It’s the end of CX as we know it. Or, is it just the end of the year?

It is so that time of year, isn’t it? My inbox is getting pummeled with predictions and things CX practitioners need to focus on for 2019.

I’m also seeing a plethora of dire warnings to CX pros, from all sorts of people who analyze things. CX is failing. CX pros are going to jump ship. CX is dying.

I’ve got to tell you guys, not much has changed over the last several years. In 2015, I wrote a piece titled: “Oh, how far we’ve come — and how far we still have to travel!” In it, I discussed the segmentation of the Customer Experience profession, the over-measurement of customers, and the under-whelmingness of the average company’s approach to CX. That was three years ago. I could simply change the date on the article and it would be totally salient today.

And that scares me, because it means:

• We’re not learning.
• I’m not being loud enough. 
  
• Or, both.

Frankly, I feel like we’ve turned the profession into the shiny, bouncy ball syndrome — or worse: SQUIRREL!!!! Chase AI! Wait no, focus on journey mapping! Only NPS matters! No! NPS is the worst!

Because of all of the above, I’m on a mission to take back CX. I want us to get our swagger back. I want us to be successful. I want every company to have a CX team and I want CX pros to be the most sought after resource out there.

I truly believe that the only way to do this is to get back to basics. So that is where we’re going. We’re going to spend the next 12 months going back to the basics that have made our team so successful at every transformation we’ve led and every company we’ve consulted with. And we’re hopeful you’ll join us for the ride.

Over the course of 2019, we’re going to cover:

• How to prove that CX is the right thing to do.
• How to set up a CX program.
• How to create a CX strategy.
• How to evangelize in order to get the organization on board.
• How to set up your priorities – quick hits and big wins.

I fear that the only way to really, really get this thing back on track is take people back to the basics. For if we focus on those basics, then, and only then, do we earn the right to tell a company how to change.

In the meantime, put down the catnip, stop listening to anyone who calls themselves a guru, and ready yourself for a return to what we know matters. If there is something you want us to answer, please, comment here or reach out to us directly. We’d love to hear from you.

Featured image credit: Bart Simpson Chalkboard Wallpaper Generator at addletters.com