Hi everyone, Lauren Wood here, your guide to unlocking the secret weapon of powerful customer experiences - your team.

This is Leading CX, your weekly dose of inspiration and actionable insights on building teams that love their work and leave customers raving about your brand.

What’s inspiring this?

Let's be honest, customer teams often get a bad rap. They're seen as cost centers, not the revenue-generating powerhouses they truly are. But I've seen the magic firsthand. When your team is engaged and excited, your customers thrive. It's a win-win situation, plain and simple.

As the host of Experts of Experience, I've had the privilege of interviewing amazing CX leaders. Guess what they all agree on? A fantastic customer experience starts with your team.

But here's the catch: translating that knowledge into action can be tricky. Many leaders get so focused on the customer experience (CX) that they forget about the critical link: their employee experience (EX).

That's where Leading CX comes in. I'll leverage my years of experience and conversations with CX pioneers to bridge the gap between EX and CX.

Each week, I'll tackle a hot topic and show you how to apply it to both your team and your customers. We'll cover everything from gathering valuable feedback to accurately tracking your efforts, giving you practical steps you can implement right away.

Who am I?

I'm Lauren Wood, a customer-obsessed tech enthusiast who believes that effective technology is human-centered. Over the past 13 years, I've built and led customer-facing teams at startups like Compass (NYSE:COMP) and Too Good To Go (global climate-tech unicorn), experiencing hyper-growth firsthand. What I’ve learned is that while we use technology to solve problems, honoring the human element of a company and its customers is paramount.

This Week’s Resource

Every week I'll share a resource - a book, podcast, article, or post for you to dive deeper into that week’s topic. 

As this week is simply introducing what this newsletter is all about, inspired by conversations on my podcast Experts of Experience, I humbly (with a dash of shamelessness) share it with you.

Experts of Experience is a Customer Experience podcast that uncovers how leading companies and their leaders create exceptional customer experiences in the age of AI. Check it out here or wherever you listen to your podcasts! 

Ready to dive in? Stay tuned for next week's edition, where we'll explore the power of trust and its impact on team productivity and customer loyalty.

See you then!

~ Lauren Wood ~

(P.S. Got any questions or burning topics you'd like me to cover? Let me know by replying here — I'm all ears!)