Did you notice this summer, when Forrester released its latest findings on customer experience (CX) among companies in the U.S. and Canada? Maybe you should have – the results were concerning.
Most metrics were down. Customer satisfaction, brand loyalty, and the three key attributes Forrester evaluates – effectiveness, ease, and emotion – were also down. Even companies with strong brand investments have struggled. In the U.S., airlines improved their standing, while luxury auto manufacturers did so in Canada. However, the overall outlook remains bleak.
B2B’s Historical Underinvestment in Brand and CX
A strong brand serves as a strategic driver for organizations, combining research, market positioning, product offerings, creative design, marketing, and change management. This mix contributes to overall brand positioning by answering fundamental questions: What does the company stand for? Who is its audience? How does it fulfill its promises, both internally and externally?
Traditionally, B2B companies have lagged behind B2C in this area. Many have relied on intermittent marketing campaigns or media support, but branding hasn’t been fully integrated into their business strategy. Some believed that customers had few alternatives, and that alone was enough to maintain business.
New B2B Competitors and Changing Expectations
Over the past decade, it has become clear that customers do have alternatives. Many B2B companies have lost out because customers found it easier to deal with competitors. Companies that rose to meet these evolving needs have thrived. SaaS platforms have emerged as competition, transforming the B2B landscape. B2B customers now expect seamless experiences inspired by B2C interactions—faster checkouts, streamlined sales cycles, and modern, user-friendly digital experiences that evoke current day, not the order processes that include paper forms, or fax machines.
Brand & Loyalty via CX
For organizations with a strong position in their industry, brand work focuses on loyalty and equity, reinforcing the value of customer relationships. The personal relationships keeping these customers engaged is gone. Instead, a mix of strategic marketing, content, advertising, sponsorship, and personalization has taken its place, creating touchpoints that show current clients they are appreciated and listened to.
Brand is closely tied to CX. As Forrester analyst Pete Jacques pointed out, “An unprecedented 39% of brands significantly declined in our 2024 U.S. survey, compared to 17% in 2023.” A single point change in the Forrester CX Index score can result in significant revenue shifts. This year, the average U.S. score dropped to 69.3 from a high of 72.0 in 2021, and in Canada, it fell to 64.8 from 68.8. These numbers show the widespread impact of declining CX.
Underinvestment in CX Contributes to Lower Satisfaction
In recent years, many organizations have reduced their investments in CX. Content quality has been sacrificed for quantity, UX research has been scaled back, and AI has often replaced human-driven customer service. We’re not pointing fingers, but these trends coincide with Forrester’s findings of declining CX performance.
Branding in B2B should not be siloed solely as a marketing function; it’s an organizational responsibility with far-reaching effects. It influences how digital touchpoints function, how agents interact with customers, the tone of email campaigns, and the relevance of product recommendations. Ultimately, it is part and parcel of the customer experience.
How We Benchmark CX for B2B and B2C
For us, starting with a clear-eyed audit and assessment of the overall experience is essential. That means analyzing analytics, strategic plans, and financial performance, while baselining and ranking the components of your CX against those of the competition – both in and out of your market. While our CX audits expand and contract as needed, we typically start with these considerations:
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Web touchpoints: How do major flows and features function? Do the touchpoints work (at all) on mobile? What is the mix of new and repeat visitors? How much time is spent in education versus engagement versus conversion?
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Social media: Who are you trying to reach on various channels? What does moderation and engagement look like? Is it primarily for customer service, or something else?
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Customer service: What does pre-sales support look like? How responsive are agents and chatbots? Are there clear paths for further education or conversion?
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Mobile apps: Are the apps worthy of being downloaded, or just warmed-over mobile sites? Are there features that truly aid key users?
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Physical interactions: Whether D2C or via dealers or resellers, do IRL interactions align with information one can gather digitally? Do people in service know about the brand and does it feel like it’s one in the same? Are physical objects, storefronts, and spaces evocative of the same brand values?
In particular, we strive to evaluate and answer how each of these components – and more – align with the stated brand vision and values. If they’re misaligned, it’s worth focusing on what’s wrong and why. If they’re aligned, we’ll champion what’s working well and encourage more of it. If a brand prides itself on consistency and quality, for instance, a slow-loading experience that functions markedly differently on desktop versus a voice interface could be a real factor.
The Importance of Measuring CX
Measurement is crucial in CX. Many organizations rely heavily on surveys, but a more effective approach, that TMG leverages, is continuous discovery and experimentation. Processes and tools can help identify areas for optimization, but without actively listening to customers, these efforts may be in vain.
Your Brand is Your Experience
Ultimately, the brand and the customer experience are inseparable. CX influences all touchpoints, from employee experience to dealer relationships and vendor interactions. Organizations that invest in designing seamless, outcome-driven experiences will perform better and achieve stronger results.
Don’t get left behind. Contact the experts at TMG today for a comprehensive CX audit.
