We’ve all known for quite some time that for many companies there’s a gap between what they promise – through campaigns and communications – and the experience they actually deliver through their products and services.
This disconnect undermines both their brand and Customer Experience, and ultimately diminishes trust and authenticity.
Let’s use the analogy of theatre – because who doesn’t love going to see a great show. Imagine if the play you were watching had only a vague story, an eclectic set of characters, a set that doesn’t fit the scene and a script that changed for every performance?
If the building blocks of the show weren’t curated and organised, there’s no doubt you'd end up with a very poor performace. Now imagine marketing that show. How would you sell it?
The same applies to selling a product, service or organisation without strong CX architecture and discipline. CX is the performance you're putting on for your customers. Just like a great show, it needs a strong story, compelling characters and consistent pace from beginning to end, to keep the audience engaged.
The challenge with CX.
While CX professionals put in a lot of work, their efforts often go unnoticed or misunderstood by other parts of the business. Which can be frustrating to say the least.
Our experience in strategy, design and communication has taught us that when it comes to CX, each department’s knowledge, priorities and context can vary wildly. And not everyone has the time nor patience to even begin to grapple with the complexities of CX.
That's where a solid CX architecture comes into play. We’ve found CX teams need the tools that help them effectively communicate intent, vision and form to enable all the other teams across the organisation to implement their part in the production of the performance.
Your CX architecture is the blueprint for the show – guiding every step of the way and ensuring everyone's working to the same script. It's your roadmap to success on the often bumpy road of customer experience. It’s about applying the core principles of human-centered design to your internal audiences first – not just the external ones.
So, what exactly does a good CX architecture look like? Well, let's break it down.
Set the stage. Define your story.
At the heart of every great CX is a compelling storyline. Think of it as the narrative that you pitch to get audiences hooked from the start. Your storyline should be crystal clear and easy to understand, empowering every team towards delivering to the show’s ultimate outcome – a happy audience.
A manifestation of your brand promise - not just spinning a good yarn. It's about making sure everyone internally are on board. Your storyline needs to be visible to everyone in the organisation, from top-level execs to frontline employees in a form they can relate to. After all, like a show, everyone plays a part in shaping the customer experience.
Your storyline should amplify they key scenes that solve core customer needs and differentiate your business and brand. It must empower design and development teams and service and commercial teams to execute through to market.
Build the experience framework.
Now that you've got your storyline, it's time to build the framework. Think of it as the scaffolding that supports your CX strategy and keeps everything running smoothly. From defining customer profiles to mapping out the customer journey, every piece of the puzzle plays a crucial role in delivering a seamless experience.
But CX architecture isn't just about pretty diagrams and process maps. It's about creating a system that works for everyone – from the C-suite to the sales floor. It's about breaking down silos and fostering collaboration across the organisation.
A robust CX architecture serves as the mission control of your ecosystem. It comprises a structured framework of interconnected elements designed to facilitate the design, implementation and management of CX initiatives.
Let’s deep dive into that framework:
CX Architecture
Level 1: Intent. Communicating intent at all levels of the organisation ensures alignment and buy-in from stakeholders and drives support for CX initiatives.
Level 2: Model. Abstracting the construct of the customer experience into a digestible and usable form to enable cross-functional collaboration and decision-making.
Level 3: Canvas. A holistic view of the CX landscape enables executive-level understanding and prioritisation of customer value drivers and CX efforts, ensuring alignment with organisational goals.
Level 4: Journeys. Establishing a consistent journey framework enables teams to map out customer tasks and interactions - identifying opportunities for optimisation and enhancing the overall quality of the customer experience.
Level 5: Tasks. This architecture and framework will enable your entire organisation to shift from seeing CX as granular journeys and process maps to a powerful story and core business platform.
ThoughtFull™ Resource - CX Architecture
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Bringing it all together.
A well-designed CX architecture is the key to success in today's competitive landscape. It's about more than just delivering great experiences, it's about building relationships that stand the test of time. So, whether you're crafting your CX storyline or building out your architecture, remember this: every interaction counts. From the first touchpoint to the last, each one is an opportunity to make a lasting impression, turn customers into fans and fuel business growth.