Continuing The Tempkin Group predictions for 2014. Among the key ones were more customer journey mapping, better collection of Voice of the Customer program feedback using things like topic specific surveys, comments on surveys, contact center calls, social media conversations and chats with agents, the evolution of contact centers into what Tempkin called Relationship Hubs (to improve customer loyalty), and integration of customer behavior data.

1. Customer experience
(CX) refers to the total of
all experiences the
customer has with the
business, based on all
interactions and thoughts
about the business.
Customer experience is an
integral part of customer
relationship management
(CRM).
Customer experience in 2014

2. 8. Deeper appreciation of employee assets
Companies are beginning to see the deep connection between employee engagement and
customer experience. Engaged employees are more than twice as likely to stay late at work,
help someone at work even if they're not asked, and do something good for the company
even if it's not expected of them. In 2014 we'll see more employee surveys, executives
developing employee engagement goals, and managerial training focused on employee
engagement.

3. 9. Mobile, mobile, Mobile & Personal
health monitoring takes off
Devices will have more apps
and sensors that will enable
consumers to do more things
wherever they go.
We'll see a surge
of personal
health monitors.
This isn't about mobile phones:
It's about digital experiences
integrated into everyday life.

4. 10. Software as an experience continues
The initial rise of cloud-based software (a.k.a.
SaaS or software-as-a-service) focused on
renting access to software instead of selling
licenses. That makes sense, considering that
Net Promoter Scores for tech vendors are
more correlated to customer experience than
product performance. As cloud-based
software expands, we'll see these offerings
cater more explicitly to the needs of
customers. How? Simpler, more focused,
more specialized applications (like smart
phone apps), more emphasis on quick initial
usability, more sharing of best practices
(usage, not technical), and more
customization based on the behavioural
analysis of users.

5. 11. Resurgence of purpose
As companies push forward on their CX journeys, they'll find that there's nothing holding
their efforts together. The desire to improve customer experience will fall victim to other
priorities if the effort is not tied to the core values of the company.
But many organizations focus so
intently on their operations that they
lose sight of their raisons d'être.

6. 12. CX certification accelerates
CX education
The Customer Experience Professionals Association has launched its Certified
Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) certification in 2014.
This industry-wide certification helps
solidifying the role of CX professionals
and creates demand for more CX
training.

7. 13. The rise of “empathy”
As companies increasingly focus on CX in 2014, they'll recognize that
their organizations lack a deep understanding and appreciation for their
customers. It's not a flaw in the people, just a natural result of an
internal focus on day-to-day operations. From now on, we'll hear more
executives talk about the need to build empathy for customers, making
“empathy” the CX word for 2014.

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