1. CEOs Must Take Personal Ownership

Part of the series, “What the CEO Needs to Do to Ensure Chief Customer Officer Success.” (1 of 8)

CEOs:

When you commit to a Chief Customer Officer, position the work as your agenda. Don’t make it the sole mission of the Chief Customer Officer.

You must become the “Aunt Polly” to your CCO’s “Tom Sawyer” by putting customer experience at the top of your agenda for the corporation. People must understand that they will be delivering directly to you through working with the CCO.

• Make people aware that you grasp the importance of the mission.
• Give examples of what will be accomplished if you reach the goals and what’s at risk if you don’t.
• Let them know that this customer experience work will change the questions that are asked about the business, accountability, and the way people are recognized.

Stress that you are in this for the long haul and that to drive these changes, you’ve named a lieutenant to facilitate this across the organization. Be clear that part of the natural organization of the corporation has precluded the organization in working as cohesively as is necessary to drive a better customer environment.

Let people know that participating is not an option. It’s your will to take the organization to where it must reside in the marketplace.