Introducing “Meaningful Measurement of the Customer Experience”

By Greg Kihlström

I’m thrilled to announce the release of my latest book, Meaningful Measurement of the Customer Experience, which dives deep into the need for CX professionals to set up systems of holistic measurement of the entire experience, as well as how to accomplish this.

I have been blessed to have had many conversations with CX leaders from top organizations on related topics on my podcast, and have shared excerpts from these interviews as supporting thoughts and points of view. I was also fortunate to have the foreword written by Greg Melia, CEO of the Customer Experience Professionals Association (CXPA), which provides a great introduction to the topic and themes that readers will encounter as they continue their journey through the book.

Filling a gap in the current literature

There are a lot of books, articles, podcasts, and more that discuss customer experience from a multitude of angles. In many of these, we hear familiar case studies that reinforce our belief in the power of CX, and the role that it plays in the present and future of organizations. While this is good, particularly for those newer to the field, there is often less mention of the specific steps that professionals can take to start and continue to grow effective programs. 

What I felt was missing, and why I chose to write this book, was a clear and concise guide that helps both beginning and seasoned CX professionals create customer experience measurement programs that are built to last. This is a similar approach I took in my previous book, The Center of Experience, where I laid out the steps and components necessary to build a center of excellence around customer and employee experience. 

Defining meaningful measurement of the customer experience 

While as a community, we all understand the importance and benefits of building better customer experience, it becomes increasingly important that we are able to justify sustainable outcomes based on investments in CX.

Meaningful measurement is my answer to this challenge, and I define it  as having four primary characteristics: 

• Consequential, in that they demonstrate a real pain point, opportunity, or leap forward in CX for the organization
• Understandable, in that a wide audience in the organization can easily connect the measurement’s meaning to overall company objectives (as well as their own team’s goals)
• Actionable, in that the metrics provide clear direction for teams to enact programs and initiatives to improve and build on them
• Repeatable, in that the metrics can be used to measure relative performance over time, and are not simply one-off or anecdotal statistics

Additionally, I introduce a measurement framework organizations can use that creates a more holistic picture of customer experience measurement, by looking at customer metrics (quantitative and qualitative), as well as internal metrics (product and process). Looking across these areas can, in my experience, uncover hidden opportunities and even problem areas that can often be overlooked.

It is great to have the support of the CX and marketing communities, and I am appreciative of the support and feedback I’ve received so far. All our collective work is built from great ideas and examples that this community has shared, and I’m thankful to be surrounded by such a great group of experts. My hope is that this book can give back some of that knowledge in a way that can further the dialogue and help more organizations move more meaningfully towards customer centricity, with all the benefits that brings.

If you’d like to read the book, you can learn more and pick up a copy here.

About Greg Kihlström

Kihlström is a best-selling author, speaker, and entrepreneur, currently an advisor and consultant to top companies on customer experience, employee experience, and digital transformation initiatives as Principal and Chief Strategist at GK5A. He is a two-time CEO and Co-Founder, growing both companies organically and through acquisitions, and ultimately leading both to be acquired (one in 2017, and the other in 2021).  Before, during, and after that, he has worked with some of the world’s top brands, including AOL, Choice Hotels, Coca-Cola, Dell, FedEx, GEICO, Marriott, MTV, Starbucks, Toyota, and VMware. 

He is a member of the School of Marketing Faculty at the Association of National Advertisers, currently serves on the University of Richmond’s Customer Experience Advisory Board, was the founding Chair of the American Advertising Federation’s National Innovation Committee, and served on the Virginia Tech Pamplin College of Business Marketing Mentorship Advisory Board.  Greg is Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certified, is an Agile Certified Coach (ICP-ACC) and  holds a certification in Business Agility (ICP-BAF). 

Meaningful Measurement of the Customer Experience, Greg’s eighth and latest book provides guidance on how to create a customer-centric culture that prioritizes customer needs while aligning internal teams around a common goal. His previous book, The Agile Workforce (2021) explores the current and future state of the workforce and envisions a world where individuals thrive in a new world of work opportunities enabled by technology, decentralization, and a shift in the power dynamics between employers and employees. His book, The Center of Experience (2020) talks about how customer and employee experience can be operationalized into a cohesive brand experience. The Agile Brand (2018), follows the evolution of branding from its beginnings to the authentic relationship with brands that modern consumers want, and gives practical examples of what you can do to create a more modern, agile brand while staying true to your core values. His podcast,The Agile Brand with Greg Kihlström, launched in early 2019 and discusses brand strategy, marketing, and customer experience with some of the world’s leading experts and leaders.

Kihlström is a regular contributing writer to Forbes and CMSWire, and has been featured in publications such as Advertising Age, SmartCEO, Website Magazine and The Washington Post. He was named a DC Inno 2018 50 on Fire winner as a DC trendsetter in marketing. He’s participated as a keynote speaker and panelist at industry events around the world including Internet Week New York, Internet Summit, EventTech, SMX Social Media, Social Media Week, Mid-Atlantic Marketing Summit, ABA Bank Marketing Summit and VMworld. He has guest lectured at several schools including VCU Brandcenter, Georgetown University, Duke University, American University, University of Maryland, Howard University and Virginia Tech.