Words That Best Describe Customer Experience in 2017 - AARP, Clorox, USAA, More Weigh In

In 2015, a member of the CCW Digital LinkedIn Group posed a very interesting question: in one word, how would you describe the best customer service?

The discussion yielded an incredible level of participation; hundreds of customer management professionals offered their perspectives.  We analyzed the top responses in an article on the CCW Digital site – it quickly became our most popular post ever.

Nearly two years have passed, and the time has come to revisit the discussion.

We began by asking members of the 18th CCW speaker faculty to share a word or phrase they believe best describes the state of customer management in 2017.  These executives have amassed valuable insights and achieved incredible things in their tenures, so we were very curious to see what first comes to mind when they think about the key CX trends and challenges facing today’s businesses.

Peruse the responses below.  Then check out the agenda for CCW, June 26-30, Las Vegas, NV.

 Michelle Musgrove | Vice President, Customer Experience Strategy & Governance | AARP

 Maturing

 Bob Azman | VP Traveler Services, Americas and Global | Carlson Wagonlit Travel

 Breakthrough ideas from innovative companies and CX professionals will challenge our traditional approaches to  improving the customer experience! 

 Wilfred Busby | Senior Vice President, Enterprise Contact Center | St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

 Cultivating
 Appreciation

 Gordon Clinkscale | Vice President, Customer Care | Freedom Mortgage Corporation 

 Amoebic

 Kerri Schewe | VP People & Culture | MTM, Inc

 Transforming through Customer Growth

 Era of Customer Growth

Progression through Retention

Customer Relationship Era

Transformation of Customer Retention

Progression of MTM and its customers

On the Move-Customer Advancement

Metrics Meet Coaching Management

Growth through Reinvention

 Ryan Barth | VP, Bank Sales & Service Center | USAA 

 Experience-Focused

 Michele Dobnikar | EVP Customer Care | PGi

 Expectations – high, Budgetary Dollars – low

Suzanne Henricksen | Senior Director, Global Insights & Consumer Affairs | The Clorox Company

 Viral

 Noel Holmes | Vice President, Customer Experience | Travelport

 Gaining momentum

 Experience-led, data-fed

 Cheryl China | SVP, Head of Contact Center Escalation Teams | Citizens Bank

 Empowerment for frontline specialists

 Kimberly Warrick | Director of Client Services, Government Outreach | NJ Shares

 Flexibility

CCW Digital's Take: No two executives provided the same answer, but most seemed to agree on a key theme: customer experience strategy is a pivotal business concern.  2017 is definitely not a year in which to get complacent.

Some addressed the theme from an internal perspective, citing the organization's growing, maturing appreciation for customer experience strategy.  A few focused on the heightened expectations -- and ramifications -- associated with the experience a brand provides its customers.  Others turned attention to the solutions (or at least types of solutions) that can help a business meet the heightened CX demand.