According to Walker’s Customers 2020 study, the role of the CX professional is changing. (This study is focused on how the customer experience industry will look in the year 2020.) Several emerging leadership roles on the customer experience management team are identified. New roles will evolve, all roles will change, and the expertise, requirements, and responsibilities will be a bit different from what they are today.
For example, the role of customer intelligence advocate will require even more in the future. These professionals will be responsible for supporting the use of customer intelligence within their part of the business which will be increasingly broad – internal operations, such as HR and Finance, Product groups, such as R&D and Product Development, and client-facing roles, such as Sales and Account Management.
What does this mean for customer intelligence advocates?
- They will be key communicators within the organization. They will need to understand, socialize and “sell” customer insights to help make change happen.
- They will work cross functionally, communicating both internally and externally.
- In addition to understanding customer feedback & insights, other critical skills will include: establishing credibility, exerting influence, and of course being great communicators.
Based on a conversation with a group of customer strategists, my take is that the customer intelligence advocate role of the future builds on what is happening today – yet kicks it up several notches. More focus and dedicated attention will be needed, along with additional skills and experience. To be successful, our VoC teams will require executive support & buy-in, along with a culture of being customer centric.
Do you have what it takes?
Kitty Radcliff
Vice President
