Customer Experience (CX) is a discipline that often falls prey to oversimplification. Today, Ben Phillips wrote his 10 Commandments of Customer Experience, which offers a timely reminder of what it takes to build meaningful, transformative experiences. I wanted to explore each of Ben’s commandments, adding my perspective and breaking down why these rules matter in today’s fast-changing business landscape. Also, send Ben a follow request on LinkedIn!
1. Thou shalt not follow the advice of speakers that have no actual real-world CX experience.
Ben is right. It’s baffling how many corporations and events give platforms to speakers with no real-world CX experience. CX isn’t just a trendy topic for keynote presentations—it’s a complex, evolving discipline that demands hands-on expertise.
Here’s the issue: everyone believes they understand CX. It’s easy to mistake surface-level knowledge for mastery. But as Ben alludes to, there’s a critical distinction between understanding CX as a concept and understanding the science of CX.
The science of CX involves data, behavioral analysis, and a profound grasp of how customer emotions, effort, and success interact. It’s about diving into the “why” behind customer behaviors and using that insight to design systems that work. Without this scientific foundation, strategies often crumble under the weight of poorly understood assumptions.
So, here’s the takeaway: listen to people who understand the science of CX. There’s a vast difference between someone who can recite a few catchy quotes and someone who has lived through the complexities of transforming customer experiences.
2. Thou shalt not quote what seems reasonable and logical as empirical fact.
CX often suffers from a one-size-fits-all mentality. A strategy that works wonders for one company may fail spectacularly for another. Why? Because CX is unique to each organization.
Yes, there are overarching principles and best practices, but applying those ideas must align with your company’s specific culture, customer base, and objectives. Just because a CX approach sounds logical doesn’t mean it’s universally effective—or even accurate.
This is why unquestioningly quoting what seems reasonable or logical can lead businesses astray. For instance, a recommendation to “always focus on reducing call center volume” might make sense for a cost-cutting strategy but could backfire in a brand that thrives on personalized customer support.
Your company is unique, and so is your CX. Contrasting strategies may offer a starting point, but your approach should reflect your distinctive values and goals. CX is not about copying what you’ve read online—crafting experiences that resonate with your audience in ways no one else can replicate.
The key here is to validate everything. Don’t implement an idea because it sounds good or worked for another company. Test it against your data, align it with your mission, and ensure it meets your customers’ needs.
3. Thou shalt not confuse data correlation with causation.
This is one of CX’s most persistent traps. Executives often manipulate data to tell a convenient story, “covering their butts” by presenting the results they want to see rather than the whole truth. For example, a company might see rising sales after a product launch and attribute it to its shiny new CX program, ignoring other factors like seasonality or a competitor’s misstep. But correlation doesn’t equal causation.
True CX professionals dig deeper. They ask why the data looks like it does, uncover hidden factors, and seek root causes. They resist the temptation to cherry-pick metrics for a feel-good narrative, opting for clarity and actionable insights. This rigor prevents misguided strategies and ensures that customer experience improvements are grounded in reality, not wishful thinking.
4. Thou shalt not insist the only value of CX is in showing its linkage to financial performance.
Here’s a controversial take: CX isn’t about the bottom line. Yes, financial outcomes matter, but CX’s value extends beyond revenue. It’s about creating trust, loyalty, and emotional connections that deepen over time. These connections foster advocacy, build brand equity, and develop resilience during challenging market conditions.
Rather than chasing traditional KPIs like sales, focus on harder-to-quantify metrics. Are you inspiring customer advocacy? Are customers emotionally invested in your brand? Do they see your company as a partner in their journey? These intangible factors drive long-term success but rarely appear in a quarterly earnings report. Over time, they become the foundation for sustained competitive advantage.
5. Thou shalt not arbitrarily slag off NPS if you haven’t yet done everything you can to ensure it is being managed responsibly.
This is where I part ways with Ben. Net Promoter Score (NPS) is often treated as the gold standard, but it’s an oversimplification. CX is a blend of success, effort, and emotion—metrics such as NPS can’t fully capture.
Stop relying on NPS as a universal CX health check. It’s outdated and often misused.
Also related to commandment three, as Fred Reichheld, the inventor of NPS, acknowledged, “I had no idea how people would mess with the score to bend it, to make it serve their selfish objectives.”
Instead, explore metrics that align with your customers’ actual experiences. I’ve written extensively on this topic [LINK] if you’re interested.
6. Thou shalt not attend CX industry awards if you haven’t yet earned the right to be there.
Awards are often more about optics than results. Despite publishing a bestselling book and running award-winning programs, I’ve never attended a CX awards event. Why? Because these ceremonies often feel like a contest for popularity. They’re like some people’s belief in CX—toss a bunch of money at an initiative, hope it goes viral on social media, compose a press release about your efforts, and BOOM, you’re suddenly the poster child for fantastic customer experience.
But that’s not how it works. CX isn’t about flashy events or viral campaigns; it’s about the consistent, often unglamorous work transforming how customers experience your brand. It’s the behind-the-scenes improvements, the attention to detail, and the relentless focus on long-term impact. Instead of chasing accolades, focus on delivering measurable results that matter to your customers. Awards can be fleeting, but meaningful CX improvements create loyalty and trust that last. Frankly, the obsession with awards feels laughable to me.
7. Thou shalt not assume all CX roles are responsible for Contact Centres.
This commandment makes a critical distinction. CX roles go beyond customer support or contact centers—they’re about shaping the end-to-end journey. Customer Success, for example, is partly about ensuring customers are taken care of during their support calls.
However, there is a larger perspective to consider here. I’d argue that every employee is responsible for CX. It’s not a departmental function; it’s a cultural mindset embedded across the organization, even for “non-customer-facing” roles.
Every department contributes to the customer experience, from HR hiring practices to IT systems design. If you want to be truly customer-centric, set the expectation that CX is everyone’s job that starts at Day Zero. For example, HR plays a critical role by hiring individuals aligned with customer-centric values, while IT ensures systems are seamless and intuitive.
Ask potential hires: “How will your role impact our customers?” Embed CX accountability into performance reviews and team goals. By making every role CX-driven, you create an organization where customer focus isn’t isolated—it’s universal.
8. Thou shalt not jump on the AI hype-train without having a plan to counter-balance this with human celebration stories and cultural successes.
Amen. My next book on this topic is due out before the end of the year. AI is transforming CX, but it’s no silver bullet. Automated chatbots, predictive algorithms, and personalization tools can enhance efficiency but can’t replace the human touch. Customers still value empathy, connection, and honest conversations.
Balance your AI initiatives with stories that celebrate the humans behind your CX. Highlight cultural wins and employee contributions that make a tangible difference for customers.
9. Thou shalt ensure that AT LEAST ONE thing you do every day adds actual value in CX and makes a tangible difference.
CX is built one moment at a time. Proactive feedback reviews, recognizing team contributions, or calling one customer to thank them are small actions that add up.
Here are a few ideas:
- Engage Directly with Customers (This one is the secret ingredient).
- Celebrate a customer success story internally.
- Include non-customer-facing roles in journey mapping.
- Host a five-minute CX micro-training for your team.
- Follow up on unresolved customer feedback.
These actions don’t just improve CX; they build a culture of customer-centricity.
10. Thou shalt understand that CX transformation is far from easy, may take YEARS to show any impact.
If you expect overnight results, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. CX transformation requires patience, persistence, and strategic alignment. It’s a continuous, ever-evolving process achieved through incremental improvements and cultural shifts.
In my book, Customer Transformation, I outline a seven-stage framework to guide organizations through this process. It’s not about quick wins—it’s about sustainable change.
Remember: Technology won’t fix your CX on its own. Culture, empathy, and process are just as influential. Without the right mindset and internal buy-in, even the most advanced tools will fall short. Build a foundation of collaboration, and let that drive your technological innovations forward.
Final Thoughts
Ben’s commandments provide a sharp, insightful look at what’s wrong and right with modern CX thinking. To move the needle, we need to stop treating CX like a buzzword and approach it as a science rooted in real-world application.
Customer experience isn’t just about systems or metrics—it’s about people. Everyone from executives to frontline employees must be responsible for creating meaningful, memorable interactions. The best CX leaders don’t just manage processes; they inspire cultural change.
So, how will you transform your organization’s approach to CX? It starts with reflection, education, and a commitment to action—every single day. Are you ready?
To learn more about building customer-centric organizations or improving your customer experience, please contact me at chrishood.com/contact.