Today businesses understand that customer experience (CX) is crucial in fostering customer loyalty and employee satisfaction which ultimately drive business and revenue growth. It’s because of this understanding that CX is one of the fastest-growing business disciplines in the world. In 2023, the global market for customer experience management was valued at $12.04 billion, and it is projected to grow at an impressive compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.8% from 2024 through 2030. (Grand View Research)
As well as this, 95% of leading organisations cite CX job roles as critical to achieving business growth (Econsultancy). This makes CX no longer just a trend – it’s a necessary component of all businesses striving for success.
For those of you interested in starting or advancing your career in this field, the role of a CX Specialist may be the best next step. It’s a perfect role for those coming from Marketing, Customer Support or Sales roles and entry-level CX associate roles. This article will provide insights into what a CX Specialist does, the skills and qualifications needed, career progression, and the promising future of CX careers.
What Does a CX Specialist Do?
A Customer Experience Specialist is a professional focused on understanding customer needs, gathering feedback and using it effectively to improve and optimise customer experiences at every touchpoint in the customer journey. CX Specialists serve as the bridge between the different teams in the organisation, ensuring that the customer is always at the centre of all decisions.
Key Responsibilities of a CX Specialist:
Customer Journey Mapping: Identifying, mapping out and analysing each interaction at every touchpoint along the customer journey for the customer. The goal is to create a simple picture of how your customers currently interact with your business and find ways to sharpen their future journeys. This will help you to identify different emotions, pain points and issues that need to be addressed.
Customer Engagement: Interacting with customers across various channels to gather feedback. This helps you to address their concerns and provide support, during, and after the sales and service process as well as learn and discover areas that need improvement.
Data Analysis and Reporting: Collecting and analysing data from sources like surveys, direct customer feedback, and usage patterns to provide actionable insights that shape CX strategies.
Collaboration with Other Departments: Working with teams in sales, marketing, HR, and product development to ensure that customer feedback is effectively used in wider company initiatives. At The CX Academy, we recommend setting up a CX Taskforce which would make this much smoother.
Adapting to New Trends: Keeping up with emerging CX trends and customer behaviours to ensure strategies stay relevant.
Source: (Wisernotify)
Skills You Need
Succeeding as a CX Specialist requires a mix of hard and soft skills, alongside relevant qualifications. CX Specialists must have strong interpersonal abilities to connect with internal and external customers, as well as technical skills to interpret customer data and translate it into meaningful strategies.
Essential Skills for a CX Specialist include:
Empathy: Understanding customer pain points and building trust are fundamental to this role. Empathy enables CX Specialists to put themselves in the customer’s shoes and understand their feelings at every point in the customer journey.
Empathy in CX is about moving beyond the numbers and statistics of quantitative research. While quantitative methods have their place, they are best used in conjunction with an empathetic approach that uncovers the underlying human emotions that drive decision-making. This is where empathetic customer research stands out—it focuses on understanding what people have done in the past, why they did it, and how they felt during the process.
Learn more: Empathy is the New Black
Communication & Collaboration: The CX Team works closely with multiple departments, from sales and marketing to operations, billing and product development. Being an effective team player is crucial to successfully implementing customer-centric strategies. As well as this, strong communication skills ensure that strategies and insights are shared effectively with team members and other departments.
Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills: Gathering data is a key aspect of this role, therefore CX Specialists require the ability to analyse both qualitative and quantitative data. They must be able to examine feedback, identify issues, and develop solutions that improve the customer journey.
Learn more: Feedback to Action: Transforming Customer Insights into CX Excellence
Flexibility and Agility: Given the dynamic nature of customer expectations, CX Specialists must be adaptable, updating strategies as needed to stay in tune with changing demands.
Are qualifications optional?
While some entry-level roles in CX may not require a specific degree, many employers now seek candidates with a bachelor’s degree in fields like business, communications, marketing, or a related area. A strong foundation in customer service or sales is often a plus, as these positions provide valuable customer-facing experience. If you want to enhance your professional credibility, getting a professional qualification is a preferred option. However, a qualification is more than just this.
For example, at The CX Academy, we provide various CX courses. One of them is a Professional Diploma in CX. This course is a superior asset offering essential knowledge and practical tools that you will need to build & deliver effective CX strategies.
However, because it is very practical it will empower you with confidence and practical skills that you will be able to apply in any CX role – not just a CX Specialist. It will also validate your commitment to the field, making you an extremely attractive candidate for employers. As well as this, a CX course can help you decide if this is the right career for you. We offer a Professional Certificate in CX, which is a shorter course and one that will introduce you to the main concepts in CX.
In either case, a CX Certification/Qualification will be very helpful when you apply to get your dream job and start one of the most exciting careers.
If you want to learn more about how our Professional Diploma or Certificate in CX can help you become a CX Specialist or advance in your CX career book a short call with our Education Advisors here.
Career Path and Opportunities
A career in CX offers significant growth potential, with multiple paths depending on your interests and strengths.
Getting into CX is not difficult as you can start with entry-level positions like Customer Service Representative or Sales Associate, where you can gain experience in handling customer interactions and solving issues firsthand. As you gain experience and the relevant skills, you may look into getting a professional qualification to get into a CX Associate or Specialist role.
As a CX Specialist, your most important tasks will involve analysing customer feedback identifying pain points, and enhancing customer journey interactions. When you gain experience in dealing with senior stakeholders, planning and executing initiatives to drive customer loyalty and retention and using internal feedback loops to optimise all touchpoints across different channels, you’ll be able to apply for higher positions.
They could include a Customer Success Manager, CX Manager or even a CX Director.
Learn more: Do You Have What It Takes To Be a CX Director?
The great news is that CX Specialists are in demand across different industries, including retail, finance, healthcare, and technology. Each of these fields provides unique opportunities to impact customer satisfaction and loyalty. With almost 25 thousand CX roles currently advertised on LinkedIn – in UK alone – the career outlook for CX professionals is highly promising.
Future of the CX Field
As a key differentiating factor between different organisations, CX is a field full of potential for career growth. CX teams are becoming an integral part of successful organisations. As companies continue to invest in CX, CX roles are evolving to include positions such as CX Data Scientist or AI and Automation Specialists in CX.
CX, just like many other business disciplines, is driven by technological advancements and changing customer expectations. As technologies like AI advance, CX professionals will be able to leverage them to personalise customer interactions. This will result in increased customer satisfaction but also improved efficiency in the organisation. Additionally, the growing availability of data will help CX professionals extract actionable insights, understand behaviours, predict future needs, and drive decision-making.
Which leads us to a higher emphasis on personalisation. As customers continue to demand more tailored experiences, organisations will depend even more on the CX Team to ensure customers are treated as individuals – rather than just a number in the system.
Businesses recognise the strategic value of customer experience, and the demand for CX experts in niche areas will likely grow. For those looking to build a career in this field, staying updated with the latest digital tools and industry trends will be essential for maintaining relevance and progressing professionally.
Building a Career as a CX Specialist
Becoming a CX Specialist offers an exciting opportunity to work at the heart of customer-centric businesses. As you embark on this journey, remember that investing in your education, especially through a professional qualification like our Professional Diploma or Certificate in CX, can be an excellent first step to building confidence and gaining the essential skills needed for this role. From mapping customer journeys to crafting strategies and interpreting data, CX Specialists play a pivotal role in driving satisfaction and loyalty, making their contributions invaluable to any organisation.
The future is bright for CX professionals, with rising demand and expanding career opportunities across industries. By improving your skills and gaining hands-on experience, you’ll be well-prepared to grow and succeed in this rewarding field.
If you want to learn more about CX enrol in our Professional Diploma in CX today.
