How to get your organization to feel the urgency of CX
If you can’t explain the urgency of customer experience (CX), who can? As CX leaders, we often struggle to make CX a top priority within our organizations. People nod along when we talk about improving customer experiences, but when it comes to budget, resources, or executive buy-in – suddenly, other priorities take center stage.
So how do we get our organizations to feel the urgency of CX?
This was the focus of my latest podcast episode, where I explored why urgency is the missing link in many CX strategies and how to communicate it effectively. If CX is seen as ‘important but not urgent,’ action will always be postponed. And we simply can’t afford that.
Why CX urgency is a challenge
For many organizations, CX feels like a long-term investment rather than an immediate business necessity. But when CX is deprioritized, customer dissatisfaction builds up, loyalty erodes, and competitors gain an edge.
Some common signs that urgency is missing:
- Leadership says, “Great plan!” but doesn’t allocate a budget.
- Employees see CX as “extra work” instead of core business.
- Customers keep complaining about the same issues year after year.
If you recognize these challenges, it’s time to sharpen your urgency message.
The CX time trap: Why organizations delay action
One of the biggest pitfalls in CX leadership is the CX Time Trap – when CX initiatives are always seen as important, but not urgent. When leadership is focused on short-term KPI’s like quarterly revenue, CX improvements can feel like something that can wait until next year… and the year after that.
The solution? Make the urgency of CX undeniable. Here’s how:
Three common mistakes CX leaders make when communicating urgency (and how to fix them)
- Mistake 1: Relying on data without storytelling
Numbers alone don’t drive action. CX leaders often say things like, “Our NPS dropped by 3 points” or “Churn increased by 2%.” But numbers don’t create emotional impact.
Fix: Pair data with real customer stories.
Example: Instead of “NPS dropped”, say: “Last month, a customer who had been with us for 10 years left because they felt like we didn’t care about their experience.” That’s powerful. - Mistake 2: Positioning CX as a long-term goal, not an immediate business issue
If CX is framed as a ‘future ambition,’ it will never be treated as urgent. Leadership might agree that CX is important, but without immediate relevance, it will always be pushed aside.
Fix: Tie CX to a burning platform issue.
Example: “Our top competitor just launched a digital self-service platform, and we’re still relying on outdated processes. If we don’t act now, we will lose customers.” This makes CX a today problem, not a tomorrow one. - Mistake 3: Not linking CX urgency to business goals
Executives don’t just care about customer satisfaction; they care about growth, cost savings, and competitive advantage. If CX urgency isn’t connected to these priorities, it won’t get leadership attention.
Fix: Frame CX as a business enabler.
Example: “Our mission is to make financial services accessible to everyone. Yet, our digital onboarding process takes 48 hours while competitors offer a 5-minute signup. If we don’t fix this, we will lose customers and revenue.”
How to create an unstoppable CX urgency statement
If you want your organization to feel the urgency of CX, you need to craft a message that sticks. Here’s a simple three-step formula to help:
- Past: Where we come from
Example: “We’ve built a strong brand, but customer trust is declining.” - Present: The crisis or opportunity NOW
Example: “We are losing customers because our competitors offer seamless digital experiences, and we don’t.” - Future: What happens if we don’t act?
Example: “If we don’t adapt, we will lose X% of customers in the next 3 years, impacting our revenue and market position.”
This approach ensures your urgency statement is not just understood – but felt.
Join my CX Story webinar to refine your urgency narrative
Want to craft a CX urgency statement that gets leadership buy-in and drives real action? In my CX Story Webinar on March 25 & 26, I’ll walk you through:
- How to make CX an urgent priority in your organization.
- Real-life examples of companies that successfully shifted leadership focus.
- A structured approach to crafting your own CX urgency message.
Seats are limited – Register here to secure your spot!
No sense of urgency = No action. Let’s change that.
Until next time, keep spicing up your Customer Experience leadership.
*****
Nienke Bloem is often called the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress.
She’s a global CX thought leader, educator and a global keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She leads a speaking practice, a CX game company and a training business; she breathes Customer Experiences and is author of two CX books.
Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for your CCXP and she is the go-to person voor CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and bring direct results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she hosts a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helps leaders spice up their leadership and deliver an engaging CX Story including a solid CX Strategy. Besides, she is a modern-day pilgrim and found the parallel with leading customer centric transformations.
With her over 20 years corporate experience, she speaks the business language. Her keynotes and education programs in Customer Experience are inspiring and hands-on. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA and it is her mission to Make Customer Experience Work and help you deliver business results. Subscribe to her weekly CX Greetz to stay tuned.
