We sat down with Jonathan Shroyer, the Chief CX Officer and MD of Gaming at Arise. Jonathan Shroyer's journey from a passion for service to becoming a CX visionary is filled with valuable insights and lessons. His emphasis on listening, customizing your approach for the C-suite, and adapting to the changing landscape of CX is a testament to his success in the field. As we look to the future, the role of CX leaders is evolving into that of visionaries and architects, shaping the customer experience with an eye on innovation and personalization. For Jonathan, his career revolves around three core principles: understanding the customer, creating value for the company, and helping individuals and communities increase their overall well-being.
What Advice Do You Have For Someone's First 100 Days As Head Of CX?
Jonathan emphasized the importance of listening when asked about his advice for someone stepping into a CX leadership role. During the initial 100 days, he recommends going on a listening tour within the organization to understand the existing processes, pain points, and potential solutions. By gaining insights from employees and customers, you can develop a strategy that involves a co-creative approach between leadership and the team. A successful CX leader, in Jonathan's view, takes the time to understand the data and information necessary to drive the company toward its goals.
What Does Your CX Strategy Focus On Currently And In The Future?
Jonathan's CX strategy involves a three-pronged approach. Firstly, he focuses on building a roadmap for the next 12 to 18 months based on the information gathered during the first 100 days. Secondly, benchmarking is vital to understand how the company's customer experience compares to competitors. Regular benchmarking helps maintain a competitive edge in the market. Thirdly, Jonathan places a strong emphasis on developing leaders within the organization. He believes that nurturing leadership is crucial for long-term success.
How Do You Measure Success With CX?
Measuring success in CX is about identifying the key performance indicators (KPIs) that matter the most to your organization. Jonathan recommends looking at industry benchmarks and customizing them to your specific needs. The "North Star" metric, often related to customer lifetime value (LTV), is a primary indicator of success. Additionally, satisfaction metrics may be necessary for some companies. The goal is to regularly track and analyze these metrics and make adjustments to improve customer experience.
What Pain Points Do You Have Leading A CX Team?
One of the significant pain points in leading CX is managing resistance to change. People generally tend to resist change, and it's a challenge to navigate this resistance, especially in larger organizations. Jonathan emphasizes the importance of winning the hearts and minds of both your team and the C-suite. Building buy-in and trust is crucial to the success of CX initiatives.
How Do You Establish Partnerships And Gain Buy-In With The C-Suite?
To gain buy-in from the C-suite, Jonathan recommends speaking their language. Tailor your message to resonate with their priorities. This might involve translating your CX initiatives into financial terms or showcasing how they can positively impact revenue, finance, or product development. Open, honest, and transparent communication is critical to building trust with the C-suite.
Do You Have An Example Of Utilizing Customer Feedback To Improve Your Company?
Jonathan shared an example of how he used customer feedback to transform a video game company's customer service. By implementing a proactive feedback system and quick responses to customers who provided low ratings, they were able to improve service levels significantly. They also followed a "follow the sun" model for 24-hour customer support and worked closely with the product team to address issues and win back players. This initiative resulted in millions of dollars in additional revenue and optimization.
What Is The Future Of CX?
According to Jonathan, the future of CX involves a shift from being CX leaders to becoming CX visionaries and architects. With the help of AI and large language models, CX agents can transition into architects, focusing on designing exceptional experiences. AI can handle routine responses, allowing agents to customize and architect experiences for individual customers. This transition is expected to drive even greater customer loyalty and innovation.
About Jonathan Shroyer
If you want to learn more about Jonathan Shroyer and his work in the world of customer experience, you can find him at ChiefCXOfficer.com and on social media under Chief CX Officer. His dedication to coaching, mentoring, leadership, and entrepreneurship continues to make a significant impact in the CX industry.
About CX Chats
CX chats is an interview series with Ben Holland, where we talk to industry leaders in the field of customer experience and customer success. Each interview dives deep into the insights from each leader and highlights how they became successful, tips for aspiring CX professionals, and their thoughts on the future of CX.