Only a handful of months ago, CX Accelerator started with a dream to create a virtual community exclusively for CX professionals. 400 people and 15,200 messages later, the Slack workspace has become something far more meaningful than anyone could have anticipated. Through the enthusiasm and participation of our members, CX Accelerator has been transformed into a fountain of knowledge and encouragement. It's incredible what can be accomplished when the only goal is to help one another to advance the discipline of Customer Experience.
Having reached 400 members is a fantastic milestone on which to pause and reflect on a few favorite highlights (although we’re only just getting started!)
Highlight #1: Behind the Scenes
First and foremost, the pleasure of working alongside an amazing team of community organizers. These five individuals are the pillars on which the community rests. They have been remarkably generous with their time and wisdom. Jenny Dempsey thank you for jumping into this thing even when you had major life changes going on, and being a constant source of joy and encouragement. Sue Duris thank you for providing a veteran perspective each step of the way, and asking the tough questions to help us stay focused. Jeremy Watkin you've created a wonderful culture inside the dialog with your thought-provoking questions and helpful nature. Kaye Chapman you've inspired everyone with your creativity and Tolkien-level wordsmith powers. Becky Roemen came in like a burst of energy...establishing the book huddle in record time, taking our social media to entirely the next level, and so much more. A heartfelt thanks to all of you for making this dream a reality and using your gifts to make this an exceptional community!
Highlight #2: No More Post-Conference Blues...
Don't you hate that feeling of coming home after an amazing conference and missing everyone like crazy? It's hard to build relationships with other CX pros when you see them only once a year and exchange just a couple of emails. CX Accelerator has changed that for me. Having direct and immediate access to my like-minded CX friends though Slack has made a huge difference. It's wonderful to be able to do a quick check-in to see how someone is doing, share a new idea, or brainstorm on something together without waiting on emails back and forth. This boost of creative energy has gotten me through several tough spots as well as enriching friendships throughout the year.
Highlight #3: Moving the CX Needle
One of my favorite innovations in the CX Accelerator community is our "CX Challenge of the Week." Every Monday a community member challenges us with a simple way to enhance either the Customer Experience or the Employee Experience. The dialog from these challenges has been just fantastic. Here is an example of a great exchange from Tim Prugar's challenge:
Highlight #4 - Helping People Across Geographic Boundaries
I get goose pimples when I see CX pros, who have essentially nothing in common beyond CX and a desire to help, rally to assist one another. Just yesterday we had a member from Kenya ask for help on increasing customer satisfaction scores. Within hours, 10 people from 4 different countries had offered phone calls, tips, resources to view, and more. This is uncommon and incredible, yet it happens regularly within our community. That’s one of the reasons why Customer Experience is such a unique field - the generosity of its practitioners sets CX apart from any other function.
While CX is rapidly changing and evolving through the forces of globalization, IoT, AI and more, one thing that will never change is that we are truly better together. I can hardly wait to see what the next few months will bring, let alone future years, as CX Accelerator continues to bring CX professionals together to help us all deliver the very best in Customer Experience.
Are you ready to join us and accelerate your CX career? Enter below!
Nate Brown is the Co-founder of CX Accelerator. While Customer Service is his primary expertise, Nate is able to leverage experience in professional services, marketing, and sales to connect dots and solve the big problems. From authoring and leading a Customer Experience program, to journey mapping, to managing a complex contact center, Nate is always learning new things and sharing with the CX community. Twitter - @CustomerIsFirst LinkedIn - Nate Brown * Edited by Kaye Chapman