7 Ways to Improve Customer Experience Through Better Internal Communication

When you’ve done the hard work of collecting customer experience (CX) data and you’ve gained insights from that information, what happens next? 

If you’ve worked with us on your CX program, then you’re getting up-to-date, simple, and actionable information. In our experience consulting with national and international retail brands, the key to actually improving your customer experience is this: 

 

You need to share this data with the right people in your organization at the right time. 

Sharing customer feedback and employee feedback throughout your organization is important because it:

1. Signals to your organization that your customer’s experience is a priority,
2. Indicates a willingness to transparently share performance metrics and results, and
3. Establishes ongoing awareness of brand performance throughout the entire organization.

Everyone plays a part in making sure your customers have the best experience, so it makes sense that the information you glean from your CX program needs to be shared with everyone in the company.

Easier said than done, right? We’ve got you covered in this article, so don’t worry.

Here are just a few tips and best practices for cascading information to the right people, at the right time, throughout your organization.

 

#1. Create a clear road map.

Before sharing CX insights throughout the entire organization, you need a clear road map for all hierarchies. A roadmap enables your brand to immediately take action and define priorities and new initiatives to drive performance and sales.

 

#2. Decide what type of information needs to be sent through the ranks.

The information you cascade throughout the organization should be actionable, simple, and  real-time.

Actionable: Raw data is not what your team needs. They need actionable insights in order to execute efficiently and meaningfully. 

Simple: A visually simple, meaningful report or dashboard helps team members stay engaged and take action, without being overwhelmed. 

In Real-Time: Results should be in real-time, or as close to real-time as possible, to ensure relevancy. Real-time data supports managers and frontline colleagues so they can take immediate action when needed.

 

#3 Create a culture of CX performance transparency.

Sharing information to the right people at the right time also helps reinforce a culture of CX performance transparency. 

Both negative and positive feedback should be shared throughout the organization. This open feedback loop improves morale and enables coaching and training opportunities. Hiding or ignoring negative feedback will only hinder your efforts.

 

#4 Cascade information throughout the organization efficiently.

Automate, automate, automate.

You need an automated reporting system that can scale communication efficiently and effectively.

For example, our Catapult tool automatically distributes the right data to the right person in real-time. Users can customize and adjust reporting according to their specific needs and priorities.

Evaluating these dashboards in real-time leads to better management of the customer experience, which leads to enhanced customer retention, advocacy and sales. 

 

#5. Decide who in the organization needs what type of information.

It’s a mantra at this point: send the right information to the right people at the right time. This starts with understanding company hierarchy needs, and then customizing and automating the right reporting to these teams.

C-Suite: Leadership and executives need detailed summary reports at the company level to properly gauge performance.

Management: Department managers (or middle management) need detailed summary reporting by region, zone and district to identify weaknesses and strengths.

Store Managers: These folks need a detailed action plan to highlight areas of focus and success.

 

#6. Report regularly.

You can customize this depending on your need. Whether you report daily, weekly, or monthly, the key is consistent, regular reporting. 

The frequency, in our experience, is up to the brand. Daily may be too much, depending on the individuals receiving those reports, while monthly may not be often enough to stay top of mind, so it is up to your organization to find the cadence that works for you.

 

#7. Incentivize your team.

Use insights to incentivize your team and improve customer experience. Management should point out areas of excellence, as well as areas of opportunities, in a constructive manner, and implement incentive programs for outstanding performance.

An engaged employee is more likely to stay with your company longer. They tend to be more productive, and in turn, make your customers happier and more engaged. 

 

Now you’re ready!

Information is power — it can inspire small changes and dramatic improvements when it reaches the right people at the right time. We know that reporting on CX information and sharing insights throughout your organization is not an easy task. It’s why we created Catapult CX Analytics to make reporting easier. Our Catapult tool integrates, harmonizes and analyzes multiple CX data streams. It enables anyone on your team access to powerful feedback and real-time updates, in turn pinpointing priorities and putting plans into action.

Curious to learn more? Contact us to get started.