Reflections on the Dawn of a New (CX) Day
This past Monday, our CEO, Barak Eilam, was given the honor of ringing the bell to mark the day’s opening of trading activity at NASDAQ. Marking thirty years since NICE’s founding, and twenty years since the company was first listed on the NASDAQ Stock Exchange, it made for a beautiful morning in Manhattan.
Celebrating a day of trading, and 30 years of success
Employees from the company’s New York and New Jersey offices celebrated the occasion with a reception at the Marriott Marquis hotel in Times Square—the so-called “Center of the Universe,” one of the world’s most-visited tourist destinations.
As I looked out over the hustle and bustle of one of the world’s busiest and most iconic crossroads, I was reminded of the sheer volume of advertising one finds there. Every visible nook and cranny represents prime ad space, and major brands would seem to believe they’ve “made it” when they can afford to declare their message to the millions who make their way down Broadway. (On this day, NICE joined in on the action, taking over at least two marquees.)
Taken in sum, these grandiose billboards, flashing lights, revolving images and scrolling boards have the effect of a thousand voices shouting over each other, each trying to get a potential customer’s attention, each trying to convey its promise to the crowd, within the span of a single glance:
Get the most advanced technology, with the highest-resolution images.
Get the car that’ll turn heads, or the truck that’ll climb a mountain for you.
Wear the outfits that’ll attract beautiful women, or that must be the best because a certain athlete wears them.
Invest with us, and your dollars will multiply.
This will excite your kids, and you’re (probably) on vacation, so why not?
And so on.
While each and every one of these displays may be the product of thorough, well-planned and highly informed marketing efforts, in this context, having so much marketing messaging crammed into such a small space might have the effect of “throwing everything against this wall, and seeing what sticks (in the customer’s mind).” And this got me thinking: What would the customers say if they had this space to work with?
Consider this: All of these brands are trying to sell people on the value of their product. But what if the message was instead “we are listening, and want to provide the experience you seek, and will do what is necessary to earn your continued loyalty?”
A company that commits to a customer-centric culture—instilling in its employees the value of making decisions, developing processes and building products that improve the customer experience first and foremost—is a company best positioned to generate long-term revenues and opportunities through high customer loyalty and brand advocacy.
As such, I would argue Times Square is the perfect venue for a brand like NICE to deliver its message. Among all these images, ours is a reminder that focusing on the customer is paramount, and that each of these brands shouting their messages only fulfills its promise when it gives the customer what he or she desires. That means listening to the voice of the customer, in whichever form it takes. It means making the customer journey as efficient and painless as possible.
When a brand delivers its message to the masses in Times Square, it’s likely true that company has “made it,” and giving customers what they want is essential to both achieving that level of success, and maintaining it.
It’s no coincidence more than 80 of the Fortune 100 companies are using NICE solutions.
General Eilam addresses his troops, leading NICE
into battle for continued growth over the next 30 years
Are you interested in building the kind of customer-centric culture that could help your brand leave its mark on Times Square (or, more importantly, customer hearts and minds)? Join us for a webinar, “Utilizing Customer Feedback to Drive Cultural Change,” on Thursday, September 29, to learn how Direct Line Group leveraged voice of the customer technology to align frontline employees around the customer experience, driving improved CSAT and NPS® for the organization.
It’s almost that time of year again. Have you decided how YOUR organization will be celebrating CX Day?