We’ve all seen the glossy customer-first marketing campaigns. The mission statements that pledge to ‘put the customer at the heart of everything we do.’ The slick CX strategies rolled out with fanfare.
But here’s the truth: you can’t deliver world-class customer experiences when your internal culture is crumbling.
Customer experience starts from the inside out. You can’t expect your team to show up with passion, empathy, and initiative if they feel undervalued, overlooked, or unsupported. Touting customer-centric initiatives while your employees are overworked, micromanaged, or disrespected is not only tone-deaf—it’s unsustainable.
Culture is contagious. So is cynicism.
I was working recently with a large organisation that had poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into a CX strategy and accompanying marketing campaign. On the surface, it all looked impressive—big ambitions, bold statements, and beautifully produced creative. But the moment I spent time with the team, the disconnect was obvious.
The culture was toxic. Morale was low. Staff were walking out the door faster than they could be replaced. The attrition rate alone told the real story—and it was worlds away from the smiling, customer-obsessed brand being presented to the outside world.
When leaders talk about CX transformation, they often jump straight to the touchpoints, the tech, and the training. But if your people aren’t genuinely on board—if they don’t feel empowered, heard, and inspired—you’ll be pushing a boulder uphill.
Because you can’t ask your people to be advocates for your customers if you’re not an advocate for them.
So, what does an inside-out approach look like?
- Start with listening. Ask your team what’s getting in the way of them delivering exceptional service. What’s broken? What frustrates them? What could make their jobs more meaningful and manageable?
- Empower your frontline. They are the face of your brand. Give them autonomy, celebrate their wins, and involve them in the process of improving the customer journey.
- Lead with alignment. Every department—not just the customer service team—needs to understand how their work contributes to the customer experience.
- Walk the talk. A values-led culture only works if those values show up in how people are treated every day—not just when it’s convenient.
CX isn’t a department. It’s a culture. And culture starts at the top.
If you want your customers to be advocates for your brand, start by being advocates for your people.
Because the best customer experiences are simply a reflection of great employee experiences, played out in real time.
