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It’s no secret that the last few years have upended the way customers want to interact with companies. Digital engagement has led to higher customer expectations, bigger demands and about a million more choices if one brand doesn’t deliver. Privacy laws and changes by tech companies have marketers scrambling to get the data they need to meet customer expectations. Once tried-and-true CX programs, those that don’t lead with data and digital, are now cracking under the weight. The pressure is on!

Chances are your CX strategy is crying out for a modern makeover.

Our study found that more than 60% of marketing leaders say the digital customer journey has dramatically changed their CX strategy. Worse, nearly two-thirds aren’t very confident in their CX strategy’s ability to win and retain customers in this new environment.

Related: Get ahead of the disruption! Become a CMO Council Member today!

The challenge is to orchestrate a great customer experience that hits all the right notes, from digital self-service to meaningful personalization to privacy and trust to seamless omnichannel, including a “hybrid” blend of physical and digital experiences. Consumers want a frictionless, rewarding experience when buying great products at affordable prices despite volatile geopolitical and macroeconomic trends. Not so simple.

For a CX makeover, our study found that brands need to:

• Understand what drives customer loyalty today 
• Climb the maturity curve of CX capabilities
• Get ahead of consumer concerns about privacy 
• Transform MarTech from an inhibitor to an enabler 
• Embrace AI to serve up more rewarding experiences

“Over the last two years, our CX strategy has been changing,” says Serra Karaarslan, oncology biosimilars and marketing excellence lead at Pfizer. “The reason is that everything is changing. We live in such a complex, digitalized, hybrid, face-to-face reality that it’s normal to not be sure about customer expectations.”

The good news for brands with the courage to reimagine CX: Customers stand ready to reward them.

“We have plenty of customers and prospects who tell us that a common friction point with networking providers is the ease of doing business,” says Alicia Dietsch, senior vice president of business marketing at AT&T. “They tell us, if we get it right, it would be a significant differentiation.”

The CMO Council and SAS embarked on an extensive study to understand where CX gaps and opportunities lie. We looked at CX from various perspectives and conducted separate surveys for consumers and marketers. We compared mature CX capabilities between top and bottom performers. We noted changes and similarities in CX attitudes from pre-pandemic days to today.

While you’ll find insights and recommendations throughout this report, a recurring theme is that CX is as mercurial as human behavior. CX strategies and technologies, too, are constantly evolving. CMOs must work hard to stay ahead.

Our findings are based on a survey of more than 1,000 marketing leaders and a survey of more than 2,000 consumers across the globe. Additionally, we conducted 10 in-depth interviews with executives from companies such as AT&T, Pfizer, FedEx, Standard Chartered Bank, Hitachi Vantara, Globe Telecom, and Mars Wrigley.

Read More. Download this 57-page report for free!