Before round-table events, we ask attendees which brands they think have a great customer experience. Despite asking 100's of people, and all the money businesses are flinging at CX projects, the same 4-5 brands come up almost every time. Why?

The short answer:
a) These brands (Apple, Amazon, Starbucks, Disney, etc.) are typically top of mind in their categories.
b) They also offer a consistent experience that is strongly associated with their brand in particular.

Three big implications:

1. Having a great CX and being recognized as having one are not the same. Recognition is important though, because that's when CX becomes a true differentiator and brand asset.

2. The impact of advertising, brand and CX initiatives are amplified when they’re in sync — the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

3. CX improvements will have less impact if they aren’t supported by efforts to raise and maintain brand awareness. It’s a noisy world. People can easily forget you and the experience they had, even if it’s rather good. You need to keep reminding them.

This is why I flip my lid when advertising is portrayed as some kind of punitive tax for a poor customer experience. They aren't alternatives - they're complementary, interdependent and equally important.

See this post on LinkedIn