Exploring the Integration of Sales and Experience Roles at Verizon: A Conversation with Phil Burrows
Enhancing Customer Satisfaction Through Integrated Sales and Experience at Verizon
In the fast-paced world of digital commerce, the integration of sales and customer experience is crucial for driving growth and ensuring customer satisfaction. At Verizon, this integration is not just a concept but a reality that has proven to be successful in delivering seamless experiences across channels.
In a recent conversation between Dom Nicastro, editor-in-chief of CMSWire, and Phil Burrows, Senior Director at Verizon, the focus was on how aligning sales and experience roles can lead to improved customer journeys and increased sales. Here are some key highlights from their discussion:
Combining Sales and Experience Roles
Phil Burrows highlighted the unique approach at Verizon, where sales and experience roles are combined under the Chief Customer Experience Organization. This dual-purpose structure focuses on driving growth, sales, and the adoption of digital tools while ensuring a frictionless experience for customers across all channels.
The alignment of these functions allows Verizon to provide a consistent experience, whether customers interact online or in-store. By recognizing the value of looking at both sides of the lens, Verizon has been able to refine its approach and enhance customer satisfaction.
Team Structure and Leadership Alignment
Burrows discussed the team structure at Verizon, where different leaders oversee various aspects of the sales and experience channels. This structure ensures that the customer journey is seamless from the initial interaction to post-sale management. By reporting to the Chief Customer Experience Officer, the sales and experience teams have a direct line to senior leadership, emphasizing the importance of customer experience at Verizon.
Balancing Sales Growth with Customer Experience
The conversation also touched on the importance of balancing sales growth with customer experience. While sales metrics focus on acquisition and revenue, customer experience indicators such as interaction scores, site feedback, and employee satisfaction metrics are equally important. By simplifying the customer experience and removing friction, Verizon has been able to improve conversion rates and close rates.
Looking at NPS and Employee Satisfaction
Burrows emphasized the use of a combination of metrics, including Net Promoter Score (NPS), digital interaction scores, and employee satisfaction, to measure customer experience. By continuously monitoring these metrics and identifying key areas for improvement, Verizon aims to enhance customer loyalty and satisfaction over time.
Managing Disparate Data Sources
In the age of data-driven decision-making, Burrows discussed the challenge of managing disparate data sources. While there is no one-size-fits-all tool, Verizon leverages data from various teams to gain insights into customer behavior and preferences. By prioritizing key metrics and fostering collaboration across different departments, Verizon ensures that data is used effectively to drive business decisions.
Connecting with Customers
Burrows highlighted the importance of connecting with customers in a large organization like Verizon. By leveraging customer research teams, day-to-day reporting, and field visits, Verizon ensures that it stays close to its customers and understands their needs. This cross-department collaboration enables Verizon to provide a consistent experience across all channels and address customer feedback effectively.
Looking Ahead: AI and Ecommerce
Looking to the future, Burrows discussed Verizon’s initiatives around AI and ecommerce. By leveraging AI to streamline processes and enhance customer interactions, Verizon aims to provide personalized recommendations and improve the overall customer experience. Through meaningful use cases and testing, Verizon is exploring how AI can drive innovation and deliver value to customers.
In conclusion, the integration of sales and experience roles at Verizon has proven to be a successful strategy for driving growth and enhancing customer satisfaction. By aligning these functions, leveraging data-driven insights, and embracing AI technologies, Verizon is well-positioned to deliver seamless experiences and drive business success in the digital age.
