Customer Strategy and Analysis | Walker Information

What are your top experience management challenges? We conducted a non-scientific, fun exercise at the 2024 Qualtrics X4 Summit to find out. The post Top XM Challenges – Results From X4 appe...

https://walkerinfo.com/top-xm-challenges-results-from-x4/

Customer experience (CX) comprises every interaction a consumer has with a business, from product discovery to post-purchase support. Everything a company does influences how the customer perceiv...

https://walkerinfo.com/what-is-customer-experience-cx-your-complete-guide/

Your Experience Management team, and the organization as a whole, has adopted the XM Operating Framework. You have embraced the competencies and utilized the skills. You have combined monitoring,...

https://walkerinfo.com/experience-integration-ensuring-that-all-the-hard-work-pays-off/

Service design begins with, and is fully dependent on, developing a deep understanding of the customer experience within your organization – plus what your customer is experiencing in life outs...

https://walkerinfo.com/experience-design-crafting-solutions-and-driving-customer-behavior/

Organizations must continue to “put out the daily fires” and execute the short-term adjustments that are required. But if that same organization wants to be best-in-class five or 10 years dow...

https://walkerinfo.com/experience-visioning-planning-today-to-help-ensure-future-success/

Many elements of the Experience Management (XM) Operating Framework contribute to gaining insights on ways to improve the customer experience. One of the methods of taking action on those insight...

https://walkerinfo.com/process-integration-making-the-changes-to-benefit-your-customers-and-your-business/

What if we started to think of problems as strategic opportunities? When reframed from “challenge to solve” into “chance to change,” problems create a valuable time to capture diverse dat...

https://walkerinfo.com/strategic-decision-making-transforming-insights-into-action/

Most organizations assert that they are in search of continuous improvement. The question is how many are effective in their efforts. The continuous improvement process includes key performance i...

https://walkerinfo.com/the-cx-playbook-incorporating-the-necessary-elements/

How do you respond when a customer has an emergency? The way you handle it can help the customer believe your organization cares and is committed to providing a good experience. The post The Im...

https://walkerinfo.com/the-importance-of-immediate-response/

Organizations know far more about their customers than ever before. It’s picking out those actionable items – sometimes only two or three nuggets out of a treasure trove of information – an...

https://walkerinfo.com/insights-distribution-effectively-communicating-key-action-items/

Insights Discovery is a critical component of the Experience Management (XM) process. Proper pre-planning, execution of the analysis (Insights Discovery), and distribution of the results will hel...

https://walkerinfo.com/insights-discovery-your-gateway-to-cx-storytelling/

Whether you’ve been in business for one year or have decades of experience in your industry, one thing is true for everyone: Nothing is the same as when you started. Your products and services ...

https://walkerinfo.com/monitoring-customer-experience-moving-past-same-old-same-old/

As today’s businesses look for the best ways to get and stay ahead, meaningful integration of experience and operational data is fast becoming a “must-do.” When done right, X- and O-data in...

https://walkerinfo.com/x-and-o-data-integration-know-these-two-essential-starting-points/

Simply saying “customers first” does little to make the words a reality. How employees understand, embrace, and apply this mentality to their jobs moves companies from aspirational thinking t...

https://walkerinfo.com/understanding-role-based-enablement-for-your-team/

To accelerate customer-focused strategies, today’s CX leaders are interested in building expertise related to data interpretation and action planning. The post Explore the Value of CX Experti...

https://walkerinfo.com/explore-the-value-of-cx-expertise-building/

Speed was found to be an essential factor of CX in Walker’s 2013 report, Customers 2020 – and it’s only become more important since. The seven themes we’ve discussed in our CX Now series ...

https://walkerinfo.com/speed-increasing-operational-efficiency-to-deliver-experiences-at-the-pace-customers-demand/

Patient experience is not just an opportunity, but a key priority, in today’s competitive healthcare environment. Improving patient experience scores through value-based care should be at the t...

https://walkerinfo.com/21-tips-for-how-to-improve-the-patient-experience/

Patient experience matters—to people’s lives and the performance of healthcare providers. Organizations focusing on and investing in patient-centered care stand to improve both. The post Th...

https://walkerinfo.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-understanding-what-patient-experience-is-and-why-its-important/

Today the customer is in charge. Companies spend significant resources to understand their needs, desires, wants, and preferences. We have transitioned from a “make-and-sell” model to a highl...

https://walkerinfo.com/adaptability-the-ability-to-quickly-adjust-to-shifting-environments-and-customer-needs/

Hidden messages exist across your company. They are full of valuable customer information. Ready to decrypt them? It’s time to talk about text analytics. The post Text Analytics Consulting Se...

https://walkerinfo.com/text-analytics-consulting-services-transform-data-within-your-business/

Culture is part of an organization’s DNA. Every company has a culture driven by its mission, vision, and values. These principles guide how team members behave inside the workplace. A business�...

https://walkerinfo.com/how-to-build-a-customer-centric-culture-within-your-business/

As a CX professional, one way you can improve your program is by making certain you can access, integrate, analyze and use all your data to make better informed decisions about how you deliver ex...

https://walkerinfo.com/data-integration-integration-and-accessibility-of-all-customer-data-sources-to-understand-their-needs-and-guide-company-actions/

Because of the negative impact such experiences can have on an organization’s brand and reputation, it’s clear that creating seamless experiences for customers is more important than ever, wh...

https://walkerinfo.com/seamless-experiences-delivering-intentional-unified-experiences-for-customers/

The world generates 2.5 quintillion bytes of data every single day. That’s 18 zeros!  Where is all this data coming from? Well, us. The challenge is managing this volume of information. Luckil...

https://walkerinfo.com/what-is-text-analytics-a-beginners-guide/

It may be a broad generalization, but it’s probably fair to say that most employees want to do a good job. This is particularly true if they are hired to regularly interact with customers. Typi...

https://walkerinfo.com/employee-enablement-providing-the-necessary-ingredients-to-deliver-ideal-customer-experiences/

“Humans are obsessed with predicting the future – and we are absolutely horrible at it.”–  Troy Powell, PhD Wouldn’t it be awesome if we had a crystal ball to look into the future and ...

https://walkerinfo.com/predictive-analytics-your-data-driven-crystal-ball/

It’s been said that the best gifts are those made especially for you. This bit of wisdom is excellent advice for today’s leaders of experience management. Customers are tired of being treated...

https://walkerinfo.com/personalization-designing-and-delivering-a-holistic-experience-tailored-for-each-customer/

The most basic objective of any digital strategy is to create digital interactions that adjust and adapt to customer needs and intent in real time – they serve up the right content to the right...

https://walkerinfo.com/digital-interactions-achieving-the-ideal-human-digital-balance-for-serving-your-customers/

It’s not just talk. Good communication is essential to executing a successful customer experience (CX) program. In fact, a comprehensive communications plan, developed well before your first su...

https://walkerinfo.com/effective-communication-can-elevate-your-cx-program/

Tracking your time helps set benchmarks and determine personal bests but does little to win a race without knowing the times of everyone else. The same is true when it comes to customer experienc...

https://walkerinfo.com/metrics-management-driving-operational-priorities-with-data/

The job of a customer experience (CX) professional can be described as mastering the art of “sensing” and “seizing.” The sensing part of the equation is the gathering of information to ga...

https://walkerinfo.com/seize-opportunities-to-deliver-value-with-your-cx-program/

Launching any new initiative usually starts with three questions: Why are we doing this? Why is now the right time? What do we want to achieve? Consider a recent business project or a personal pl...

https://walkerinfo.com/value-planning-the-connection-between-cx-outcomes-and-business-objectives/

"Let's do a survey!" For many companies, this statement marks the beginning of their customer experience (CX) program. However, thinking only about the survey and questions to ask has businesses ...

https://walkerinfo.com/governance-building-the-foundation-of-all-great-cx-programs/

Customer experience professionals need to embrace a new way of thinking. Today, customers expect personalized service, the ability to customize products and services to serve their unique needs, ...

https://walkerinfo.com/26-actionable-steps-to-improve-customer-satisfaction/

Customer experience and employee experience are inextricably linked. Every customer experience has an associated employee experience. World-class experiences don’t just happen. They need to be ...

https://walkerinfo.com/what-is-employee-experience-ex-management/

Who doesn’t appreciate a good roadmap? Through its evolution from accordion-folded paper the size of a poster to interactive app on a handheld device, a roadmap shows the way from where you are...

https://walkerinfo.com/drive-business-success-with-a-custom-xm-program-roadmap/

In this age of information overload, there is opportunity to seek out a few more "alligators" in our customer data. One method that could help is instituting a more formalized and managed follow-...

https://walkerinfo.com/customer-feedback-why-its-important-plus-6-ways-to-collect-it/

Companies that lead in customer experience acknowledge the reality that to sustain high business performance over time, they must pay close attention to what’s happening externally and use that...

https://walkerinfo.com/what-does-cx-leadership-look-like/

Developing a survey that addresses business questions may seem easy. However, careful thought and planning must go into each survey element for the results to be useful and actionable. Consider t...

https://walkerinfo.com/customer-satisfaction-survey-tips/

The presence and power of the digital experience are undeniable. Consumers have come to expect the simplified experience of the one-click digital transaction. The post Digital Customer Experien...

https://walkerinfo.com/digital-customer-experience-strategy/

Many different metrics and methodologies for measuring customer satisfaction exist. No one piece of customer feedback tells the full story. Combining metrics to paint a picture of what happens wh...

https://walkerinfo.com/how-to-measure-customer-satisfaction/

Customer satisfaction and retention go together. After all, happy customers stick around. Positive interactions develop loyalty—and that allegiance equals dollar signs. The post How are Custo...

https://walkerinfo.com/how-are-customer-satisfaction-and-retention-linked/

The customer journey map is a valuable qualitative tool for understanding customer needs and expectations at each phase of the customer lifecycle. Holistic, visual and tangible, a journey map is ...

https://walkerinfo.com/what-is-customer-journey-mapping-why-is-it-important/

In today’s business environment, we hear a lot about the voice of the customer. And with good reason. More than ever, listening to your customers makes sense. And that is what voice of the cust...

https://walkerinfo.com/how-to-build-voice-of-the-customer-survey-questions/

The boss calls a meeting and starts with something like, “We need to reduce churn among our customer base,” or “We’re lagging on our quarterly revenue projections,” and maybe, “It’s...

https://walkerinfo.com/what-is-customer-experience-strategy/

Voice of the customer, or VoC, has become mainstream – a common, or even essential strategy for many businesses. But what is VoC, and what is the benefit of establishing a VoC strategy? The...

https://walkerinfo.com/what-is-voice-of-the-customer-voc-questions-templates-methodologies/

About 73% of consumers rely on experience first when making purchase decisions (PwC). Research also shows that more than two-thirds of customers will pay more for a better experience (Salesforce)...

https://walkerinfo.com/whats-the-most-effective-customer-experience-measurement-for-your-business/

You’d be hard pressed to find a viable company that isn’t interested in customer satisfaction. In essence, acquiring satisfied customers—and keeping customers happy—is the lifeblood of an...

https://walkerinfo.com/why-customer-satisfaction-is-important/

For organizations looking to thrive—not just survive—in today’s diversified global market, customer experience management may be just the brand strategy they need. The post Customer Exper...

https://walkerinfo.com/customer-experience-management-what-it-is-and-why-it-matters/

The truth is, everyone wants an amazing experience and, while B2B companies lag in delivering this, there is a great opportunity for businesses who invest in developing high-impact customer exper...

https://walkerinfo.com/best-practices-for-b2b-customer-experience/

To get a deep understanding of customer needs and expectations, a robust and meaningful Voice of the Customer (VoC) program needs to be in place to collect the insights needed to drive CX strateg...

https://walkerinfo.com/4-steps-to-designing-a-listening-architecture/

A roadmap is only beneficial if it helps you get to where you want to go. If streets are omitted or mismarked, the map impedes your ability to reach your destination. In essence, it loses its val...

https://walkerinfo.com/getting-the-most-out-of-customer-journey-maps/

Without enough outside perspective journey maps can easily become nothing more than process maps that document steps with little emotional insight into customer pain points, frustrations, gaps in...

https://walkerinfo.com/is-your-journey-map-all-process-and-no-emotion/

Mapping the customer journey is not complete—or valuable—without the customer. It’s true that journey maps are the product of internal, cross-functional teams joining together to think and ...

https://walkerinfo.com/put-the-customer-in-your-customer-journey-map/

Customer experience has come of age. It is now commonly accepted as a key differentiator right alongside product innovation, service and price. A lot has been written on the challenges and failur...

https://walkerinfo.com/customer-experience-what-it-looks-like-when-it-works/

Just as if you were looking to design a new home for your family, we see the need for architects in CX. People who will take the time to understand your needs, preferences and intentions on how y...

https://walkerinfo.com/who-is-your-cx-architect/

Culture can make or break a CX program, especially a new one. In a perfect world, every company would start right out of the gate with a customer-centric culture. In the real world, this is not t...

https://walkerinfo.com/make-it-real-and-other-pro-tips-for-developing-a-customer-centric-culture/

Thick Data provides insight into people’s emotions, motivations and ways of thinking. For our organizations to have a realistic view of the marketplace and our customers, CX leaders need to pro...

https://walkerinfo.com/the-analytical-leader-understanding-customer-experience-requires-thick-data/

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but as Steve Walker says in our bonus 10 Traits Recap podcast episode, “it would take a pretty special brand of unicorn.” At a Qualtrics X4 event, we took...

https://walkerinfo.com/why-youll-never-be-a-unicorn-great-at-all-10-cx-traits/

Don’t you wish you could be a fly on the wall after one of your presentations? It’s common after a presentation that people will tell you, “Nice job” or “Good stuff.” But what did the...

https://walkerinfo.com/cx-storytelling-transforming-thought-and-action/

As Customer Experience (CX) professionals, we all have some of the same tools at our disposal – journey mapping, surveys, design thinking, etc. But some CX pros just seem to be able to get more...

https://walkerinfo.com/the-business-savvy-cx-leader/

Let’s just be honest. C-level leaders don’t take a lot of web surveys. But that doesn’t mean that we don’t NEED their feedback. It also doesn’t mean they don’t WANT to share feedback....

https://walkerinfo.com/execs-dont-take-surveys/

Like most business professionals, customer experience leaders are commonly called upon to deliver presentations. When we’re preparing, we often think about what we want to say. However, somet...

https://walkerinfo.com/cx-storytelling-context-can-make-a-big-difference/

Customer experience is currently a great industry to be a part of. Why? Executives are increasingly pointing to customer experience as the primary way they intend to differentiate in the marketpl...

https://walkerinfo.com/looking-to-increase-cx-visibility-with-executives-try-a-journey-map/

None of us is in CX to track and trend metrics. Sure, we will all celebrate a significant increase in our customer loyalty or advocacy metric but that isn’t really our ultimate goal. As CX prof...

https://walkerinfo.com/being-a-catalyst-for-cx-change/

A fundamental element of good storytelling is knowing your audience. Too often we plan a presentation primarily based on what we want to say without really considering the perspective of the au...

https://walkerinfo.com/cx-storytelling-eight-criteria-for-profiling-your-audience/

CX leaders typically deliver lots of presentations and how you show up makes a big difference. Without question, if you are fearful or anxious, it will limit your effectiveness in the way you pre...

https://walkerinfo.com/cx-storytelling-bring-the-right-attitude-to-your-next-presentation/

Is storytelling listed in your job description? Probably not. But maybe it should be. Storytelling makes an emotional connection that helps us better understand a situation or problem. CX profess...

https://walkerinfo.com/are-you-a-cx-storyteller/

Much of the CX conversation has shifted to focus on organizational culture. Sure, we have great customer listening efforts in place. Sure, we are asking the right questions of the right customers...

https://walkerinfo.com/changing-culture-through-cx-rituals/

One highly recommended skill for effective leaders is persuasion – the ability to move others toward a position they don’t currently hold. Persuading others is a critical skill in all aspects...

https://walkerinfo.com/the-analytical-leader-the-importance-of-being-persuadable/

“Do me a favor.” Keep that phrase in mind when thinking about how to get people to do what you want (without them even realizing it).That’s what being influential is all about – and that�...

https://walkerinfo.com/do-me-a-favor/

The advantages of teamwork are widely heralded, so it’s no surprise that the underlying skill that makes teamwork work, collaboration, is one of the traits that the best CX leaders share. These...

https://walkerinfo.com/teamwork-makes-the-dream-work-why-the-best-cx-leaders-are-collaborative-and-how-you-can-be-too/

Communication is such a cliché topic. We know what we need to do to be good communicators, right? Tailor our messages for different audiences, be clear and concise, don’t pollute messages with...

https://walkerinfo.com/5-tips-to-effective-cx-communication/

What makes an effective CX leader? What skills do they possess? What do they do differently? Based on input we’ve gathered and Walker’s own experience, we’ve developed an inventory of key ...

https://walkerinfo.com/experience-is-knowledge/

It’s hard to believe the easy button has been around for more than 12 years. Introduced in August 2005, Staples set the expectation for ease as its competitive advantage – and the company w...

https://walkerinfo.com/infographic-customer-expectations-for-ease/

Unlike the topic of personalization, it’s hard to have a conversation with customer experience professionals and not talk about speed. Companies are being challenged daily to “hurry up.” I...

https://walkerinfo.com/infographic-speed-is-of-the-essence/

The initial title for this post was “Customers expect a personalized experience,” but doesn’t that sound like ‘us versus them’? It sounds like customers want this, but I don’t. The re...

https://walkerinfo.com/infographic-we-expect-a-personalized-experience/