Managing money is a serious affair for most organizations. In my environment it is said that money is “the nerve of war” and if you want a professional initiative to succeed in your organization, you should gain the support of the finance team. This wise advice is also true in the CX world. Like Customers are core assets for CX professionals, Money is a core asset for the finance team.
CXPA's new book "Effective Collaboration Between CX and Finance: A Guide to Strengthening CX Together," is a welcomed initiative (and is available for free online reading to CXPA members). Because CX is a team sport, CX professionals should make sure that the Finance team is considered a key player on the organizational “playground."
- Speak the financial language: Understanding each other's message is a critical aspect of effective communication. And how is it possible if you don't speak the same language as the receiver of your message? As a CX professional, you need to learn, understand and speak the financial language. How do they measure success? What matters to them and why?
- Master the art of convincing with a business case: One of the best ways to gain the support of the Finance team is to show the positive impact of the CX initiative on the balance sheet and financial indicators. And how do you do that? By building a convincing business case showing how to generate better financial results and value through your CX project. The book shares with you good examples of business cases you can use for your CX initiatives.
- Avoid pitfalls: What are the errors you should avoid when collaborating with the finance team? From providing incorrect or incomplete evaluation data to narrowing the focus of a business case to cost avoidance only, you'll get more details on how to avoid these errors.
- Apply good practices: What are the best practices to consider for a great collaboration between CX and Finance? Practices like storytelling or sharing external success cases can help foster and promote better collaboration. More techniques are offered in the book.
Another proverb in my environment says that “Money calls money," which means that you need to invest money to generate more money. The role of the CX professional is clearly to prove it to the business and all the stakeholders involved. Convincing and aligning the Finance team to your CX initiative, and developing your financial sensitivity, are good ways to achieve it.
So, what else can I say other than urging you to get your copy?
Georges Essama is the Head of Customer Relations at CAMTEL in Cameroon and a winner of CXPA's 2022 Emerging Leader Awards. The book "Effective Collaboration Between CX and Finance: Strengthening CX Together," is available for free online reading to CXPA members at www.cxbookstore.com Not a member? Learn more and join today.
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