Customer Experience, Employee Experience and Innovation amid the Pandemic

As the year draws to a close, many of us reflect on the blessings we've received and the lessons we've learned along the way. Innovation and disruption in the pandemic has been awe-inspiring across customer and employee experiences.

Curbside pickup, contactless payment at restaurants and grocery stores, and e-learning in schools are all examples of innovation. In these uncertain times, some businesses that were able to adapt even prospered.

The truth is that customer experience (CX) is not a stand-alone experience. Employee experience (EX) and customer experience (CX) go hand in hand. Every interaction with a customer results in a change in the level of engagement among employees. Work-life balance has become a reality for us thanks to the flexibility that comes with finding from home. One day at a time.

Let's take a look at some of the recent changes in the CX and EX dynamics. According to a recent McKinsey study, 90% believe that the current crisis is an opportunity to "fundamentally change our business over the next five years. Time will tell whether or not the new business model will continue to evolve and change.

1.1 Stability and Resilience

In today's environment, every business has had to adapt to the changes. Employee safety and protection have received a boost from new policies. As a result of these policies, many businesses have taken steps to improve employee productivity and develop new methods of engaging with customers via video conferencing, where on-site meetings were previously the only choice. Resilience and stability go hand-in-hand, and we've proven this by experiencing shifts in our habits and behaviors at work.

Happy employees help to create a happy workplace, which can translate into happy customers. As leaders, we have the unique opportunity to serve both our customers and our employees at the same time. So that we are better prepared for the uncertain future, we can help shape new policies.

CX and EX are in synergy, and if we have created safe environments for risk, then invention can thrive all over our teams and boost the confidence to start unchartered paths ahead.

1.2 Employee Well-Being and Self-Care

Every corporation should be challenging the norm and making efforts toward enhancing employee well-being and self-care. "Why do we do what we do today?" is a question we should ask ourselves from time to time, even though it's easy for us to be driven by business KPIs.
Finding your "why" at work aids in the discovery of your work's purpose and roles. It is what you aspire to, and it should be consistent with your daily choices and decisions. We have an opportunity to show our teams that we care about them as leaders. Regardless of whether your company offers unlimited vacation time, you should encourage your employees to take time off to recharge.

1.3 Community and Belonging

Katy Tynan, Forrester analyst, recently shared her wisdom in “The Equity Equation “during The World Happiness Fest in November. Katy talked about how an inclusive culture can spur innovation, and how that, in turn, leads to more innovation. When we take the time to ask ourselves "why?" and join a greater cause, we can find a solution to any problem.
#10billionhappyby2050 is a goal that I'm proud to be a part of with the World Happiness Foundation. I’ve learned from leaders around the world who have shared their enlightenment and insights on how we can create a safe environment for our employees and customers to drive innovation and thrive around each other, and I am committed to creating this space for all voices to be heard.

1.4 The Total Experience

Gartner shared its 2021 strategic technology trends report and voiced the CX and EX synergies, taking it a step further. The total experience deconstructs the business silos of multi-experience (MX), CX, EX, and UX. This simplifies the end-to-end experience and provides a competitive differentiator and edge in a time of dynamic change and ability to adapt.

Organizations can adapt to the current challenges and identify new models of engagement across teams, businesses and partner ecosystems. As I’ve previously mentioned, Simon Sinek has shared the value of an infinite game vs. a reactive competitive game. Customer lifetime value is absolutely essential for long-term sustainability. People, technology, and innovation all benefit from a win-win strategy, which necessitates a reevaluation of our current metrics.

1.5 Make Equanimity Your Golden Rule

Modeling calmness and extending equanimity and compassion is the best way to show our coworkers that it is possible to do better. To achieve a people-first mentality, we need to strike a delicate balance between our customers and our employees.

A new wave of innovation in customer and employee experience has opened the door to new ways of thinking. A new path toward equanimity can be found by finding a new way of working and connecting with customers. Great minds can accomplish anything when they unite. The only thing we need is empathy and common ground. As the world and our economy unite in ways that we cannot imagine, it is up to us to embrace the similarities rather than focusing on the differences.

It is time to look at new ways of asking the "why" and find new ways of engaging customers and employees. It is imperative that both customer experience (CX) and customer experience (EX) models evolve to better serve our customers in the future.