CXPA Netherlands published the CX Throne Speech on the eve of the third Tuesday in September. “It is essential to inform our customers clearly and directly about the adjustments we have made based on their feedback,” according to the team of compilers. The CX Throne Speech is reproduced in its entirety below.

 

“We are proud to share our Customer Experience Speech from the Throne 2024, with our vision for 2025. Because today we are on the eve of a new era in customer experience. An era in which technology, collaboration and innovation go hand in hand. It is an era in which the Dutch polder model, which has brought us success for centuries, will once again be the key to progress.

Today, we are not only building bridges over water, but also digital bridges that bridge the gap between organizations, customers and technology and keep our customers' feet dry.

In the kingdom of Customer Experience, the “polder model” forms the backbone of our strategy. Just as in the past, collaboration between different stakeholders was essential to conquer new land, now collaboration is central to creating the ultimate customer experience. This process of joint alignment and compromise ensures that we continuously strive for an experience that exceeds all expectations and satisfies every party involved. The organization and the customer and all other stakeholders.

In this vision of the future, it is of the utmost importance that we ensure that our customers always keep their “dry feet”. This means that, just as the engineers of yesteryear ensured that the polders were kept dry, we must also proactively care for and watch over the customer journey in modern times. We are ready to act quickly and decisively in the event of any impending storm. We steer towards frictionless customer journeys, thus ensuring that the customer has a stable and great Customer Experience. This requires not only technical and organizational mastery, but also a shared royal pursuit of perfection. Where every customer feels like a valued member of our kingdom, ready for and protected against all the uncertainties of the future.

Let's translate this today to the digital world and the customer experience of the future. We do this using six important themes.

1. Branded Experience – for sustainable growth

The metaphor of bridges over water, reclaiming land and keeping our feet dry is very apt. One of the most essential challenges for all of us is precisely about water and land. Literally. Not to defend ourselves against, but to cherish. The most relevant Branded Experience is also sustainability and long-term thinking.

Sustainability is about value for customers, the world and the brand. Contributing to meaning for now and later. Not just the beautiful story, but also the hard facts that show it. From experience to meaning, by building bridges between CX and sustainability for water and land. Our customers also expect us to be involved. Three quarters are concerned about the climate. How wonderful if you as an organization can build such a meaningful relationship with your customer about tackling these major concerns together. We have to do it together. And taking on your role from within your 'brand' is appreciated in this area.

But of course it is also exciting. We know the examples of greenwashing and reputational damage. And of course we don't want that. But what then? What is your brand or organizational identity? What do you stand for? And who can you be for customers and the world? Uniqueness and consistency remain the core, but now with even more meaning. And it is also commercially smart, because it ensures approximately 30% more growth. Customer Experience Management is there for water and for land.

2. ROI of CX – increasing value

In the kingdom of Customer Experience, the return on CX investments is akin to managing a polder: it requires constant maintenance, collaboration, and forward thinking.

A strong focus on CX delivers substantial results, such as increased customer lifetime value, lower costs, greater loyalty and reduced churn. Organizations that prioritize customer experience grow 1,7x faster on average and perform 307% better in the stock market.

Yet measuring the ROI of CX can be challenging. The key is identifying strategic KPIs that reflect success. Start with small, measurable initiatives – showcases that act as catalysts for broader change. Work closely with the CFO and controllers to create robust business cases that inspire confidence.

But the ROI of CX goes beyond numbers. In the public sector, for example, societal progress is often the ultimate goal. Improving citizen trust, or vaccination rates, are valuable outcomes that transcend financial results.

While the financial importance of CX is increasingly recognized, the real value requires a broader view. Not all changes have an immediate financial result, but they do contribute to a larger, sustainable impact. Think of better customer focus, enhanced multidisciplinary collaboration, and a positive social contribution.

Ultimately, it is about the return on both hard and soft factors. In a future where CX is gaining more and more ground, we will continue to keep the polder dry and clear the way for new growth and prosperity.

3. Continuous improvement – ​​taking action together with customer impact

Today we talk about a foundation of our work: continuously improving the customer experience. Just like the Dutch polder, where different interests come together to keep dry feet, we collect customer feedback through various channels to create an inclusive perspective. We analyze this input to identify recurring themes in the customer journey and prioritize improvements that have the greatest impact on customer satisfaction.

The polder model, our chosen metaphor, is present in every step. By all stakeholders To involve them, we develop a change action plan and encourage collaboration between teams. It is essential to clearly and directly inform our customers about the changes we have made based on their feedback. In addition, we closely monitor the results to ensure that our efforts actually lead to an improved customer experience.

A culture of deep, inclusive listening to feedback and closing the improvement loop is essential. Sometimes, in the spirit of true listening, we also need to pay attention to what customers don’t explicitly say – that’s listening with the heart.

In addition to customer feedback, we use operational data, such as conversation transcripts and click behavior and employee feedback as additional sources. Together they form a golden triangle that gives us a deeper insight into improvement potential. We see in many organizations that engineers are on the side of the polder. Action is needed to have customer impact.

4. AI and technology – progress through innovation

AI, Ai, ai. We are CXPA. We dare, we dream, we do. In this fast-paced world, we sometimes feel like we are on a rollercoaster, climbing higher and higher in the hope of the ultimate experience. The hype around technologies like ChatGPT and AI is palpable. We are in an era where cost reduction is a crucial conversation point, but this should not be at the expense of the Customer Experience.

In our field, we must continue to strive for balance, just as we have been keeping our country dry in our Dutch polders for centuries. Cost reduction is important, but an excellent customer experience is the basis. After all, companies cannot survive if the customer is dissatisfied, not even with the cheapest services. Our strength lies in delivering reliable and valuable interactions.

Look at inspiring examples like bol where AI is used to improve translations and enable interactions in all languages. This is a start, but there is so much more potential. Imagine data analytics becoming our accelerator, enabling us to improve the customer experience faster and more purposefully.

However, reliability remains key. Customers must trust that they will receive the right answers. Innovations in service could lead to us moving away from traditional telephone assistance within a few years. Instead, a digital buddy will become our helper in the search and we will no longer have to do this often frustrating exercise all by ourselves.

Let's use this AI rollercoaster ride to actually make progress in Customer Experience. Just as our polders protect us from the water, our innovations must ensure dry feet in the sea of ​​customer expectations.

5. Make or Buy – the choice is huge

An important question within Customer Experience is the choice between make or buy. What do you do? Do you invest internally or do you get expertise from outside? This question seems simple. The reality is that both approaches must go hand in hand. Like hikers in the Dutch polder who work together to keep their feet dry and their heads above water in the middle of the CX swamp.

When companies decide to bring in someone from outside, internal involvement is essential. You cannot separate external expertise from internal collaboration. That is why the first question for consultants is always: Who is the point of contact? Who is the main person responsible? Which team will take ownership and drive the change? This underlines the need for synergy between external and internal forces.

It can be strategically rewarding to hire external expertise because of their authority, knowledge and expertise in specific areas. The unique advantage of an external force is also their outsider perspective, which can sometimes be vital when it comes to transformative power.

Let us, just like in our Dutch polders, work together to stay dry and progressive in the challenging landscape of CX.

6. Employee Experience – building a customer-centric culture

Building a customer-centric culture starts with leadership that puts the customer first. Leaders lead by example and work with HR to set the tone to actively engage employees in customer-centric initiatives. Employee Experience is the basis here; if employees feel valued and supported, they can better respond to customer needs.

To keep our organization dry and stable, we focus on training and reward systems that promote customer-oriented behavior. Just as dikes and locks protect the polder, these initiatives ensure that customer orientation is widely supported.

Our goal is a culture in which the customer is central, and in which every employee contributes to success as an indispensable link in the polder network. Their involvement and commitment ensure that together, as one, we keep our feet dry and deliver an excellent Customer Experience.

And finally

By properly addressing these six themes, you as an organization give direction to Customer Experience Management. Let us not forget that our strength lies in our collective effort. In a world full of challenges, our shared pursuit of perfection will distinguish us. We build a kingdom in which the customer always feels welcome and safe, and in which every employee acts as a proud guardian of this vision.

Today is the time to join forces, strengthen the bridges, and continue to pave the way to growth and innovation. Let us face the future with determination and open arms. Ready to embrace every challenge and take our customer journeys to new heights. Together, we keep our feet dry. Together, we build a kingdom of customer experience where everyone feels at home.”

CXPA Netherlands

Customer Experience, Featured cxpa