Podcast ¦ CX Passport: The One With The Training Clothing – Jannecke Drangert-Hveding E234

Key Take Aways

1. Customer experience (CX) should be a means to solve real customer problems, not an end in itself, especially in complex organisations.
2. CX is often hampered by over-reliance on frameworks, awards, and industry buzzwords, which can detract from delivering tangible value.
3. In the Nordic context, success in digital transformation hinges on humility and understanding the inherent trade-offs faced by leadership.
4. Customer-centric practitioners must balance outside-in thinking with an appreciation of internal trade-offs to truly drive value.
5. Trust and ecosystem connectivity are fundamental to public sector digital services in the Nordics, underpinning their high adoption rates.
6. Digital services that focus on time-saving and convenience align with Nordic cultural values, fostering satisfaction and loyalty.
7. There exists a natural inclination towards humanised digital interactions in the Nordics, exemplified in sectors like healthcare and retail.
8. Formal CX teams are less prevalent in the Nordics; CX is a leadership-driven topic, embedded within strategic decision-making rather than siloed departments.
9. Success in delivering customer value without formal CX structures depends on organisational ambassadors who champion customer interests organisation-wide.
10. The concept of ‘value champions’ highlights the importance of individuals passionate about creating organisational value through customer experience.
11. The future of CX involves the realisation that tools and methodologies will evolve, but true success requires integration into overall business strategy.
12. Organisations should prioritise outcomes and tangible results over buzzwords, realising that CX is most effective when embedded into core operations.

Key Statistics

• Nordic countries moved early into digitalisation, with active digital service adoption since the late 1990s.
• Customer trust and ecosystem connectivity are cited as key success factors in Nordic digital services, e.g., a state monopoly for alcohol sales with high satisfaction ratings.
• Customer experience teams in the Nordics tend to be smaller and often part-time, with a focus on integration rather than standalone units or titles.

Key Discussion Points

• The distinction between CX as an industry term and its practical application focused on customer value.
• The necessity for humility among CX practitioners to understand organisational trade-offs and complex contexts.
• How Nordic countries’ emphasis on trust and ecosystems safeguard digital service success.
• The importance of balancing digital efficiency with humanised interactions, especially in critical sectors like healthcare.
• Reasons behind the Nordic region’s lead in digital public sector services, centred on trust and ecosystem collaboration.
• The impact of informal CX leadership and cultural attitudes on delivering customer outcomes without formal hierarchies.
• The importance of leadership champions and organisational ambassadors in realising CX ambitions.
• The evolving role of CX tools and benchmarks as part of a broader integrated business strategy.
• Challenges faced by organisations when measuring success solely through metrics like NPS versus financial outcomes.
• The future trajectory of CX as a strategy, focusing on integration rather than specialised units.
• The analogy of CX being like training clothing—valuable only if actively used to create tangible results.
• The need to shift focus from CX labels towards real results that directly impact business value and customer satisfaction.

Podcast Description

This podcast explores the evolving landscape of customer experience (CX) through the lens of Nordic organisations and leaders. It challenges conventional industry frameworks and emphasises the importance of organisational humility, trust, and strategic integration in delivering true customer value. Hosted by Rick, the episode features insights from Janika Dranga, a seasoned CX strategist, who advocates for leadership-driven approaches and practical, outcome-focused practices rather than formal CX structures. Engaging and thought-provoking, it offers a nuanced perspective on how businesses can embed customer-centricity into their core operations for sustainable growth.