Unicorns Dependency in CX – Here Is How You Avoid This “Trap”
If you’re plugged into the business world, you’ve likely heard the term “unicorn” tossed around in meetings, LinkedIn posts, or business articles. But we’re not talking about the mythical horse with a horn. In the context of the corporate landscape, the word unicorn holds a whole different meaning—one that can have a profound impact on your business, especially when it comes to customer experience.
In this article, we’re diving deep into what a unicorn means in a company, why depending on unicorns for customer experience can be risky, and what companies can do to avoid putting all their eggs in that magical basket.
Let’s explore the world of corporate unicorns, the magic they bring, the potential pitfalls, and the strategies you can adopt to build a more resilient customer experience strategy.
What Is a “Unicorn” in a Company?
In the business world, the term unicorn is often used to describe something—or someone—that is incredibly rare, valuable, and almost too good to be true. Traditionally, a unicorn refers to a privately held startup valued at over $1 billion.
But within a company’s internal operations, a unicorn is something else entirely.
The Definition of a Corporate Unicorn
A corporate unicorn refers to an exceptionally talented individual within a company who has a unique combination of skills, knowledge, and capabilities that are difficult (if not impossible) to replicate. Think of someone who’s not just a jack-of-all-trades but a master of them.
These are the people who can seemingly do it all—close deals, resolve customer issues, inspire their team, innovate on the fly, and still have time to meet impossible deadlines.
Unicorns in the Customer Experience Context
When it comes to customer experience (CX), unicorns are those special employees who consistently deliver outstanding service, solve complex problems effortlessly, and make customers feel valued. These are the folks who go above and beyond, often saving the day when things go wrong, making the impossible seem possible, and leaving customers delighted and loyal.
However, the question arises: Is relying on these unicorns sustainable for your business? Spoiler alert—probably not.
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Why Companies Depend on Unicorns for Customer Experience
Before we dive into the risks, let’s understand why companies lean so heavily on these unicorns to deliver a stellar customer experience.
1. Unicorns Deliver Results Faster
Unicorns are incredibly efficient at getting things done. They often have an innate understanding of what customers need, even before customers do. This makes them extremely effective in customer-facing roles, where time is of the essence.
2. Unicorns Are Resourceful Problem Solvers
They have a knack for solving problems that stump everyone else. This can be a huge asset in customer service, where issues need to be resolved quickly to maintain satisfaction.
3. Unicorns Bring a Personal Touch
These rare employees know how to connect with customers on a personal level. They can turn a negative experience into a positive one, leaving customers with a smile and a great story to tell about your brand.
4. Unicorns Excel in High-Stress Environments
Unicorns thrive under pressure. They can juggle multiple high-priority tasks, handle difficult customers, and meet tight deadlines without breaking a sweat. This resilience makes them invaluable in high-stakes customer service scenarios.
While it’s easy to see why companies value these unicorns, there’s a dark side to this dependency that’s often overlooked.
What Does It Mean If a Company’s Customer Experience Depends on Unicorns?
When companies rely heavily on unicorns to deliver a great customer experience, it usually means that their CX strategy isn’t scalable. Here’s what this dependency can indicate:
1. Lack of Standardized Processes
If your company’s customer experience relies on unicorns, it likely means that you don’t have robust systems and processes in place. Instead, you’re depending on the exceptional talents of a few individuals to make things happen.
2. Inconsistent Customer Experience
While unicorns can deliver extraordinary results, they also set a high bar that’s difficult for other employees to reach. This can lead to inconsistent customer experiences, where some customers receive exceptional service while others are left disappointed.
3. Potential for Employee Burnout
Unicorns are often expected to perform at an unsustainable level. If they’re always the go-to person in high-stress situations, they can quickly burn out, leaving your company in a lurch.
4. Limited Knowledge Sharing
Unicorns often operate in silos, using their unique skills to solve problems on their own. This can limit knowledge sharing within the team, making it difficult for others to learn and grow.
5. Risk of High Turnover
If your company is overly reliant on a few key individuals, what happens if they leave? Whether it’s for a better job offer, personal reasons, or simply burnout, losing a unicorn can be devastating for your customer experience.
The Risks of Depending on Unicorns for Customer Experience
While unicorns are undoubtedly valuable, relying on them too heavily comes with significant risks. Let’s break down some of the most pressing challenges:
1. Overdependence on Key Individuals
Relying on a few standout employees means that your customer experience hinges on their availability, mood, and willingness to go above and beyond. This can lead to instability if these individuals are sick, on vacation, or decide to leave the company.
2. Stagnation in Innovation
When you rely on unicorns to innovate and problem-solve, other employees may not feel empowered to contribute their ideas. This can stifle creativity and innovation, as the entire team becomes overly reliant on a few star performers.
3. Difficulty Scaling Operations
If your CX strategy depends on unicorns, scaling up becomes a challenge. After all, unicorns are rare, and finding more of them as your company grows is no easy feat. This can result in bottlenecks and slowdowns, impacting your ability to deliver a consistent customer experience at scale.
4. Inconsistent Training and Development
Focusing too much on unicorns can lead to gaps in training for the rest of your team. If your entire CX strategy revolves around the skills of a few individuals, other employees may not receive the necessary training and support to excel in their roles.
5. Customer Experience Vulnerability
When a company’s customer satisfaction relies on a few unicorns, any disruption to their performance—whether personal or professional—can lead to a sudden drop in customer satisfaction. This fragility makes your business more vulnerable to losing customers to competitors.
Advanced Strategies to Reduce Dependency on Unicorns
So, how can companies avoid the pitfalls of relying too heavily on unicorns? Here are some strategies to build a more resilient and scalable customer experience.
1. Build a Customer-Centric Culture
Rather than depending on individual heroes to save the day, focus on building a customer-centric culture across the organization. This involves training all employees to prioritize customer needs, listen actively, and resolve issues effectively.
2. Standardize Processes and Procedures, and Develop a Knowledge Management System
Invest in robust, standardized processes that anyone on your team can follow. This ensures that your customer experience is consistent, no matter who is handling the interaction. Document best practices, create playbooks, and make sure that all employees are on the same page.
Encourage unicorns to document their methods, solutions, and best practices. This creates a repository of knowledge that others can access, reducing the reliance on a few individuals to handle complex issues.
3. Focus on Employee Training and Development
Offer continuous training and development opportunities to your entire team. This not only improves their skills but also empowers them to handle challenging customer situations with confidence. By investing in your employees’ growth, you reduce the dependency on unicorns.
4. Leverage Technology, Automation, and Data-Driven Insights to Enhance Customer Service
Incorporate technology and automation tools to streamline customer service processes. Chatbots, CRM systems, and AI-powered analytics can handle routine tasks, freeing up your team to focus on more complex issues. This reduces the need for unicorn-level problem-solving.
Collecting data on customer interactions can help identify patterns and predict future issues. By using data analytics, you can create playbooks for common customer problems, allowing your team to resolve them efficiently without needing a unicorn to step in.
5. Build Cross-Functional Teams
Encourage collaboration among your employees so that knowledge is shared and everyone feels supported. Create cross-functional teams where different perspectives are valued, and problem-solving isn’t left to a few star players. This builds resilience and a more unified approach to customer service. For example, marketing, product, and support teams can collaborate to address customer pain points holistically.
6. Recognize and Reward Team Efforts
Instead of only celebrating unicorns, recognize and reward collective team efforts. This shifts the focus from individual heroics to a collaborative culture, where everyone contributes to the customer experience.
7. Create Backup Plans for Key Roles
Plan for the unexpected by having backup employees trained to take over key roles in case a unicorn leaves or is unavailable. Cross-training employees ensures that there’s no single point of failure in your customer experience strategy.
8. Collect and Analyze Customer Feedback
By regularly collecting and analyzing customer feedback, you can identify pain points and areas for improvement that don’t require a unicorn to solve. Use this data to refine your processes and ensure that your entire team is aligned with customer expectations.
Join ECXO.org, the only open-access CX professional network connecting practitioners, leaders, companies and executives to shape the future of customer experience! Become a member or learn more here: https://ecxo.org/
The Future of Customer Experience: Moving Beyond Unicorns
As we look to the future, companies are increasingly adopting a more holistic approach to customer experience. Here are some trends shaping this evolution:
1. Artificial Intelligence and Automation
AI is transforming customer experience by automating routine tasks, providing personalized recommendations, and even handling customer inquiries through chatbots. This reduces the need for unicorns to handle every interaction and allows human agents to focus on complex issues.
2. Augmented Reality (AR) in Customer Service
Brands are beginning to use AR to enhance customer interactions. For instance, IKEA uses AR to let customers visualize furniture in their homes before purchasing. This reduces the need for exceptional sales staff to convince customers and provides a unique, self-service experience.
3. The Rise of Self-Service Options
Empowering customers with self-service options like detailed FAQs, video tutorials, and community forums can alleviate the pressure on customer service teams. This shift allows companies to provide a great experience without needing unicorns to step in for every customer query.
4. Focus on Emotional Intelligence
While technical skills are important, the future of customer service will emphasize emotional intelligence (EQ). Training employees in active listening, empathy, and emotional resilience can help create a team of mini-unicorns, ensuring that every customer feels valued.
Key Takeaways for Business Leaders
1.Diversify Your Customer Experience Strategy: Don’t put all your eggs in the unicorn basket. Invest in systems, processes, and training that empower the entire team.
2.Prioritize Scalability: As your business grows, ensure that your customer experience can scale with it. Focus on repeatable processes, automation, and knowledge sharing to reduce dependency on a few key individuals.
3.Embrace Technology: Use technology as an enabler to enhance customer experience. Tools like AI, CRM systems, and data analytics can reduce the workload on unicorns and allow your team to deliver a consistent experience.
4.Build a Resilient Team Culture: Foster a culture where everyone feels responsible for customer satisfaction. Recognize and reward collaborative efforts, not just individual heroics.
Case Studies: Learning from Real-World Examples
For you to get inspired, let’s take a look at some real-world examples of how companies handle (or mishandle) their reliance on unicorns:
1. Zappos: Empowering Every Employee to Be a Unicorn
Zappos, known for its outstanding customer service, has built its entire culture around empowering every employee to act like a unicorn. They don’t rely on a few high-performing individuals; instead, they’ve established a company-wide ethos where everyone is encouraged to go above and beyond for the customer.
Key Takeaway: By decentralizing the unicorn role, Zappos ensures consistency in customer experience across the board, which has been a major factor in their success.
2. Apple Stores: Balancing Unicorns with Training
Apple Stores are famous for their customer service, often driven by exceptional employees who provide personalized guidance and support. However, Apple balances this by investing heavily in training every team member to deliver a top-tier experience. This way, they aren’t overly reliant on unicorns, ensuring that every customer interaction is consistently positive.
Key Takeaway: Training programs that elevate the skills of all employees help reduce dependence on individual unicorns, leading to a more sustainable customer service model.
3. Netflix: Automating the Unicorn Experience
Netflix is known for its exceptional user experience, but it doesn’t depend on individual unicorns to achieve this. Instead, Netflix uses sophisticated algorithms, data analytics, and automation to anticipate customer needs, deliver personalized content, and resolve issues quickly.
Key Takeaway: Leveraging technology to replicate the personalized touch that unicorns provide can create a scalable, resilient customer experience strategy.
Conclusion: Achieving Sustainable Customer Experience Without Unicorns
Unicorns are amazing assets to any company. They bring incredible value, charisma, and problem-solving skills to the table, especially when it comes to delivering a top-notch customer experience. However, relying too much on these rare individuals can lead to instability, burnout, and challenges in scaling your business.
The key takeaway? While it’s fantastic to have unicorns on your team, a sustainable customer experience strategy is built on solid processes, strong team collaboration, continuous training, and leveraging technology. By spreading the responsibility of customer experience across your entire organization, you can create a resilient and scalable approach that doesn’t rely on just a few individuals to make magic happen.
#CustomerExperience , #Leadership , #BusinessGrowth , #WorkplaceCulture , #CX , #H2H , #CXUnicorns
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