The customer experience has become the competitive battleground for business. By delivering a consistent, memorable experience, companies can create a competitive advantage that increases customer engagement, conversion, loyalty and advocacy. Today, almost everyone in a company plays a role in the customer experience — from HR to finance, operations, sales, marketing, customer service, even general employee connections and interactions. As a result, ownership and management of the entire customer experience has been elusive. That is rapidly changing. Over the next three-to-five years, 75 percent of marketers say they will be responsible for the end-to-end customer experience. This series will provide CMOs and business executives with a deeper understanding of the strategies and tactics required to deliver a superior 
end-to-end customer experience. This is the first of 10 executive education sessions.

2. The customer experience has become the competitive battleground for
business. By delivering a consistent, memorable experience, companies can
create a competitive advantage that increases customer engagement,
conversion, loyalty and advocacy.
Today, almost everyone in a company plays a role in the customer experience
— from HR to finance, operations, sales, marketing, customer service, even
general employee connections and interactions. As a result, ownership and
management of the entire customer experience has been elusive. That is
rapidly changing. Over the next three-to-five years, 75 percent of marketers
say they will be responsible for the end-to-end customer experience.
This series will provide CMOs and business executives with a deeper
understanding of the strategies and tactics required to deliver a superior
end-to-end customer experience.
/ About the Series

3. / Upcoming Sessions: April - June

4. / Upcoming Sessions: July - September

5. / Upcoming Sessions: October - December
Download the complete Curriculum Guide and
Register for Entire Series.
www.cmoeducationseries.com

6. The CMO and Marketing’s Role
in the Customer Experience.
Learning Objective:
You will walk away from this session with
the context and understanding you need to
make material changes to the role
marketing plays throughout the customer
experience.

7. James F. O’Gara, CEO and Founder, OnMessage
Strategic consulting firm, specializing in messaging
development and delivery in the customer experience.
/ About me
1,000s
of Hours Working
with CMOs / CEOs
HUNDREDS
of Emerging
Companies
DOZENS
of Fortune 500
Companies
25+ Yrs
Experience
Leading
Brands
Expertise and Experience
/ Customer research
and analysis
/ Corporate messaging
strategy and execution
/ Customer-centric
culture development
/ Go-to-market
strategic planning

8. Does your organization currently have a “customer experience” strategy in play?
If yes, how long has this initiative been active?
Do you own/lead this initiative?
If not, who does within the organization?
Do you believe the customer experience has dramatically changed?
Do you believe these changes impact your career and your field?
/ About you

9. / Let’s talk about change
Yesterday… Today…
Marketing pushed messages out through
defined channels.
Your message is available on-demand, 24 / 7 from any
and all channels.
Sales reps were the primary way customers got
to know your company.
Customers consume your story without human
intervention — when, where and how they wish.
Marketing’s priority was acquiring leads. Marketing is now responsible for acquiring customers and
retaining, growing and increasing loyalty.
Brands were built through controlled
campaigns, channels and messages.
Brands are defined by the story consumed and the
experience customers have across unlimited touchpoints.
Product features and functionality were the
basis of differentiation.
Products are being commoditized — a customer’s
experience is now the means of differentiation.
Employee communication and engagement with the
customer was limited, contained and controlled.
Customers can engage with employees through
endless channels and communication vehicles.

10. Yesterday… Today…
Sales reps controlled the sales conversation
and buying process.
The self-service buyer journey allows the customer
to opt-out before the sales process even starts.
Executives served as thought leaders and the
voice of the brand.
Every employee has a voice on the web and
impacts brand perception and loyalty.
Message consistency was controlled through
branding campaigns.
Explosion of online / offline channels make inconsistencies
in your story immediately apparent to customers.
Sales and marketing alignment was the
biggest challenge.
Alignment must be maintained across the employee
population, partner ecosystem, and all channels.
Employee engagement was a given — they got
a paycheck.
Employees want to work for a higher purpose and
understand how they play a role in the company’s story.
Alignment of the story and strategy was most
important at the leadership level.
Now every customer-facing employee must understand
and communicate how the strategy and story align.
Poor customer experiences and stories about
your business were contained.
Negative messages and stories can be shared with the
world 24 / 7.
Customer loyalty was achieved based on the
strength of very few, individual relationships.
Customer loyalty is based on minute-by-minute,
day-by-day interactions with your employee population.

11. How customers interact with your
company has fundamentally changed.
This changes the customer’s “experience.”

12. Customer experience is the product of the interactions between an
organization and a customer over the duration of their relationship. This
includes all of a customer's interactions with your company from awareness
to discovery, purchase, use of products/services, loyalty and advocacy.
Forrester Research simplifies this definition to…
“How customers perceive their interactions with your company.”
/ Let’s get grounded in a definition

13. We just said …
How customers interact with your
company has fundamentally changed.

14. “Analysis has found that only 29% of B2B
customers are fully engaged — that is,
emotionally and psychologically attached
to the companies they do business with.
The other 71% of customers are ready
and willing to take their business
elsewhere. This pattern holds true for
every type of enterprise.”
~ Gallup
/ We are operating in a different world
IMPLICATION
CMOs must capture greater
influence in the customer
experience to drive lasting
business results and control
their long-term success.

15. “B2B marketing has been all about how to
find the right message, figure out the right
value proposition, put the right offer out in the
marketplace, and target the right audience.
Now that dynamic has turned on its head.
Now buyers have control over the purchase
process and how they interact with sellers.”
~ Forrester Research
/ We are operating in a different world
IMPLICATION
Messaging consistency and
continuity is more critical than
ever before. The way you
develop and deliver your story
must evolve.

16. Change, while scary …
creates opportunity.

17. "Chief marketing officers say top management
is increasingly expecting them to lead their
organizations' customer-experience efforts.
The opportunity to lead customer-experience
efforts is an opportunity for CMOs to gain more
influence within their companies, but they risk
leaving that influence on the table if they don't
take the reins soon. Now is the time.”
~ Gartner
/ Change creates opportunity
IMPLICATION
Ownership of customer
experience in most companies is
elusive. The door is open for
CMOs to capture the
opportunity.

18. "To become the “general manager” of the
overall customer experience — to launch and
drive a market-oriented management of
customer engagement — means most CMOs
will need to acquire new skills. Many
marketing chiefs may not be ready for this
transformation as it requires not only a change
in their own competencies and responsibilities,
but also changes in their mindset and the
mindset of the whole organization."
~ Constellation Research
/ Change creates opportunity
IMPLICATION
Fundamental changes in
marketing skills, staffing models
and operating procedures are
required. Changing executive
perception will also be critical.

19. Let’s get more specific.
Trends impacting marketing’s role
in the customer experience.

20. Trends impacting marketing
“Always On”
/
“The “always on” nature of consumerism has bled over to B2B. Unleashing a new
powerful element in the ongoing buyer revolution. We are about to enter an era of
the self-qualified B2B buyer.” ~ Forrester Research
Customer Data
/ Insights
/
“Evolving from capturing the voice of the customer (VoC) to connecting
employees with realtime customer insight — and using this information
to direct their daily activity — is the next big competitive opportunity.”
~ Forrester Research
/
“The company has to determine what it stands for and how it separates itself in the
marketplace. That positioning informs the company’s interactions with customers and
suppliers, and without it, the rest of the model falls apart.” ~ Gallup B2B Research
Purpose vs.
Profits

21. Trends impacting marketing
Employees &
Partners Play
Critical Role
/
“When it comes to building buyer interest and trust, employees and partners are often
the best brand ambassadors.” ~ Forrester Research
“For the sake of their customers and their own business, companies need to rethink
how they engage and interact with their suppliers.” ~ Gallup
Culture Drives
Experience
/
“Does culture matter for B2B companies? The answer is an unequivocal — yes.
B2B entities absolutely must understand how their customers feel about them and
use that knowledge to shape their culture and the way they do business.” ~ Gallup
/
“The number one trait of companies that succeed in delivering a
superior customer experience is the ability to develop and deliver
a clear, consistent corporate message.” ~ McKinsey
Consistency +
Continuity is
King

22. Customer Experience is
Redefining the Role of
Marketing and the CMO.
Employees & Partners
Influence on Experience
Culture Drives
Experience
Consistency +
Continuity is King
Customer Data
and Insights
“Always On”
Purpose vs.
Profits
=
+
+
+ BUT HOW?
“CMOs should step forward and take responsibility for turning the enterprise toward
the customer. This means taking on a more significant role on the executive team …
it also begs CMOs to lead innovation processes in the organization … the CMO, has
to create a more engaged customer relationship … only CMOs who rethink their
approach to marketing operations will pull it off.”
~ Forrester Research

23. What CMOs and marketing
executives can do to win.

24. Modern marketing executives must…
/ Reach into customer-facing areas of the organization
/ Define enterprise-wide communication strategies and establish buy-in
/ Create the connectivity required to deliver a compelling customer experience
The job requires strong negotiation, collaboration, change
management, cross-functional process and leadership skills.

25. Connectivity
Marketing must fully integrate
cross-functional customer-
facing areas of the business,
communication channels and
touchpoints that are critical to
customer experience success.
Culture
Marketing must fully align the
corporate strategy, story and
culture with the customer
experience.
The cornerstones of a successful model …
Customer
Marketing strategy, staffing,
planning, execution and
budgeting must be anchored
in rich customer insights and
aligned with the customer
journey.

26. Drive critical decisions in four key areas…
STRATEGY
/ STRUCTURE
/
SYSTEMS
/ STORY
/
Customer
Connectivity
Culture

27. Customer Culture Connectivity
STRATEGY
Implement repeatable
customer insight research —
discover what they truly value
and care about.
Invest in repeatable customer
journey research — how /
when / why they engage with
your company.
Realign marketing strategy
and investments with
initiatives that align with the
customer journey and drive
acquisition, retention, loyalty
and advocacy.
Demonstrate how you and
your team are the
indispensable “customer”
subject matter experts for
executives and business
leaders.
Defining
marketing’s
strategic
requirements
and role in the
customer
experience.
Develop VoE program to
capture insights that help you
understand what motivates
employees and connects
them to the company’s overall
promise to customers.
Define and secure a formal
role in employee onboarding,
engagement, performance
review and internal
communication initiatives.
Design and implement
sustained “customer
experience” education and
engagement communication
initiatives across the
enterprise.
/ Identify and audit relevant
data sources across the
enterprise and assess how
this information can be
integrated/aggregated to
surface meaningful and
actionable customer
experience insights.
Leverage insights from your
research to align systems and
marketing resources around
specific phases / aspects of
the customer journey.

28. Customer Culture Connectivity
STRUCTURE
Reset marketing operations
across the business
(departments, roles,
responsibilities, etc.) to align
with customer journey.
Eliminate channel or content
specific silos that fragment
messaging development,
delivery and marketing efforts
in the customer journey.
Define and fill a position
responsible for consistent
“VoC” and “VoE” insight
gathering and analysis.
Define formal integration
processes or secure formal
positions within HR / internal
communications to drive
consistent communication
across the employee
population.
Activate an internal “VoC”
knowledge management
resource / system to capture
and manage customer
insights, sharing and
activation processes across
the enterprise.
/
Form a cross-functional
“customer experience” lead
team consisting of executives
from all customer-facing areas
of the business.
Use this as a forum through
which to define and secure
commitment to shared
customer experience goals
and clearly establish
marketing’s role in the
“customer experience.”
Aligning
marketing with
customer
insights and
journey.

29. Customer Culture Connectivity
SYSTEMS
Design and document what a
compelling, cohesive and
connected customer journey
looks … identifying specific
channels, touchpoints,
interactions, messages, etc.
that create optimal
experience.
Clearly define the data-sets
that are most meaningful and
actionable for improving the
customer experience.
Create a systematic process
for capturing and analyzing
data that accurately reflects
customer engagement, loyalty
and advocacy throughout the
customer experience.
Define technology-enabled
and manual processes that
ensure online and offline
aspects of the customer
journey are connected and
aligned.
Create a data integration
strategy that taps into
information sources across
critical customer-facing areas
of the business (sales,
marketing, customer service,
delivery, support, etc.).
Provide frontline employees
with systems and processes
by which they can elevate and
share critical customer
insights and knowledge
(challenges, positive
experiences, product / service
improvement, innovation,
etc.).
/
Defining data,
system and
process
integration
requirements
across all
customer-facing
areas of the
business.

30. Customer Culture Connectivity
STORY
Invest in the research
required to re-discover your
true story. What you do that is
most meaningful, relevant and
valuable to customers.
Develop a formal “Messaging
Platform containing
“customer-driven” messaging
that aligns with your go-to-
market strategy.
Conduct a semi-annual
Messaging Platform review
process that takes into
account go-to-market strategy
changes, current market
trends, competitive
movement, customer
requirement changes and
customer experience insights.
Re-engineer and connect
enterprise-wide messaging
development and delivery
processes across all internal
and external stakeholders
(online and offline).
Deploy “Corporate
Messaging” standards and
guidelines for each critical
phase of the customer
journey.
Develop formal processes that
increase customer knowledge
sharing and messaging
consistency across your
partner eco-system.
Conduct semi-annual go-to-
market strategy and story
review sessions with the
executive team. Ensuring
continuous alignment.
Develop formal “messaging
infusion” programs that
ensure the entire employee
population understands,
internalizes and activates the
corporate story in daily work
activities (training, educational
tools, customer experience
best practices and internal
communications initiatives).
/
Infusing a clear,
compelling and
consistent
corporate
message
throughout the
customer
journey.

31. What a winning model looks like
STRATEGY
/ STRUCTURE
SYSTEMS STORY
/
/ /
Customer
Connectivity
Culture
Formally document the
strategic intent, responsibilities
and goals for marketing’s role
in the customer experience.
Then secure appropriate
ownership within the
organization.
Identify and connect data,
systems and processes that
are crucial for delivering a
cohesive and consistent
customer journey.
Align marketing operations (roles,
responsibilities, processes) with
the customer journey; integrate
processes across customer-facing
areas of the business; and initiate
sustained culture development
programs required to deliver a
connected and compelling
experience.
Develop and drive consistent
utilization of a customer-centric
Messaging Platform inside and
outside of the organization that
aligns corporate Strategy, Vision,
Mission, Values, Purpose, Promise
and Core Value Messages.

32. A recent Heidrick & Struggles study found that 62 percent of CMOs
view relationships with peers on the senior executive team as vital to
their success. It should have been closer to 100 percent. Why?
Because without philosophical and strategic alignment around the
customer experience — a CMO will experience limited success.
Success is Predicated on the Executive
Team’s Commitment to Change.

33. The Path to Progress
Define &
Document What
Success Looks
Like
/ Increase revenue per
customer
/ Growth of customer
lifetime value
/ Increase in market
share
/ Decline in customer
support/service costs
NOTE: These gains
typically start to impact
earnings per share
(EPS) two or three
years after the first
round of the customer
experience investment
Secure C-Suite
Commitment
/ Clearly define roles
and responsibilities in
customer experience
/ Agree to stay the
course and create
change
/ Alignment re: time,
resources and dollars
required
/ Get 100% buy-in on
go-to-market strategy,
vision, mission,
values, purpose,
promise and story
Maintain
Accurate Picture
of Customer &
Journey
/ Define meaningful
customer data-set
/ Conduct repeatable
customer insight and
journey research
/ Develop cross-
functional
“experience” data
integration model
/ Maintain accurate
customer persona
profiles and journey
maps
/ Activate customer
insights to improve
experience
Commit to
Long-Term
Change
/ Secure cross-
functional authority to
drive change — no
sacred cows
/ Implement employee
-customer experience
feedback loop
/ Deploy corporate
messaging platform
/ Implement sustained
internal messaging
infusion processes
/ Foster culture that is
aligned with strategy,
story and customer
experience
Create Connected
Cross-Functional
Processes
/ Align marketing
roles / responsibilities
with critical phases of
customer journey
/ Activate cross-
functional “customer
experience” lead
team
/ Develop enterprise-
wide messaging
development and
delivery processes
(internal and external)
Measure and
Optimize
/ Deploy measurement
and reporting systems
/ Share progress reports
and challenges
/ Optimize critical
“experience” channels
and touchpoints
/ Refine messaging
development and
delivery processes

34. Questions?

35. Next Session
April 28th
La Cima Club in Las Colinas
Topic:
Capturing Data and Insights
to Improve the Customer
Experience.

36. About the sponsor.
OnMessage is a strategy consulting firm with 15 years of
experience executing corporate messaging development and
infusion initiatives that enable B2B companies to deliver a
clear, compelling and consistent message throughout the
customer experience. Our Messaging Development and
Infusion™ Methodology aligns and activates your entire
organization around a unified corporate story that increases
customer acquisition, retention and loyalty.
www.itsonmessage.com