Customer Experience (CX) has a major influence on an organisation’s ability to grow its revenue, customer base and market share. Without exceptional CX, customers will simply jump ship and find another product or service provider. Statistics show that 86% of customers are willing to pay more for a great experience. Companies who focus on CX increase their revenue by 84%.
Equipping frontline staff with the practical skills they need to provide great CX through training is vitally important. Equally, CX coaching is essential for executives, department leaders and entrepreneurs. A survey by Cloudshare found that 82% of respondents intended to increase their customer training budget. Additionally, 96% agreed that customer training for employees is important.
So, what should you look for when selecting your CX trainer? Here are the 7 habits of a highly effective CX trainer to provide you with some guidance.
1. Good listener
A good trainer listens to their client’s needs in order to understand their requirements. They also listen to participants who attend their training sessions to better understand their pain points. This skill enables a CX trainer to provide the right tools, solutions and teachings which are custom designed to their client’s needs.
2. Lifelong learner
For this habit, a CX trainer should have their own personal development plan which includes reading books, blog posts and articles. This will enable a trainer to stay up to date with the latest CX trends and data. Additionally, they may want to consider gaining an industry recognised certification to validate their experience.
3. Excellent communicator
An effective CX trainer has mastered the art of professional communication. They understand how to break down complex CX topics and explain them in a way that is easy to follow. Also, they can engage an audience and capture their attention through the way they deliver their modules.
4. Content creator
Constructing useful, meaningful and valuable content can set a CX trainer apart from their competitors. This can include blog posts, articles or even a podcast. The purpose is for the trainer to demonstrate their talent and skills whilst creating visibility around their personal brand.
5. Getting involved
For this habit, a trainer should be open to opportunities that will increase their first-hand experience of CX. This may include joining a board, conducting research for a white paper or simply attending an industry conference. CX trainers should also have a wealth of experience ‘on the frontline’ where they have perhaps dealt with customer service issues in a previous role; provided training to different levels of employees; or facilitated training to participants from different industries.
6. Adaptable
The world we live in is constantly changing in terms of digitalisation, remote working trends, and the rise in customer expectations. CX trainers need to be adaptive in their approach to delivering training and open to new ideas. For example, the need for trainers who offer a hybrid package of online and in-person training is likely to increase over the next few years.
7. Healthy
The role of a CX trainer can be significantly demanding as it involves research, course creation, consulting and potentially client relations. To stay on top of things, it’s important for trainers to prioritise their health. This includes regular exercise, a healthy eating plan and taking time off for rest and holidays.
When looking for your next CX trainer, use these 7 habits to benchmark and decide if they will be a good fit. For CX trainers, are you adopting all 7 habits? Or, do you need to brush up on a few? Wherever you are in the journey of development, use these as a guide to better yourself and improve your craft.