Theresa Austin

Sustainability should be a critical part of any company’s long-term customer strategy. Sustainability builds trust, loyalty and helps move clients from being buyers to being part of a community of like-minded customers who believe in your brand. Beyond this, sustainability is a key part of good corporate responsibility and, quite simply, is the right thing to do. Additionally, Gen Z are heavily focused around sustainability issues, so companies who don’t pay attention to this fundamental issue through their customer interactions run the very real risk of being left behind in the long run.

However, the long-term view of sustainability can mean making tough short-term decisions. These have the potential to impact the more immediate customer experience – and can, therefore have a detrimental effect on the metrics by which good CX is measured

This discussion will consider how to balance the two – sometimes competing – requirements, and reflect on:

• How can CX support & amplify your businesses' sustainability efforts, and what are the common challenges faced by CX when offering this support?
• How can a focus on sustainability and embracing the ideas of a circular economy help shape and evolve marketing / retail initiatives?
• How can a focus on storytelling ensure sustainable activities be positioned as beneficial for customers? What are the practical steps you can take to explain your actions to your customers, and how can you do so whilst avoiding the concerns over greenwashing (both legally and at a customer level)?

A truly customer-obsessed company considers customer-centricity as non-negotiable. Customers are placed at the cenre of decision-making and a culture based on delighting them is embedded at all levels and functions of the business, from the top down. Done well, it can help deliver business growth, enhance CLV and retention, and differentiate you from your competitors. To put it bluntly, customer centricity is a no-brainer.

So, if all this is true, why do some companies fail? This session aims to get to the bottom of the real-life challenges which stand in the way of really focusing on your customers, shining a light on typical challenges seen across businesses of all sizes, and assessing some of the techniques available to overcome the typical barriers hindering such an approach