none of your departments will be able to meet their goals. To reach peak productivity, employees need streamlined access to the applications they rely on to perform, advanced search functionalities, and automated workflows. Equipping your workforce with the tools needed to succeed can simultaneously improve productivity and bolster employee engagement.
#3. Sidestep silos to unlock best practices
Whether it’s a division of your frontline staff or a corporate team, every department relies on key knowledge to achieve unparalleled results. All too frequently, potentially game-changing insights remain locked away within a single division, preventing your entire workforce from taking full advantage of the breakthrough.
In the race to attract and retain customers, knowledge is critical. To unlock best-practices within your organization and inspire adjacent divisions to follow suit, prioritize multiple communications pathways. Use blog posts and newsletters to spotlight exemplary projects and encourage employees to work cross-functionally in order to produce the kind of high-quality work every consumer is looking for.
#4. Pave the way for innovation
The best ideas can come from every segment of your workforce. For example, manufacturing employees who are most familiar with the ins and outs of a specific process may see a shortcut or improvement that those in the corporate office are likely to overlook. Consequently, leaders must create a culture in which every employee feels empowered to share their ideas for future innovation.
A dedicated ideation site on your intranet or a social channel serves as a centralized hub for team members to brainstorm and collaborate on new approaches. By empowering your workforce to think outside of the box, employees will be equipped with the tools needed to generate the kinds of ideas consumers will gravitate towards.
#5. Create a culture of progression
Many brands seek out consumer feedback to further improve their products and tailor their service offerings. Enterprises should adopt the same approach internally by carving out regular opportunities for employee feedback, including disseminating surveys and pulse checks.
Once the results are in, leaders can utilize analytics to discover existing pain points and adapt approaches accordingly. Cultivating a corporate culture that values feedback and progression will translate to how employees approach consumer experiences, ensuring that your customers receive the same type of actionable and results-oriented service that you established within your workforce.
Give your employees the best so they can deliver the best
CX and EX are really two sides of the same coin—optimizing your employees’ experience will in turn lead to an improved consumer journey. If you are looking to level up your employees’ digital experience by launching a bespoke solution, get in touch with our workplace experts.
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