In the mid 2000s a new role emerged, Customer eXperience Officer (CXO), which reflected the newfound importance of user experience (UX) in company success. But with the impact of the recession UX has been shelved in preference of a strict cost reduction focus as companies attempted to weather the storm. Now as we slowly emerge on the other side, the phrase too has resurfaced and is once again gaining momentum.
April of this year saw the launch of the Customer Experience Professionals Association, or CXPA, a global non-profit set up to establish standards for and promote this growing industry, and with giant conglomerates such as Tesco investing in CXOs, it seems fairly safe to assume that UX is the way of the future.
Since the emergence of social media, it is arguable that UX has never been more important. When you think of the companies within consumer industries that have witnessed phenomenal growth in the last decade, their success can be attributed to killer UX delivered through personalised interactions and social media.
A key reason that tech startups have become so huge can be attributed to their strong UX focus. They are bolstered by dedicated followers, who are more loyal brand advocates than the average consumer. When you apply this to other industries such as consumer electronics, where users are highly connected, interacting regularly with both formal and informal networks; the companies that really dominate the market, like Apple, have their UX and social strategies down pat.
Despite the constant struggle between marketing and UX, Social Media and User Experience have a clear connection. If companies really want to benchmark themselves in terms of UX, they need to start engaging consumers where it is most relevant, Social.
Tags Apple customer experience officer Customer Experience Professionals Association CXO CXPA GFC marketing recession social media user experience UX