How To Choose the Right CX Vendor For Your Business

Selecting the right customer experience (CX) vendor is crucial for achieving your business goals. Sarah Lubbe, CRO for Smoke Customer Intelligence, outlines key considerations when choosing a CX partner that aligns with your business’s unique needs.

"Not every vendor suits every business, which is probably the most important point," states Sarah. "The partner for your business needs to suit your business, your goals, your business culture and quite frankly, you as a human being. While the feature set is crucial—ensuring the vendor meets your functional requirements—it's the support around the feature set that often matters more in long-term relationships."

"Firstly, does the vendor care about what you care about? Can they understand your business goals and advise you on an approach that will move you towards them?" Sarah asks. She emphasises the importance of resonance and compatibility with key contacts within the vendor's team, considering the inevitable challenges in managing a CX programme. "A CX programme is hardly ever smooth sailing, so consider the type of relationship you can have. Is the vendor just a phone call away? Can they come and sit in your office for a conversation, or do you need to engage only through a ticket system and wait weeks for a response?"

"Secondly, can the vendor support your internal limitations—be that data movement and processing, programme design, or daily execution? Does the vendor offer the professional and technical services that will really support your programme, or does their offering stop at the product?"

"Lastly, does the vendor bring some gravitas to your programme?" Sarah continues. "Customer feedback can often highlight uncomfortable truths or hard facts, and having a partner you can trust to advocate for your business really helps when seeking to leverage your programme to make change."

When choosing a CX vendor, it’s essential to evaluate not only their technical capabilities but also their ability to support and enhance your business goals. Ensure they provide the necessary access, support, and are a team you can trust and like.