The CX Cast

Choosing how to organize and operate a customer experience (CX) team depends on many factors, including the business’s maturity, goals, structure, and culture. In this episode we’re joined by Deborah Cornwell, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience at Assurant, to discuss how they’ve structured their CX team in a large, decentralized organization. Click the titles […]

The precise definition and composition of a customer experience (CX) strategy has proven elusive for many business leaders. Getting it right is essential, though, as the CX strategy plots how a business will execute on its CX vision, helping it achieve its business goals. In this episode we’re joined by Principal Analyst TJ Keitt to […]

Companies that put the customer at the center of their leadership, strategy, and operations enjoy stronger revenue growth, more satisfied customers, and more engaged employees than their competitors. And customer-obsessed firms can better pivot in response to market shocks like the pandemic. In this episode we’re joined by VP, Principal Analyst Shar VonBoskirk to discuss […]

High-functioning customer experience (CX) teams don’t treat CX as a standalone function, rather they determine what they can do themselves and what requires internal and external partnerships. In this episode we’re joined by Executive Partner and Senior Analyst Su Doyle to discuss collaboration and growth strategies for customer experience leaders, from who to work with […]

Building empathy with your customers is vital, particularly when your audience is part of the ‘silver tsunami’ of a rapidly growing ageing population. In this episode we’re joined by Archie Dey, Director of Consumer Experience and Insights at SCAN Health Plan to discuss how they listen to and empathize with their customers, from trainings to […]

To know what good customer journeys look like — and to benchmark them — customer experience (CX) pros need to understand how to design for emotion. This requires gaining a more granular understanding of how emotions impact CX and discrete customer journeys, going beyond simply delight. In this episode we’re joined by VP, Principal Analyst […]

As issues of gender equality, racial justice, and discrimination across the diversity spectrum hit the headlines, organizations are struggling to respond to customers, employees, and other stakeholders. In this episode, we discuss with Principal Analyst, Katy Tynan, about how having a diverse workforce is both a competitive advantage and table stakes for values-based consumers and […]

C-level leaders know they are on the hook for an anywhere-work strategy beyond the pandemic. A striking 75% of CEOs surveyed expect their office spaces to shrink. But many aren’t sure what benefits they can expect from such a bold move nor do they know how to succeed.  In this episode we’re joined by VP, Principal […]

Data ethics and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are increasingly critical issues for organizations. In research conducted for our Forrester Wave™ evaluation of customer database and engagement agencies, we uncovered an important mandate for CMOs: The convergence of these two practices is central to a brand’s customer engagement strategy.  In this episode we’re joined by […]

Once a company is bought-in on design, how do design leads scale the design organization to continue to meet the company’s evolving needs?  In this episode we’re joined by Lance Thornswood, Senior Vice President, Head of Design at US Bank, to discuss the scaling of their design practice, which has doubled in size each year […]

All firms can access the same tools for business success — capital, business process, and tech — making it hard to generate a sustainable market advantage. The pandemic reveals that adaptive companies update their use of these tools more effectively than others. But adaptivity depends on an underutilized fourth tool: a workforce motivated to apply […]

Evolving an organization’s culture towards greater customer centricity is complex work, requiring careful prioritization. In this episode we’re joined by Chief Experience Officer of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC), Gratia Carver, to discuss her team’s approach to evolving culture and the important role measurement plays. Click the titles below for more […]

With vaccine rollout occurring around the world, hopes run high of returning to a life free from COVID-19. Vaccine passports promise to quickly turn this hope into a reality, including bringing employees back to the physical workplace. Despite the high expectations, employers must be cautious as they plan and execute their pandemic management plans. In […]

Marketers and CX professionals are out of touch with today’s business realities. While companies pursue business models that scramble traditional customer lifecycles, marketing and CX functions remain siloed in outdated roles that become ineffective and wasteful. There is a better way forward: CX and marketing can master the new normal by reinventing their relationship with […]

In this episode, we’re joined by VP, Research Director Harley Manning to discuss a recent internal research effort to better understand the needs of Forrester clients.  Iterative interviews with about 40 senior CX leaders helped to uncover what they’re working on, what data and insights they’re missing, and more. Click the titles below for more […]

After a merger and acquisition, CX teams must face the realities of combining forces.  From VoC measurement to the overall approach for improving experiences, they must evaluate ways of working across both organizations.  In this episode, we are joined by Yvan Goupil, Head of Customer and Marketing Insight at Virgin Money UK, who experienced and […]

Measuring the impact of design is critical so that design teams can prove their value internally, scale up, and elevate their strategic influence. In this episode, Principal Analyst, Gina Bhawalkar, joins us to answer the question: What steps can companies take to measure the business impact of experience design? The complexity of this topic and […]

Companies are adopting agile frameworks and adding designers to their delivery teams to improve digital experience development efforts. But these two constituencies don’t rely on the same workflow, artifacts, or ceremonies — and often struggle to find common ground as a result. In this episode, we’re joined by Senior Analyst Karine Cardona-Smits to discuss how […]

Organizations don’t typically know how customers derive value and which value drivers matter most. Instead, they measure value using flawed proxies. They also collect data about value in different parts of the organization, at different cadences, and using different tools, making it hard to assemble a complete picture of the value that customers derive. In […]