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steps way from creating what they think would work, and instead thinking about the customer and what would work best for them. Innovation is led from the top and leaders must drive this agenda for CX excellence. Leading for change and leading for customer experience excellence is more about the leader and less about the led. The culture of an organization takes the shape of its leader and what they stand for. For organizations to keep up with the ever changing customer and design products and services and their requisite processes to reach and serve customers, then top leadership must be wholly invested in desirable customer outcomes. The leaders plagued by founder’s syndrome who are insensitive to the changing internal and external customer landscape, and who are resistant to accepting constructive feedback, stand to ruin their organizations irreparably. Leaders who continue to view their organizations as their personal property, and who are unwilling to let go of the reins to allow for new and fresh ideas to come in for the recreation of customer experiences, are doing themselves, their organization Leaders who contin- ue to view their or- ganizations as their personal property, and who are unwill- ing to let go of the reins to allow for new and fresh ideas to come in for the recre- ation of customer ex- periences, are doing themselves, their or- ganization and their original dreams for which they created it, a huge disservice. and their original dreams for which they created it, a huge disservice. CX excellence cannot be nurtured, grow and thrive without leadership involvement. Everyone with a stake in the organization towards delivering on the customer promises made, need to lead well from the top and to create waves from the bottom till the agenda is followed and delivered constantly and consistently. To lead is to serve, and to serve is to serve customers as best as possible. And so any organization that wants to sit at the table of customer experience excellence, and stand up to be counted as having a brand reputation that cares for customers, needs to put a laser sharp focus on CX, all round ceaselessly. Carolyne Gathuru is the founder and director of strategy at LifeSkills Consulting. She has several years of experience in customer experience strategy development and training. You can commune with her on this or related issues via mail at: [email protected]