Eddie Christian, the Vice President of Customer Experience and Success at American Express has a diverse background spanning roles in sales, marketing, and CX. He intentionally crafted his career path to gain a comprehensive understanding of various business functions. This strategic approach equipped him with invaluable insights that laid the foundation for his success in the CX realm.
What advice do you have for someone's first 100 days as head of CS?
Eddie emphasizes the importance of connecting with your team and leveraging their expertise for those stepping into leadership roles in CX. Building strong relationships with internal teams, particularly the product and engineering departments, is crucial for shaping an effective CX strategy. Eddie likens this collaborative effort to a relay race, where customer insights are seamlessly passed on to product teams for execution and improvement.
What does your CS strategy focus on currently and in the future?
At American Express, the CX strategy revolves around consistently gathering customer feedback to enhance engagement and brand awareness. This approach involves employing various listening posts, including surveys and success plans, to uncover customer needs and desires. By remaining agile and responsive to evolving market dynamics, American Express ensures its CX strategy remains relevant and impactful.
How Do You Measure Success With CS?
Eddie adopts a multifaceted approach to measuring the success of CX initiatives. Utilizing metrics such as Net Promoter Score (NPS), Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), and qualitative feedback from account managers provides a comprehensive understanding of customer sentiment. By aligning these metrics with the overarching goal of retention, Eddie ensures that CX efforts directly contribute to business success.
What pain points do you have leading a CS team?
Despite his wealth of experience, Eddie acknowledges the challenges of leading CX initiatives, particularly when priorities clash with other departments. Establishing alignment with the C-suite and product teams requires a delicate balance of showcasing value and prioritizing customer-centricity. Eddie's pragmatic approach involves demonstrating the impact of CX on retention and advocating for customer-focused decision-making.
Do you have an example of utilizing customer feedback to improve your company?
While Eddie doesn't cite specific examples, he emphasizes the importance of disciplined feedback mechanisms in driving company-wide improvements. Companies can effectively prioritize customer needs and inform product development decisions by establishing dedicated channels, such as product services organizations, for synthesizing frontline feedback.
What is the future of CS?
In a thought-provoking stance, Eddie advocates for a recalibration of focus in the CX landscape. Amidst the rapid advancement of technology, he emphasizes the enduring value of human-to-human relationships in fostering customer loyalty. Eddie warns against overreliance on technology at the expense of genuine communication and rapport-building, urging companies to balance automation and personalized engagement.
About Eddie Christian
Outside CX, Eddie emphasizes the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Whether unwinding with his dog or hitting the gym, Eddie prioritizes mental well-being to stay focused and present in his professional endeavors. Additionally, Eddie's passion for mentoring emerging CX professionals underscores his commitment to nurturing talent and sharing insights garnered throughout his career.
For those eager to learn more about Eddie's journey and glean further insights from his wealth of experience, he welcomes connections on LinkedIn and invites exploration of his website, eddiechristian.com. As a dedicated mentor, Eddie eagerly engages with aspiring CX professionals and shares his invaluable wisdom to foster growth and success.
About CX Chats
CX chats is an interview series with Ben Holland in which we talk to industry leaders in customer experience and customer success. Each interview dives deep into the insights of each leader and highlights how they became successful, tips for aspiring CX professionals, and their thoughts on the future of CX.