When it comes to creating a positive customer experience (CX), the focus of success in this realm has evolved. It has progressed from a value-added benefit to a strategic mandate. The mandates often incorporate untapped talent, social impact, or empathy-driven customer interactions as just a few of the new additions to how brands are defining success. Customer experience is never as simple as just responding to customer needs. It anticipates and shapes expectations through proactive engagement and an understanding of planning and execution.
Customer experience (CX) can have a profound impact on brand and reputation. Thus, finding the right talent to drive satisfaction and engagement has never been more critical. Among the hidden gems in this talent pool, you’ll find military spouses. Their unique life experiences and skill sets position them as prime candidates for CX roles. Multitasking and adaptability spring naturally from a life where circumstances and settings can change in an instant.
Military spouses are prime team members for fostering exceptional customer success. They possess qualities such as resilience, adaptability, and a solid understanding of different cultures and societal contexts. Their inherent traits align with the four foundational pillars of customer success: civic awareness, collaboration, cultural affluence, and conscientiousness.
Civic Awareness
Civic awareness in CX involves understanding and integrating the societal and community contexts of customers into business strategies. Military spouses possess an inherent sense of community and civic responsibility. They recognize and align with the broader values and expectations of customers. This alignment can positively impact customer trust and loyalty.
In some market segments, customers increasingly look for brands that reflect their values and make lasting favorable impressions on their communities. A study conducted by the Harris Poll found that 82% of consumers purchase goods or services from companies whose values align with their own.
A military spouse CX professional might use civic-mindedness to guide community-focused initiatives within the company. This approach conveys that the business’s operations and goals resonate with the community’s needs and values. This positions them to become your brand ambassadors when it matters most!
Collaboration
Organizations can’t overlook the transformative impact of effective collaboration among team members. Teamwork promotes workplace chemistry, which yields diverse insights and outcomes aimed at driving customer experience. Military spouses have developed traits in this area due to their experiences in continually building new supportive networks. Their ability to work cohesively with others and adapt quickly to team dynamics makes them instrumental in collaborative CX environments.
Their collaborative skills can significantly improve speed and proficiency, which are key performance indicators (KPIs) for CX teams. This means faster resolution times and more efficient service, leading to higher customer satisfaction. Plus, their adaptability and resilience contribute to lower attrition rates.
Cultural Affluence
Cultural affluence in CX strategy refers to the richness of understanding and appreciating diverse cultural backgrounds. This knowledge enhances the overall customer experience.
Military spouses often gain exposure to multiple cultures, languages, and global perspectives as they move across the globe. This hands-on experience makes them invaluable resources in a globalized market. Their ability to navigate cultural nuance can lead to more personalized and culturally sensitive customer interactions. These relationship skills are more than just a means to build trust and loyalty. They are a strategic tool that can drive key business metrics.
Military spouses’ unique lived experiences equip them with the ability to deliver personalized and culturally sensitive customer interactions. This leads to improved customer satisfaction (CSAT) scores and better customer retention. It also promotes trust and loyalty, extending the company’s market reach into culturally diverse landscapes. This approach reduces customer churn and encourages positive word-of-mouth messaging, which attracts new customers and enhances key business metrics.
Conscientiousness
At its core, care in the CX domain means cultivating an environment where empathy and understanding define top priorities. Military spouses bring a unique perspective to this pillar.
Due to their unique lived experiences, military spouses have the ability to empathize with customers from various backgrounds and circumstances. They can approach “unknowns” and crises with ease and critical thinking as much of the day to day of military life navigates in uncertainty and unknowns. This understanding creates a unique customer-centric approach sensitive to individual customer needs and is what fosters a deep-seated empathy that helps them resonate with customers from diverse backgrounds and circumstances.
They don’t just solve the problem at hand; they use their empathy to transform the customer’s overall experience. Ultimately, these insights turn a challenge into an opportunity for connection and trust-building.
Join the Conversation at Execs In The Know’s Customer Response Summit (CRS)
Join the upcoming session at Execs in the Know Customer Response Summit, “Beyond Metrics: Transforming CX through Empathy and Emotional Intelligence” to dive in deeper to the transformative power of empathy and emotional intelligence across all CX teams and strategies.
Led by Erica McMannes, Chief People & Community Officer at Instant Teams, this session aims to ignite a shift from viewing customer interactions as mere transactions to embracing them as opportunities to build deep, emotional connections that drive long-term success – and you might meet a unique, untapped talent group along the way!
