Why is customer experience such a hot topic? Because it's important, complex, and broken. That's why firms should head toward Experience-Based Differentiation (EBD), a blueprint for customer experience excellence. But EBD can't be mastered overnight. Instead, companies must embark on a multiyear journey through five levels of EBD maturity: 1) interested; 2) invested; 3) committed; 4) engaged; and 5) embedded. Along the way, firms need to develop customer-centric DNA, a corporate culture with six components that include collective celebrations, commitment to employees, and consistent tradeoffs. To succeed in the transformation, firms must prepare for a multiyear journey and include their HR groups in the effort.