Collected and written by your CX DJ, Jeremy Watkin
In the #CXQOTD for Friday, October 16 we challenged our community to come up with a CX playlist. The question was, “What song sums up your aspirations as a CX leader?”
Let’s look at what the CX Accelerator community came up with. And a quick apology for being a bit heavy on the Coldplay. But what can I say? Luis Melo and I have great taste in music. 😊
Track 1 - “Fix you” by Coldplay
Not great with song lyrics, I settled on Fix You by Coldplay. There’s a line in the bridge of the song that says:
Tears streaming down your face
I promise you I will learn from all my mistakes
oh and the tears streaming down your face
And I will try to fix you
I know this isn’t the original intent of the song, but to me, this points to the importance of listening to our customers — especially those things that frustrate and aggravate — and then learning from those mistakes. We don’t necessarily try to fix the customer but we definitely try to fix the problem for the long term.
Track 2 - “Positivity” by Stevie Wonder
Stephanie Thum, CCXP quotes a line from the song, “Positivity, and that’s the energy the world needs.” What a great point. CX is hard work and there are a billion reasons not to change, improve, and grow. Furthermore, we will hear plenty of negativity when listening to the voice of the customer. It’s essential that we stay positive and focus on the solution.
Track 3 - “Get up, Stand up” by Bob Marley"
“Get up, stand up, don’t give up the fight.” Well done, Schulbert Koleka. There will be times that you want to throw in the towel, but this is a fight worth fighting. If you ever feel worn down by the work of CX, it may be time to connect with a community like CX Accelerator for insight and inspiration.
Track 4 - “Humble and Kind” by Tim McGraw
Submitted by Erica Marois, read the entire chorus to this song:
Hold the door, say "please", say "thank you"
Don't steal, don't cheat, and don't lie
I know you got mountains to climb
But always stay humble and kind
When those dreams you're dreamin' come to you
When the work you put in is realized
Let yourself feel the pride
But always stay humble and kind
Talk about holding to our values and being kind along the way as we collaborate with many people to improve CX in our organizations.
Track 5 - “I’ll Be There For You” by Bon Jovi
Check out this line from the song:
I'll be there for you, these five words I swear to you
When you breathe I want to be the air for you
Talk about a commitment to your customers. Andressa Marlan says, “This comes from providing the best CX by getting the right person in the right place to do the right things for customers.”
Track 6 - “Adventure of a Lifetime” by Coldplay
Luis Melo quotes this lyric from the song:
Turn your magic on, to me she’d say;
Everything you want’s a dream away;
Under this pressure, under this weight;
We are diamonds taking shape;
As CX leaders, the pressure is definitely on as we work to influence all groups in our organizations to take better care of customers and improve the customer experience. It may not feel like it in the middle of the fight and struggle but you will be rewarded for your perseverance.
Track 7 - “Raise Your Glass” by P!nk
“So raise your glass if you are wrong. In all the right ways all my underdogs.”
What an interesting choice by Keith Kmett. This all about having the strength of conviction to be who you are. Confidently celebrate the unique abilities and strengths you bring to the world. How many CX leaders could benefit from this shot of confidence.
Track 8 - “MMMBop” by Hanson
At face value, I thought Jenny Dempsey was joking when she shared this song. That was until I read the first verse of the song. Check this out:
You have so many relationships in this life
Only one or two will last
You go through all the pain and strife
Then you turn your back and they're gone so fast
Oh yeah
And they're gone so fast, yeah
Oh, so hold on the ones who really care
In the end they'll be the only ones there
And when you get old and start losing your hair
Can you tell me who will still care?
Can you tell me who will still care?
As Jenny says in her video, CX is all about relationships and strengthening the relationships with those we value and who value us. And don’t forget about the all-important relationship with ourselves. As Jenny so often says, “CX leaders need to take good care of ourselves so we can best care for others.”
Track 9 - “Whipping Post” by The Allman Brothers Band
I’m not sure anyone aspires to this as a CX leader but Leslie O’Flahavan may be onto something here:
Sometimes I feel, sometimes I feel,
Like I been tied to the whippin' post.
Any CX leaders out there that feel like this? I can assure you, you’re not alone.
Track 10 - “Harder Better Faster Stronger” by Daft Punk
As Nate Brown points out, in CX we are constantly trying to understand and keep up with customer expectations. This is never-ending and an act of continuous discovery and improvement. Like a mantra, these lyrics belong on our wall as a constant reminder.
Work it harder
Make it better
Do it faster
Makes us stronger
I love what Erica Mancuso added to the discussion when she said, “If only the song were Harder Better Faster Stronger with fewer resources and less budget.”
Track 11 - “Everything I Do I Do It For You” by Bryan Adams
And finally, thank you to Roy Atkinson for so beautifully bringing this discussion home with this classic.
Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for
You know it's true
Everything I do
I do it for you
As CX professionals, shouldn’t it be our aspiration to build a customer-centric culture in our organizations? A culture where every employee understands how their work impacts customers and a place where everything they do and every action they take occurs with the customer in mind.
As I conclude, I turn this question to you. What songs would you add to our playlist? Tune into and join the CXQOTD conversation every day on Twitter, LinkedIn, or in the CX Accelerator Slack community. Happy listening!
Thanks Jeremy Watkin for this really fun and encouraging post!