Building Your CX Dream Team: The Five Founding Members Every Start-Up Needs
Customer experience is an important pillar of any successful start-up. As your company grows, having a dedicated team to manage the customer journey is essential. I’ve found that a strong CX team starts with five key roles. These founding members will lay the foundation for a high-performing CX program that drives customer loyalty and growth. Here’s who you need:
1. The Jack-of-All-Trades Leader
Role: CX Manager / Director
Responsibilities: Oversight, Strategy, Hands-On Execution
A CX leader who can do it all is invaluable for a start-up. This person will oversee the entire CX function, ensuring that each touch point is performing well. While strategic, they aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty, working directly with customers, writing content, setting up tools, and coaching the team. They can:
Work directly with customers to understand their needs and pain points.
Create and manage FAQs and help articles.
Answer customer emails and provide top-notch support.
Coach and develop the CX team.
Effectively tell stories with data and act as the voice of the customer.
Set up and manage CX tools and automations to streamline processes.
Think strategically and partner with Marketing, Product, Design, and Sales to ensure and consistent customer experience.
Why You Need Them: This versatile leader ensures that every aspect of your CX strategy is aligned and executed effectively. Their hands-on approach and broad skill set make them a crucial asset in the early stages of building your CX function.
2. The High-Caliber CX Associate
Role: CX Associate
Responsibilities: Customer Interaction, Problem Solving, Relationship Building
Your go-to person for customer interactions, the high-caliber CX associate, is part sales, part customer success manager, and part front-line support. They excel at working with people and getting things done. Their key traits include:
Top-tier communication skills. Can talk to customers about anything.
Excellent problem-solving skills and a knack for troubleshooting issues.
Ability to explain complex concepts in an easy-to-understand manner.
Strong interpersonal skills, making them great at building relationships with customers.
A proactive approach to identifying and addressing customer needs.
Why You Need Them: This associate ensures that your customers receive exceptional support and guidance, helping to build trust and loyalty from the outset. They will be a foundational piece of your program and should be seen as a future leader.
3. The Content Person
Role: Content Specialist / Manager
Responsibilities: Content Creation, Documentation, Marketing Support
High-quality content is essential for empowering your customers to make the most of your product. A content specialist can create help articles, video tutorials, and GIFs to guide your customers. They can also support product marketing efforts, as there's a significant overlap in skills. Their tasks include:
Writing clear, comprehensive help articles and FAQs.
Creating engaging video tutorials and visual content.
Supporting product marketing with content that highlights product benefits and features.
Why You Need Them: Effective content reduces the need for direct support and helps customers find solutions independently, improving their overall experience. This content also acts as the fuel for your AI support bot and allows you to scale efficiently.
4. Your First Technical Support Rep
Role: Technical Support Representative
Responsibilities: Troubleshooting, Bug Identification, Cross-Department Communication
A technical support rep who understands the intricacies of your product is crucial. Think of them as your own “Genius Bar.” They excel at finding and solving bugs and can communicate effectively with both engineers and customers. Their duties include:
Troubleshooting technical issues and providing detailed solutions.
Identifying and documenting bugs for the development team.
Acting as a liaison between customers and engineers to ensure clear communication.
Why You Need Them: Their technical expertise ensures that complex issues are resolved quickly and accurately, enhancing customer satisfaction.
5. A Designer or Product Manager
Role: Designer / Product Manager
Responsibilities: Product Integration, Design Innovation, Roadmap Alignment
Don’t fall into the trap of treating CX as separate from your product. A designer or product manager brings the innovation and creativity needed to ensure that CX is integrated into your product development process. Their role includes:
Ensuring that customer feedback is incorporated into product design and development.
Collaborating with the CX team to create seamless and engaging customer journeys.
Conducting user interviews and research to understand the overall CX as well as specific touch points in the customer journey.
Aligning the CX strategy with the overall product roadmap.
Why You Need Them: Their involvement ensures that CX is considered at every stage of product development, leading to a more cohesive and delightful end-to-end customer experience.
Conclusion
Building a stellar CX team starts with these five foundational roles. Each member brings unique skills and perspectives that are essential for creating a comprehensive and effective CX strategy. I specialize in helping start-ups and SMBs build and optimize their CX teams. Contact me today to learn how we can support your journey towards building a CX program for the future.
