Happy New Year from your team at Evolv AI

It’s almost 2022! For many, 2021 has felt like a rollercoaster ride and continuation from 2020, with everything spinning and speeding up and feeling somewhat out of control. It may be tempting to rationalize and plan for a better year in 2022, but before you do, we thought it’d be good to take a quick look at the value of New Year’s resolutions and why they’re often not unlike CX strategies.

Some of the most common new year’s resolutions include:

• Lose weight
• Save more
• Get fit
• Work less
• Sleep better

These are all admirable resolutions which most often fail miserably by the 10th of January, because while people know what they want to achieve, they usually don’t know how to achieve it and don’t equip themselves with the right tools for success.

Let’s look at weight loss, for example:

The pantry cupboard still has a stash of holiday candy, you still don’t like vegetables, and the air fryer your mother-in-law bought you for Christmas is still sitting in it’s box, and takeout is just easier. 

There’s a reason why community and club weight loss programs are so popular. They provide guidance, support, and most importantly accountability. In short, achieving a weight loss goal is less about personal will power. It takes a village of people who support a goal to lose weight and help equip and facilitate the process.

When it comes to a company looking to improve their customer experience (CX), it is much the same. Most industry analysts are talking about the value of CX, how it is the key to growth and sustaining a competitive advantage, and that it is the next big company-wide focus (if not already). 

But improving CX also takes a village. Especially as the digital space has expanded to include broader generations and people from many diverse backgrounds. To improve CX, brands can’t assume customers have the same interests or preferences. It’s exactly this complexity that requires diversity of perspectives and input in terms of strategy. It requires team alignment and the ability to be agile and respond to changing customer needs and market forces. 

Like the weight loss plan, where the best intentions can be foiled by a decadent slice of chocolate cake, CX efforts can fail when brands are tunnel visioned in their approach, rely on outdated tools and approaches, teams don’t align on CX strategy and implementation, or competitors offer better experiences that lure customers away.

As we begin 2022, it’s an opportunity to reassess what’s important, what drives value, and what can enable better connections with customers. 

Whether we’re referring to enterprise clients or e-commerce customers, finding ways to connect better and understand buying preferences is going to become increasingly important. And before we get caught up in the complexities of improving CX and reaching ambitious growth targets, let’s remember it’s about people. 

There are many technologies including artificial intelligence (AI) that can equip businesses, but ultimately it’s about adding value to customers. Emotion, empathy, connection, values, authenticity and more are likely what brands will be judged on. If the CX movement is going to take centre stage in business in 2022, let’s make it count. Let’s make it a collective effort that sees the value in diverse perspectives and the opportunity in creating experiences that delight. 

As we close out the year, we hope this gives you some added perspective. In the meantime, enjoy time with family and friends. 

From all of us at Evolv AI, Happy New Year!